Take a fantasy journey in 3Sixty

 Take a fantasy journey in 3Sixty

Enter a fantasy world with Maya Dance Theatre at the former Kampong Kapor Community Centre in Little India from Thursday to Saturday.

The hour-long site-specific performance, 3Sixty, takes audience members to four different locations in the three-storey building, which now belongs to the Singai Tamil Sangam society, for a series of performances.

Co-choreographer of the production Shahrin Johry says: "This show is about choices and their consequences, temptation and desire." It stars four dancers, including Shahrin, 31, and fellow choreographer Sheridan Newman, as well as eight youngsters aged between 12 and 19 from the Little Arts Academy. Artistic director of The Substation Noor Effendy Ibrahim also makes a guest appearance.

The audience - limited to 30 for each performance due to space constraints - starts off at the ground floor, in front of the main doors of the building.

They are then divided into two groups and each guided up a flight of stairs to small studios on either side of the building, where they watch either Shahrin's work, Platters, or Intoxication by Newman.

In Intoxication, the studio is set up to look like someone's home, with everyday objects such as a broom, pantyhose and even Shahrin's own Lilo & Stitch stuffed toys littered around. Everything seems normal, except for black elastic bands criss-crossing the studio, trapping objects amid their weave.

Newman, 26, says the room is a "private space transformed into a fantasy world, which has a sort of Alice In Wonderland feel".

While Shahrin slinks between the elastic straps to a mix of house and electronic music, Newman, clad in a red dress, plays the intoxicating temptress. "The little voice in your head that keeps telling you, 'just one more', 'don't stop'," she says.

In Shahrin's interactive work, Platters, another studio is transformed into a bustling hawker centre, with clusters of chairs laid out and local favourites, such as "chicken rice" and "laksa" on offer.

Two dancers present a menu of cards to the audience, with the name of a local delicacy written on each. Shahrin says: "They can take more than what they can eat, but they have to deal with the consequences."

Meanwhile, guest performer Effendy sits at a table at the front of the room, with edible goodies in front of him. Shahrin keeps mum about Effendy's role, but hints: "He will be making a mess."

After each seven-minute performance, both groups go to the rooftop, where they pass each other as they cross to the opposite side of the building to watch the other work.

The finale of the night takes place in a large studio on the ground floor, set up to look like a nightclub. Mirrored corners of the room turn each dancer from one into four, which Shahrin says is the "id, ego and super-ego".

After the hour-long journey into Maya Dance Theatre's dream world, the audience exit into a bazaar set up around the building, where six stalls will sell things such as cupcakes and leather goods. Newman says: "We want to engage the community, the surrounding HDB flats, the people from Little India and backpackers, to bring them closer to the arts."

lting@sph.com.sg

Book it 3SIXTY

Where: Singai Tamil Sangam Building, 2 Kampong Kapor Road

When: Thursday, 8pm; Friday and Saturday, 8pm (sold out on both nights) and 9.30pm (still available)

Admission: $15 (standard) and $12 (concession) from Maya Dance Theatre. Go to www.mayadancetheatre.org, call 6298-0771 or e-mail info@mayadancetheatre.org


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