In conjunction with their ongoing 15th anniversary celebrations, local drumming troupe Hands Percussion returns with another avant-garde music and theatre routine this month that picks up from where the nostalgic ‘Souls in Love’ left off in August. Titled ‘The Next…’, the performance’s opening half showcases a new dance style unique to Hands. It’s inspired by a selection of eclectic ethnic dances, including Minangkabau folk theatre the randai and Aceh’s the saman.
The second half of the show involves a futuristic hexagon-shaped percussion set where the drums and cymbals are located sideways and upside down. This calls for unconventional and challenging drumming technique and will be complemented by pre-recorded music. While Hands artistic director Bernard Goh’s previous effort delved into the past to explore family values and childhood memories, ‘The Next…’ represents a new dawn for Hands with boundary-pushing choreography and an emphasis on what to expect from the acclaimed ensemble in the future. Wong Boon Ken