Tony Yap & Collaborators

tyc is an ensemble of culturally diverse independent artists. Each artist is accomplished in their individual field of artistic discipline. > The vision is to create a multi-modal form that is intrinsically international in its artistic language. The unique artistic language that we have created makes us effective representing an Australian-Asian experience in the contemporary arts. > The direction for physical dance practice transforms ancient shamanistic practice into a post-modern medium. > tyc foster and continue artistic and creative collaborations in the Asian region and to profile Asian Arts in an international context. They create work that is unique in that it allows evolution: they are constantly looking for a structure that allows spontaneity within structure, work that is always fresh and current and still within the original artistic framework. “…exquisite…There are real lessons to be learned from the way Yap builds his work. Each element has its place and is given its time, allowing the audience to reflect and absorb the miltiplicity of meanings....The feeling was profound, the silence palpable.” St Sebastian - Hilary Crampton, The Age

ty+c formaly 'Mixed Company'       In 1993 Tony founded Mixed Company with an ensemble of independent artists from diverse artistic disciplines. ty+c/Mixed Company remains committed to the exploration and creation of an individual dance theatre language that is informed by psycho-physical research, Asian shamanistic trance dance, Butoh, voice and visual design Mixed Company produced innovative productions and was fundamentally an experimental physical theatre group. The productions under Tony's artistic direction were highly physical and visual. Ongoing training and explorational workshops continue to this day. The workshops combines Butoh, physho-physical training methods and Asian shamanistic trance dance. Productions include Icarus, Narcissis's Dream, Print of a Pulse and St Sebastian.

BIOGRAPHY
Tony Yap, born in Malaysia, is an accomplished dancer, director, choreographer and visual artist. Tony was one of the principle performers with IRAA Theatre (1989-1996). He has made a commitment to the exploration and creation of an individual dance theatre language that is informed by psycho-physical research, Asian shamanistic trance dance, Butoh and psycho-vocal experimentations. Tony has received numerous nominations and awards including The Decay of the Angel which won him a Green Room Award for Male Dancer Award; and Rasa Sayang was nominated for The Australian Dance Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance. He has been a leading figure in inter-cultural discourse and received Asialink residential grants to work in Indonesia in 2005, and 2008 and a Dance fellowship from the Australia Council for the Arts. Tony is the founding Creative Director of Melaka Arts and Performance Festival – MAP Fest (www.melakafestival.com).

He has contributed significantly to the development of contemporary dance & performance practice, particularly bringing a non-Western perspective to the palette of work being created. His practice is grounded in: Asian philosophies, sensibilities and forms; inter-cultural and multi-disciplinary approaches; ongoing relationships and collaborations that deepen over time; inclusiveness, diversity and individuality; process, evolution and the emergent.

Tony was one of the principle performers with IRAA Theatre (1989-1996) and has worked extensively in Australia and overseas including Agamemnon Festival Colline Torinese, Italy, and The Trojan Woman, Vienna International Art Festival. As the founding Artistic director of Mixed Company (now Tony Yap Company) in 1993. Tony has collaborated with many companies and individual in Australia, Indonesia, Austria, Italy, France, Malaysia, Greece, The Netherlands, Denmark, China, South Korea and Japan. He danced in an international collaborative work in The Silence of the Forest with Company Lian in Paris and The Night Gardener in Marseille for the Mai-diteranee Festival, France.

Tony's contemporary trance praxis has resulted in his recent Phd thesis, Trance-forming Dance.

Creative affliations (selected)

MAP Fest - Melaka Arts and Performance Festival. 2009-present – Creative Director
Experimentum MAP - established 2019. – Creative Director
Creative afffiations with MAP Delhi Festival; Palem Arts Festival (East Java); Bangkok Buffulo Field Festival; Bandung International Arts Festival; Bantengan (Bull-Trance) Carnival (East Java).

Achievements & Awards (selected)

Winner Male Dancer, Green Room Awards. 1999
AsiaLink Residencies: Indonesia. 2005 & 2014
Dance Fellowship, Australia Council for the Arts. 2008
Arts in Asia Awards, Finalist, Melaka Arts & Performance Festival & Kekkai. 2013

Significant Nominations (selected)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE DANCER in Rasa Sayang, Australian Dance Award. 2011

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN INDEPENDENT DANCE for Rasa Sayang, Australian Dance Award. 2011

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Coming Event:

MAP PEACE - Coburg Courthouse, 13-18 May 2024

LOAD PROGRAM HERE

Tony Yap + Collaborators

We respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjiri People of the Kulin Nation who are the Traditional owners of thel land o which we live and pay respect to their elders, past, present and emerging