School of Creative
Industries
Dapheny Chen
Dapheny is an independent dance artist who switches between the roles of choreographer, performer, educator and manager. She has since danced with Ah Hock and Peng Yu (2004), L.A. Dance Connection (2003 – 2008), Frontier Danceland (2010 – 2011) and Re:Dance Theatre (2012 – 2015).
Dapheny's artistic practice embraces the multiple facets of choreography and dance that change with time and state. She examines sociopolitical ideologies to expand the possibilities of contemporary dance, as well as create alternative nodes of experience and entry points. Dapheny is concerned about the provocations, connections and criticality that arise from making and viewing dance.
Similarly, her managerial practice is led by the shifts in the creation and production of dance. As the general manager of Dance Nucleus, she is focused on enabling artistic creation and development. Most importantly, she sees the importance on supporting the sustainability of independent dance practice and the profession of dance.
Work
Research interests
Artist development, artist sustainability, artist remuneration, sustainability of dance as a profession, artistic labour
Thesis abstract
A study of work and labour practices in the independent contemporary dance sector in Singapore
Dance labour is often undervalued and undercompensated, with many dance professionals dealing with a sense of precarity. This is particularly true for independent dance practitioners who do not have access to financial and institutional support available to established dance organisations. Despite the challenges they encounter, independent contemporary dance practitioners continue to pursue the craft and profession. Long standing questions surrounding the dance sector relate to wages, support and recognition have been present. While it was noted by the National Arts Council that there was an increase in independent contemporary dance practitioners in Singapore, there is little understanding of what they do on a day-to-day basis.
This research focuses on the Singapore independent contemporary dance world with artistic labour practices as the cornerstone of the study. The primary focus of unpacking contemporary dance labour in this research is to better enable the articulation of activities, values and challenges that independent dance practitioners face in relation to the wider arts sector. By recognising and valuing the labour of independent contemporary dance practitioners and the roles they take on, we can help to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for the independent contemporary dance sector as well as the dance profession.
Through a mixed method research approach, the study discovered that the imbalance between the visibility and invisibility of dance work highlights the economic conditions that shape the roles and work performed by the practitioners. Additionally, the forms of labour enacted by the practitioners are influenced by (1) roles they take on in the sector, (2) values of the individual and (3) financial returns. In conducting the research, a framework was designed to encapsulate how contemporary dance labour is understood amongst independent contemporary dance practitioners.