District 18: Activation 2

| Documentation by Syarifuddin Sahari |

30 January 2019, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

On-site: Tampines Round Market and Food Center (TRMFC)

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Hasyimah updating the dancers on developments regarding the performance.

The rehearsal started with Hasyimah briefing the dancers about the performance; the confirmed dates at that time, how many shows and other aspects of District 18 that are currently in development. After talking to them, the rehearsal started proper with warm up via a game conducted by Desmond, called Soldier Guards The Castle.

The aim of the game was to walk up to the soldier and tap their shoulder without being seen/caught moving, where the “players” have to freeze when the soldier is looking at them. Whoever is caught will have to return to the starting area and try again. As Desmond was explaining the game, the Daruma video from the Japanese film As The Gods Will came into mind; the rules are similar, but the consequences of being caught are less fatal.

As The Gods Will (2014). Image taken from Google.

The game was an interesting way for the players to familiarise with the space as the players used the environment to hide and blend in, thinking of different paths to reach the soldier. It helped to discover more ways of moving in and around the space and to be more aware of the surroundings, tables, stalls, people etc. As for the soldier, they had to be alert and keep track of where everyone was so as to not be caught off guard, paying close attention to detail when spotting the players from a distance in an unfamiliar territory.

For the first round, Desmond was the soldier standing near the toilets and the starting area was the perimeter of the center area in TRMFC. Not long after the first round started, Chloe managed to sneak up and tap him, eager to find out what the “prize” for winning was. Desmond told her that her reward for winning was to be the next soldier, and she was allowed to select the play area.

She decided the play area to be at the outer ring of hawker stalls, changing the environment. In addition, there were also residents sitting at the tables, some in big groups.

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