Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay's DA:NS FESTIVAL is Running Now

The 17th and final edition of Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay's da:ns festival is now running through 23 Oct 2022.

This weekend, don't miss the first public performance at the new Singtel Waterfront Theatre, Infinitely Closer by The Human Expression Dance Company, and Tree of Codes, a stunning tour de force of dance, visual art and electronic music by three visionary artists-choreographer and director Wayne McGregor, renowned artist Olafur Eliasson, and Mercury Prize prize-winning producer/composer Jaime xx (from The xx).

From 2023, join in for da:ns focus, an exciting year-round season of five themed weekends.

da:ns festival was established at a time when there was very little awareness about dance, and the festival format was the best way to get the attention of audiences. The festival allowed us to show a range of different kinds of dance in a concentrated timeframe, so we could introduce and build a foundation of knowledge for dance. In our 17th year now, we can say we have been successful, and audiences have matured their knowledge of the artform. We now wish to bring them into the next level of appreciation, beyond a platform of diverse dance forms.

This new format from 2023 will comprise five full weekends of dance programmes presented in different months of the year. The name of the programme series is da:ns focus, a signal to everyone that each weekend will have a different theme or genre we are bringing into focus. Each weekend will offer strong programmes and dance experiences that are connected, but also provide counterpoints, dialogues and references beyond dance, within a focused exploration.

Another intention is to make the process of making dance and its meanings more visible, we want to welcome audiences to encounter what goes into making a dance, or understand deeper an artist's context. We also believe the focused weekends will allow us to build deeper partnerships with the local dance community who are developing their respective areas of dance. The programming will build upon existing and familiar facets of da:ns festival, so our supporters of the festival can be assured they will still be able to watch the most exciting international dance presentations, and we will continue to commission new work, especially by Asian choreographers, as well as present experiences where people can dance along together as a community.