A familiar anecdote inevitably comes up when looking back at Singapore Dance Theatre’s (SDT) long history.

In 1988, the fledgling group occupied the second floor of a rundown bungalow along Killiney Road. There, pioneering member and current ballet master Mohamed Noor Sarman — Mat Noor, as he’s fondly called — remembered just how shaky things were at the start — literally.

“When we danced, the whole floor would shake,” he said. “And when it rained, there was water everywhere and you’d have to put buckets everywhere.”

These days, the company finds itself on more stable ground. After two decades at its second home in Fort Canning, SDT moved into its new headquarters at Bugis+ Mall, which contains not only dance studios and office space, but a small library, a gallery and a dance centre for other local dance groups wishing to rehearse. Its impressive new digs underscore the status of Singapore’s only professional ballet company, which kicks off its year-long 25th anniversary season with Coppelia this week.

BUILDING STRENGTH

The celebration belies the company’s very tentative steps early on, when co-founders — Cultural Medallion recipient Goh Soo Khim and the late Anthony Then — decided to start the group.

“To begin with, there were not many dancers whom we thought were ready, but ... we didn’t want to be just talking about it,” said Goh. “Our repertoire was limited because there were many which we weren’t ready to do. But we built it up.”

And over time they did.

From their inaugural six ballets, their selection grew, ranging from classical ballet masterpieces to modern works. From the initial group of seven dancers, their roster also grew. Some were recruited from the Singapore Ballet Academy (SBA), then headed by Goh, while others came from elsewhere. Former SDT resident choreographer Jeffrey Tan, for instance, was spotted by Then while with the SAF Music And Drama Company.

“I never knew that I would be a dancer and when (Then) passed away I told myself I would continue. I was nurtured by Madame Goh and eventually started to build my choreography repertoire,” he said.

Mat Noor was a full-time dancer with the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation before joining SDT. “I just felt I had to do it so I grabbed the chance. We didn’t think about how much we earned but just did it for the love of it. It became a family.”

The bond was just as strong for Xia Haiying, who now runs her own school, City Ballet Academy. She found herself in Singapore after Goh spotted her as a budding student at the Beijing Dance Academy.

“I see (Goh) as a mother,” said Haiying. “She loves every dancer like her own child and allowed me to find my own voice.”

SEARCHING FOR A VOICE

Curiously, that search for a definitive voice in those early days seems to be one of the challenges that SDT now faces in today’s changing dance landscape. Options for both prospective dancers and for audiences have grown, thanks to showcases like Esplanade’s da:ns Fest and THE Dance Company’s Contact; a growing number of independent companies and choreographers; and a much more varied diet of dance of all shapes and sizes for everyone.

Artistic director Janek Schergen, who took over after Goh retired in 2008, agreed. “Before, SDT was the biggest tree in the forest and now there are lots of other trees. Just getting here is hard enough, maintaining it here is twice as hard.”

In this changing landscape, the game-plan has been to stay the course, with a hint of expansion. “(To present) 19th century classical works and the best that we can buy from established choreographers, and to develop talent,” said Schergen.

It’s a sensible plan, but such a strategy is not without its critics. One of them is dance dramaturg and curator Tang Fu Kuen, who did not mince his words.

“If SDT today dares to evaluate its quality as a national company against world, or even regional, standards, it risks looking like a heartland auntie in pajamas,” he said.

It is, however, a very rich auntie, with the distinction of receiving the most government funding of all Singapore arts groups. Last year, it received a S$900,000 two-year grant from the National Arts Council. In contrast, Arts Fission and THE Dance Company, for example, received S$140,000 and SS$117,000 respectively.

“In contrast (to SDT), proof of true vim is coming from the independent dance companies and individuals who deserve more recognition and funding because they are the ones going out of the small pond called Singapore to strike a name and presence for themselves and the nation with their artistic voice,” said Tang.

By virtue of its history and pedigree, however, SDT still retains its status as the country’s de facto national dance company. But, as Lasalle College of the Arts’ School Of Dance programme leader and choreographer Melissa Quek pointed out, now could be the perfect time to do some soul searching.

“In many ways, SDT cannot compete with more established international ballet companies in terms of support, manpower and resources,” she said. “Therefore its 25th anniversary is an appropriate time to assess its place in Singapore.

“Deciding what makes SDT Singaporean may be the thing that helps it stand out on the global stage,” she added, suggesting the revival of the position of resident choreographer, for instance, to shape a company’s style and brand.

Quek also suggested other ways of reaching out to the community, apart from their lauded programmes such as Ballet Under The Stars. “Many ballet studios are based in community clubs and it would be good for SDT to capitalise on this. Strong ties to the community are part of what makes a company local.”

REACHING OUT

Equally paramount, perhaps, is SDT’s connection with the dance community. And here, one sees an impact that extends well beyond the stage: Former dancers pervade the scene, in groups like THE Dance Company (formed by Kuik Swee Boon), schools like Nanyang Academy Of Fine Arts and School Of The Arts (Sota).

Former SDT alum Cheah Mei Sing, who heads Sota’s dance department, admitted that students nowadays are exposed to so much more options and groups. But they make sure SDT has a presence — the SDT gives talks and workshops while Sota students are taken to SDT shows.

“We try to make SDT known. It is hard because people will always want to see overseas troupes, but for me as a local dance practitioner, I want the kids to see them. I think it’s important for every nation to have a (dance) company to call its own,” said Cheah

One recurring comment regar—ing SDT has been the small numbers of Singaporean dancers. Currently, there are only two Singaporeans in the decidedly cosmopolitan troupe of 35. Still, the growing acceptance of dance as a profession, the introduction of Sota, the continued existence of Goh’s SBA to nurture budding youngsters, and the constant reminder of the presence of a national dance company may, in time, help turn the tide.

“Hopefully in the future, with professional training starting earlier, I hope to see more Singaporeans entering the professional world,” said Madame Goh.

It’s not out of reach — going by the illustrious names that have sprung up from SDT’s history, not to mention the promise of things to come. Twenty-year-old Chua Bi Ru, for example, is only into her second year at SDT, but performed in SDT productions as extra child dancer from the age of eight, while still an SBA student. Coincidentally, her first ever show was Coppelia — the same one that kicks off SDT’s 25th anniversary.

Why SDT?

“Singapore is home and I feel like I already know this company,” she said. “It is kind of hard to believe how far I’ve come, but on a day-to-day basis, I feel like this (dancing) is the norm — it’s what I’ve always wanted.”