FUSE#2

Element# 2
BAHASA KOREOGRAFI
what is the point of me?
by Norhaizad Adam
Visual Keywords recorded from Silat Duduk
with facilitators and artists at the ELEMENT#2:
Bahasa Koreografi Residency:
● Social dramaturgy, process of socialization
● The socialist body
● Transit and transmission
● Transnational Malay, critics of modern nationalism
● Concept of home
● How do I own this contemporary body?
● Bumiputra rights
● Text, Extratext, Paratext and Metatext
● Performativity of the ironic
● Democratic and Majority will
● Minority rights is important too
● Singapore Malay Pop culture
● Negotiation of Malay social dance or social gathering
● Noise of the Asiatic soundscape: management, coloniser, gatekeepers etc.
● Tension between Majority and Minority
● Choreography as critical practice
● Diaspora has power, economy and money
● Nationalism has affected what Malay is?
● Translocal rather than Transnational
● Responsibility of traditional artist is heavier than popular celebrities
● Minority complex
● Daniel: What’s the relationship of dance to you now?
● Ming Poon: How far are you willing to go? Find your Instrumentalization
● Orientalism
● Normalisation
● Minority identity
● Malay body as sympathy body
Article 152
For the ELEMENT#2 residency at Dance Nucleus, I knew by
instinct that Article 152 of the Singapore Constitution will be a
necessary tool for the crafting of my discovery and ideation
process. In my perspective, this article is intended to protect the
rights of minority races within Singapore and puts forth ‘special
position of the Malays’.
I am curious to imagine in between the lines and maybe uncover
a hidden clause that seeps through cracks in the wall. I wonder if
loaded words such as ‘privileged’, ‘underprivileged’, ‘majority’
and ‘minority’ can come out in an everyday Singaporean
conversation and Singapore’s current social, economic and
political context.
From my standpoint, I question about the Malay diaspora in modern times.
How nationalism and traditionalism during colonial ruling affects what being a Malay is?
What does being a Malay in Singapore mean?
What does being Malay in Malaysia mean?
What does being a Malay in Indonesia mean?
What are the concerns and negligence of Malay minorities in Singapore?
I reimagined Article 152 by changing the scale of minority
according to social, political and economic demographics in
Singapore. Then, I realize that the concerns may directly affect
me. However, there is an air of tension between majority and
minority relevance as an Anak Melayu Singaporean artist. I map
out my thoughts on the comparisons of different minority status.
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