SCRATCH WORKS: W.O.W. / FOR WANT OF A BETTER WORD

DANIEL KOK (SINGAPORE)

Daniel Kok studied BA (Honours) Fine Art & Critical Theory at Goldsmiths College (London, 1997-2001), received an MA (Distinction) in Solo/Dance/Authorship (SODA) at the Inter-University Centre for Dance (HZT, Berlin, 2012) and completed the Advanced Performance and Scenography Studies (APASS, Brussels, 2014). Between 2005 and 2010, he was an Associate Artist at The Substation (Singapore). In 2008, he was the laureate of the Young Artist Award from National Arts Council (Singapore).

"Q&A" was commissioned by Singapore Arts Festival (2009). "Planet Romeo" (2011) was selected as Priority Company for the Aerowaves European Network. “Cheerleader of Europe” (2014) was supported by Nadine (Brussels), workspacebrussels and PACT Zollverein (Essen). “PIIGS” is a European Cheerleading Team Project that was supported by Nationales Performance Netz (Germany), Maxim Gorki Theater (Berlin), and workspacebrussels through the Live Long Burning cultural initiative of the European Commission. “Bunny” (2016) is a collaboration with Luke George (Australia), commissioned by Campbelltown Arts Centre (Sydney), co-produced by The Substation (Singapore), with support from Playking Foundation (Australia), Abrons Arts Center (New York City) and TanzFabrik (Berlin).

Daniel's works have been performed in various cities in Asia, Europe, Australia and North America, notably ImpulsTanz (Vienna) and Festival/Tokyo. In 2017, he was commissioned by the Singapore International Festival of the Arts (SIFA) to direct “MARK”, a massive drawing and choreographic work for 9 dancers in different public spaces in Singapore.

An avid pole dancer, he won the SG Pole Challenge 2012 and represented Singapore at the International Pole Championships 2013 (Finalist). In 2014, he collaborated with Arco Renz (Belgium) and Eisa Jocson (Philippines) to create pole duet “ALPHA”, co-produced by Esplanade (Singapore), KobaltWorks (Belgium) and the Goethe Institut.

Daniel is presently developing his artistic research on critical spectatorship and audienceship. He is now collaborating with visual artist, Miho Shimizu (Japan), exploring a notion of Trans-Individuality in “xhe” a durational dance and installation work that will premiere in 2018.

Luke George

Raised in Tasmania and based in Melbourne, Luke George creates new performance work locally and internationally/culturally, through experimental creative processes with collaborating artists. George takes daring and at times unorthodox methods to explore new intimacies and connections between audience and performers. His works LIFESIZE (2008), NOW NOW NOW (2010), NOT ABOUT FACE (2013), EROTIC DANCE (2016) and BUNNY (2016, co-creator Daniel Kok) have been presented extensively throughout Australia, and internationally in France, Germany, Spain, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Japan, Singapore, and U.S.A.

Since receiving his B.A. from the Victorian College of the Arts, George has collaborated and performed in the works of many acclaimed dance and theatre companies, music, visual art, live art, and socially engaged projects, and queer clubs, in Australia and internationally. George was recipient of Melbourne Fringe Awards (1999, 2013), Asialink Residency (2005), Russell Page Fellowship (2007), Greenroom Award for Best Male Dancer (2011), and commissions: Sydney Opera House (2006), Keir Foundation (2008), Lucy Guerin Inc (2010), Phantom Limbs (2013), Chocolate Factory Theater (2014), Phillip Adams Balletlab (2015), Campbelltown Arts Centre (2016) and Keir Choreographic Award (2018). George is a 2018 recipient of an Abbotsford Convent Foundation artist residency.