NUS Arts Festival 2025: CROSSROADS
Inspired by the idiom ‘Yang lama dikelek, Yang baharu didukung’ ("the old is carried, the new is embraced"), Ku Kelek, Ku Dukung by NUS Ilsa Tari explores the interplay of ‘tradition’ and ‘modernity’. This interdisciplinary production honors the past and engages the present, encouraging audiences to embrace a balanced worldview.
Central to its narrative is the concept of adat (customs), it examines how cultural practices evolve while staying relevant. Featuring a blend of movement, live music, and spoken Malay poetry with Rumah Rima, it includes guest musicians Luqman Hakim, Nazri Johari, and Lenny Karmila, who reinterpret traditional sounds. Together, these elements create a thought-provoking celebration of tradition and innovation.
Late Seating Policy
Latecomers cannot be admitted until an appropriate break in the show. For shows without an intermission, latecomers may risk being denied entry if there is no appropriate break in the show.
Admission of Children
All children require a purchased ticket for entry. As a courtesy to other audience members, infant in arms ad prams, and children below six years of age cannot be admitted for ticketed shows.
Photography, Audio and Video Recording
Photography and all manner of unauthorised audio and video recording are strictly prohibited.
Access
UCC Theatre is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us at [email protected] before purchasing your tickets if you have access requirements.
Advisory
This show may use theatrical haze, strobe lighting and loud sounds. Viewer discretion is advised.
For queries or more information, please contact us at [email protected].
All information is correct at time of publishing but may be subject to change without prior notice.
The Organiser reserves the right to amend the above without prior notice. In the event of any dispute, the Organiser’s decision is final.
Ilsa Tari (Performer)
Originally known as NUS Malay Dance Group under the direction of its founding tutor Mr Abdul Rahman Mawari, the group had their first performance at the NUS Welcome Convention in July 1986 at the NUS Forum. In May 1995, NUS Malay Dance Group was renamed NUS Ilsa Tari by its former Artistic Director and Resident Choreographer Osman Abdul Hamid.
The word ‘Ilsa’ is derived from the Malay word ‘Asli’ to mean native, which signifies a bold new artistic direction for radical creativity in Malay Dance while acknowledging the importance of the past. Establishing strong foundations in traditional Malay Dance forms such as Zapin, Ronggeng, Inang and Serampang 12, together with the traditional Malay martial art of Silat, NUS Ilsa Tari experiments with both traditional and contemporary Malay Dance to push the boundaries of creativity and modernity. Today, NUS Ilsa Tari plays an important part in the evolution of Malay Dance forms relevant to our times by practice, discourse, performance and engagement with the next generation of artists.
Rumah Rima (Performer, Collaborator)
Rumah Rima is a literary arts collective inspired by a shared love for traditional Malay poetry. Rumah (house) symbolizes a space for the community while Rima (rhyme) represents the heart of poetic expression. Rumah Rima hopes to bridge communities to celebrate and nurture Malay literary arts.
Dinie Dasuki Osman (Choreographer)
Dinie is a Malay dance practitioner. He is a dance artist, choreographer, and instructor who is rooted in traditional dance and explores its contemporaries; intrigued by the moving body and the synergy between
mind and body. Driven by tradition and the traditional form, he is curious about how movement relates to the state of mind.
Dinie has been under the tutelage of artistic director and choreographer Osman Abdul Hamid since the early 2000s and has trained with regional experts like Tom Ibnur, Ery Mefri, and Peter Selayan from Indonesia. As a
leading member of Era Dance Theatre, Dinie takes on multiple roles including training, choreography, and conceptualization.
Dinie is also an arts educator and teaches various programmes including CCAs in schools. He holds a Specialist Diploma in Arts Education by National Institute of Education (NIE) International.
Hasyimah Harith (Choreographer)
Hasyimah Harith is a Malay-Muslim female artist that performs, choreographs and teaches Malay folk dance. Using her body as the starting point, Hasyimah works with the Malay traditions and eroticism, as a way to reclaim agency over her body. Her working methods involve strategies of boosting libido such as fantasy and intimacy. Her works hope to confront and overcome the conditioned shame and grief that is often attached to female eroticism.
Hasyimah is Company Manager of P7:1SMA (pronounced as Prisma), a dance company formed in 2016 that believes dance is a strategy, and Malay is a concept. She is a trained Visual Arts educator who specialises
in teaching how to create and appreciate Art. Since 2010, Hasyimah contributes as a Malay dance instructor and choreographer at Azpirasi. She is an Artist-facilitator in the Performing Arts Faculty at ART:DIS.
Luqman Hakim
Luqman Hakim is an individual whose work spans the fields of auditory and visual performance, using sounds, movement, and music as primary mediums. A reflective artist, Luqman dives his time in nature and its ever evolving reaction to human nature.
His work explores the calm and chaos the inner voice brings when in contact with the patterns of the world around it, and transmuting these personal observations through sound and movement.
Luqman has crafted compositions for Perspektif’s Cityscape Singapore and Singapore Writer’s Festival TV commercial. He has also presented work in festivals including Singapore Writer’s Festival, Singapore Fringe Festival, Singapore Night Festival, Esplanade Sonic City, da:ns festival, and Mosaic Music Festival.
Nazri Johari
Nazri Johari is a passionate percussionist whose rhythmic journey began at the age of 13. With a deep love for percussion, he has mastered a wide range of styles, specializing in Malay traditional and Brazilian Samba percussion. His dynamic performances and versatility have taken him to both local and international stages, captivating audiences with his energy, precision, and artistry.
In addition to performing, Nazri is an Arts Educator dedicated to sharing his knowledge and inspiring a love for music across all ages. He strongly believes in the transformative power of music and the arts, which nurture creativity, build confidence, and support personal growth.
Nazri is also deeply involved in artistic direction and music arrangement, using his expertise to lead ensembles and create compelling performances. His lifelong passion for drumming and commitment to teaching reflect his mission to spread the joy of rhythm and make music a vital part of everyday life.
Lenny Karmila
Lenny Karmila pursued her passion for music, specializing as a violinist and vocalist, in both Singapore and South Korea. She began performing professionally at the age of 11 and proudly represented Singapore at just 13 years old with Orkestra Melayu Singapura.
Lenny is not only a musician but also a music director that has led notable performances such as Gemadah Festival, Kacip Mas Dulang Permata, and Dian Dancers - Dinamika!
Beyond her work as a performer and director, Lenny is dedicated to nurturing young talent. Sheinspires children to explore music and develop their musicianship from an early age through creative and engaging music education.