Panjat Hujan

“From the outset of the performance—sweltering in the main hall—musician Reuben Lewis’s trumpet exhaled a breath-like horn. Sometimes it was strained and gasping, as if the instrument itself were struggling to inhale; at others, elongated into a whine. I was captivated by the force of the performers’ movements—gestures both delicate and convulsive, in a collision of outstretched limbs. With each contact, their slow-moving pace was ruptured, causing them to flutter, pulse and even fall, as if pushed by an invisible force. It conjured and enveloped the audience in an atmosphere where a pain marked by ambiguity and indeterminacy felt inescapable.” — Annabel Brown, Performance Review

Translating to 'Climbing the Rain', Panjat Hujan embodies the absence of the word 'impossible' from the language of indigenous Bugis people of South Sulawesi. Exploring symbolic rituals that refracts time and space, this multicultural collaboration draws from practice of a different era still relevant today, bridging shamanistic tradition and contemporary dance.

“mysterious, trance-like, slightly frenetic, it’s physically demanding and captivating” — Gina Fairley, ArtsHub

This experiment unfolds in a sanctified space, guided by hidden grids that connect the living world with the abstract. Invoking a state of trance, sensation arrives on a spectrum, from intense to imperceptible. In the struggle to survive, are you strong enough to be gentle?

Credits:

Tony Yap – Choreographer/Dancer, Artistic Director
Jack Riley – Choreographer/Dancer
Reuben Lewis – Musician/Composer
Adriansyah Anwar – Bissu Shaman and Cultural Collaborator
Rejeke Kene – Videographer and Cultural Commentator

Premiered at The Unconformity 2025