Bolero and Dying Swan
choreography by Thierry Malandain

Les Noces
choreography by Marie-Claude Pietragalla

Last Watch
choreography by Jeffrey Tan

This mixed bill of works features a diverse mix of contemporary dances featuring French choreographies by Marie Claude Pietragalla and Thierry Malandain as well as SDT’s very own resident choreographer, Jeffrey Tan.

French Connection showcased the Singapore Premieres of Thierry Malandain’s Dying Swan and Bolero. Choreographer of renowned works such as Sextext, Thierry Malandain once again enticed audiences with his unique interpretations of The Dying Swan solo and Maurice Ravel’s famous composition Bolero.

Previously staged at the Singapore Arts Festival 2005 to critical acclaim, Les Noces, a compelling work choreographed by the legendary Marie Claude Pietragalla danced to the strains of Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, Les Noces is a piece that embodies the mixed emotions of “reserve, anxiety, hope or happiness” evoked by the Wedding. Set in a society on the brink of structural collapse, Les Noces takes a step back and explores the role of a woman living in a patriarchal society and how she sought to break free from the entrapments of tradition.

Touching on the eternal theme of Death, French Connection also saw the restaging of Last Watch. Coming off the success of The Nutcracker in December 2005, Jeffrey Tan presents his revised choreography of a reflective work on the dying moments of an individual. Last performed at BUTS in 2005, this version would depict and explore the struggles the protagonist goes through on her journey to the next world.