We Can Dance
Singapore, SG | Perth, AU | Mississauga, Halifax, CA | +
We Can Dance is a large-scale collective choreographic exercise inviting the public to take over the streets through dance. Following each other in a vast imitation game, participants become giant dancers parading along building facades.
Singapore, Singapore
Perth, Australia
Halifax, Canada
Mississauga, Canada
YES!
How it works
A shipping container is transformed into a recording studio. A first participant follows an original choreography, a second follows that first participant’s imitation of the choreography, and so on. The dances are projected in a sequence on a nearby building facade. Seats are provided for everybody to enjoy the mesmerizing show.
A platform for collaboration
Wherever the artwork travels to, Daily works with local talent to create bespoke choreographies that stimulate connections between participants.
Singapore edition featured ScRach MarcS, self described as a “pioneering robotic couple” who transform street dance in Singapore.
Perth edition featured contemporary artist Mitch Harvey who quite literally stretched the possibilities of what one can do with muscles.
Mississauga edition featured Mariah Amber and DJ Andre 905, respectively lead choreographer and DJ for Toronto’s basketball team the Raptors.
Halifax edition featured Drift Collective a Black / African Nova Scotian organization who aim to bring representation and accessible art and dance training to the wider community.
McLarena
The first edition of We Can Dance was McLarena, a tribute to Canadian award winning trailblazer filmmaker Norman Mclaren. The work played with a choreography taken from his 1964 short film Canon.
Every city needs a dancing strategy
Dance is a universal language. It gives a sense of liberty while also encouraging self-discovery. Dancing has the power to change our relationship with our own body by helping us have a more positive view towards others and ourselves.
Walking, driving and riding seem to be the only things one can do on a street. It is a codified place where bodies move in a homogenous way and have little room for spontaneity. In this context, dancing in the street becomes a political act. We Can Dance was designed to push people out of their comfort zone and to allow them to be surprised by the magic of an impromptu dance in a public space.
Credits
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- This project was first created for the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA).
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- A project by Daily tous les jours
- Creative Direction
- Mouna Andraos
- Melissa Mongiat
- Interactive Direction
- Pierre Thirion
- Technological Direction
- Eva Schindling
- Spatial Design
- Rebecca Taylor
- Graphic Design
- Anne Ouellette
- Sound Direction
- Michael Baker
- Production
- Irène Chaudouet
- Project Management
- Anastasia Starova
- Choreography
- ScRach MarcS
- Production
- The Arts House Singapore
- The Merry Men
- Powered with
- openFrameworks