By Any Other Name: Dance Dramaturgy in Southeast Asia - a personal experience
Pichet Klunchun: Black and White (photography: Tony Lewis)
"Right from the onset, Klunchun liked the idea that I played interrogator in delivering question after question as I sat in rehearsal watching him develop new choreographic styles from his classical Thai Khon training. The incessant barrage of questions were indeed necessary for a deeper understanding of the work at had if I were to offer any valuable feedback and contribution – not to mention that the answers often fed directly into my research investigation for my thesis. These questions range from technical choreographic systemic perspectives to getting deeper into Klunchun’s concepts and narrative for his Black and White. Soon Klunchun’s trust and confidence in me grew and he started to solicit for feedback in certain areas. This trust and confidence between choreographer and dramaturg is vital for open and critical discussions that would serve the artistic work and choreography at hand. This trust and confidence are also gained by being at the start of the project when the choreographer is perhaps just on the cusp of beginning explorations or rehearsals in the studio. I had the great fortune to be with Klunchun right from the start for Black and White."