28(Fri) September, 20:00 / 29(Sat) September, 20:00 Performance

I Am A Demon
Pichet Klunchun

Dancer/Choreographer: Pichet Klunchun
Video editor: Puttpong Wongsawang
Translator: Associate Professor Pornrat Damrhung
Original interview video clip: TheatreWorks Singapore

I Am A Demon was created in 2005‭ ‬to commemorate the third anniversary of the death of my beloved master‭, ‬Master Chaiyot Khummanee‭. ‬It is a story about passing the art form of Khon Dance‭ (‬demon character‭) ‬from one generation to the next‭. ‬Beyond the teaching‭ ‬and learning process‭, ‬it is about the relationship between master and student in real life‭. ‬After the death of my master‭, ‬I had‭ ‬one question as a student‭ ‬‮ ‬”What does it take to become a perfect demon character‭?”‬‮ ‬h As a result‭, ‬I started to deconstruct and‭ ‬decode the structure of Khon dance‭ (‬demon character‭) ‬in order to search for the answer step by step‭. ‬I began working with body disciplinary of Demon character after that I continued with the body structures and I ended the process by working with‭ ‬feelings and emotions‭.‬

Finally‭, ‬when this performance was completed‭, ‬I found more answers than what I previously wondered‭.  ‬I found what the‭ ‬‮ ‬”Thai-ness”‮ ‬h is and what the real art form of‭ ‬‮ ‬”Khon Dance”‮ ‬h is‭. 

Artist Profile

Pichet Klunchun bridges traditional Thai classical dance language with a contemporary sensibility, while keeping the heart and wisdom of the convention. He trained in Thai classical mask dance, Khon, from age of 16 under Chaiyot Khummanee, one of the best Khon masters in Thailand. After receiving his Bachelor degree in Fine and Applied Arts at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, he pursued theatre both as dancer and choreographer. He has participated in several intercultural performing arts programmes in North America, Asia and Europe. Pichet has earned many honourable world-class awards namely “Routes ECF Princess Margriet Award for Cultural Diversity (2008)”, Chevalier of the French Arts and Literature Order (2012) and the John D. Rockefeller 3rd Award (2014).

Performance Schedule

28(Fri) September, 20:00 / 29(Sat) September, 20:00

Venue

Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC) DPAC Thertre