Episode 5 is about one of Malaysia’s contemporary dance pioneers, Marion D’Cruz who began dancing at the age of 6 and started making dance at the age of 16. Graduated with a BA in Performing Arts and an MA in Dance from Universiti Sains Malaysia, she has studied traditional, modern, and contemporary dance in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, London, and New York.

Marion. D’Cruz is a founder member of Five Arts Centre, a dynamic collective of Malaysian artists and producers, dedicated to generating alternative art forms and images in the contemporary arts landscape, which was formed in 1984 together with theatre directors Krishen Jit and Chin San Sooi.

Some well-known works include Bacchanale (New York, 1981), Swan Song (1988), Urn Piece (1988), and Alter Art (Singapore, 1991). She has also choreographed for theatre, most notably for Wrong Guys (New York, 1981), The Tempest (New York, 1981), The Cord (1984 & 1994), Nagraland (Singapore, 1992), Suara Rimba (1994), Savages (1995).

She now managers the Krishen Jit Fund (originally Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund) was introduced in 2006 by ASTRO together with Five Arts Centre, in commemoration of the late Dato’ Krishen Jit, and is aimed to provide deserving arts practitioners with grants to pursue projects in the Arts. The Fund is now in its 16th year.

Marion also teaches in the Dance Faculty of the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA – Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan), meanwhile continues to produce, perform, and choreograph.

This episode is supported by Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya Malaysia