Fourteen. The number of days typically required for self-isolation. As stages remain empty during this unprecedented period of social distancing, theatres too have been forced into isolation. How are dance artists around the world responding to these uncertain conditions that have, by necessity, shifted the audience’s gaze into digital spaces, and how can we find new ways to experience dance, together but apart?

Led by Taiwanese dance artist Chen Wu-Kang and Sun Ruey Horng (Taiwan), 14 is a dance marathon streamed live from across time zones and continents. Join 19 independent artists from Indonesia, Italy, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand as they reclaim the stage, tasked to reflect on the situations they are in and present themselves through the format of a 14-minute solo—completely alone with neither crew or audience in sight. Optional live commentary from guest commentors providing insightful perspectives to the solos further explores new possibilities for online performance and intimate viewing.

From an outdoor theatre in Italy steeped in history to an intimate independent theatre in the suburbs of Bangkok, be transported to performance venues around the world as night and day dance around one another, and as desires, strengths, anxieties and other personal responses unravel. Collaborative yet autonomous, 14 applies the rituals of traditional theatre alongside the cinematography, live-editing and livestream to explore new performance perspectives and our collective experiences of time and isolation in this pandemic-stricken world.

A prelude to da:ns festival, this Esplanade Commission is co-produced with National Theater & Concert Hall (Taiwan), and co-presented by Centro per la Scena Contemporanea, Lavanderia a Vapore (part of Boarding Pass Plus Dance) and Spazio Kor (Italy), Chang Theatre (Thailand), National Taichung Theater (Taiwan) and Salihara Arts Center (Indonesia).

Chang Theatre (Thailand)

Dramaturg / Pichet Klunchun

Commentator / Pawit Mahasarinand

Artist / Kornkarn Rungsawang, Ratchai Rujiwipatna, Sineenadh Keitprapai

Centro per la Scena Contemporanea, Lavanderia a Vapore and Spazio Kor (Italy)

Dramaturg / Greta Pieropan

Commentator / Susan Sentler

Artist / Amina Amici, Elena Sgarbossa, Manuel Martin, Marigia Maggipinto

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay (Singapore)

Dramaturg / Shawn Chua

Commentator / Charlene Rajendran

Artist / Daniel Kok, Hasyimah Harith, Rizman Putra, Sandhya Suresh

National Taichung Theater (Taiwan)

Director / Tora Hsu

Dramaturg / Tang Fu-kuen

Commentator / Yu Yen-fang

Artist / Anastasia Melati, Liu I-ling, Tien Hsiao-tzu, Wang Ning

Salihara Arts Center (Indonesia)

Dramaturg / Yustiansyah Lesmana

Commentator / Akbar Yumni

Artist / Densiel Lebang, Josh Marcy, Nudiandra Sarasvati, Siko Setyanto

Commissioned by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay (Singapore)

Co-producer / National Theater & Concert Hall (Taiwan)

Co-presenters / Centro per la Scena Contemporanea, Lavanderia a Vapore and Spazio Kor (Italy), Chang Theatre (Thailand), National Taichung Theater (Taiwan) and Salihara Arts Center (Indonesia)