Sifa 2025: The Sea And The Neighbourhood transforms Bedok Town Square with music, dance and art
Christina Chan is the choreographer for Pact Of Water. The performance will be part of The Sea And The Neighbourhood, the opening show for Singapore International Festival of Arts. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
SINGAPORE – A bustling neighbourhood square surrounded by a train station, a bus interchange and a busy food centre is not the first venue one associates with the Singapore International Festival of Arts (Sifa).
But come May 16, Bedok Town Square will host Sifa 2025's opening performance, The Sea And The Neighbourhood, an ambitious festival commission which brings together kinetic sculpture, dance and music.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs tells courtroom artist he looks like a ‘koala' in sketches
Sean "Diddy" Combs told courtroom sketch artist Jane Rosenberg that she was making him look like a koala bear. PHOTO: REUTERS Sean 'Diddy' Combs tells courtroom artist he looks like a 'koala' in sketches Before the jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial returned from a lunch break on June 5 , the grey-bearded hip-hop mogul turned to face courtroom sketch artist Jane Rosenberg in the first row to make an unusual request. 'Soften me up a bit, you're making me look like a koala bear,' Combs said, according to Ms Rosenberg. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five criminal counts of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. During the four weeks of his trial, he has worn sweaters and sported greying hair and a goatee. Ms Rosenberg, a well-known sketch artist, has been documenting the proceedings for Reuters in Manhattan federal court, where photography and video recording are prohibited. Combs, also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is not the first high-profile defendant to remark on Rosenberg's depictions of them. Earlier in 2025 , Mr Rudy Giuliani told Ms Rosenberg she had made him look like his dog. The former New York City mayor was in court in a civil case stemming from his false accusations that two election workers helped steal the 2020 US presidential election for Democrat Joe Biden. And in 2023, Mr Donald Trump Jr. had a blunt request for Ms Rosenberg during a civil fraud trial over his family's real estate business: 'Make me look sexy.' Combs could face life in prison if convicted on all counts in the trial. He has nonetheless demonstrated good spirits during some breaks in the trial, often making a heart gesture with his hands toward family seated in the front row. But his behaviour in court drew a rebuke on June 5 by US District Judge Arun Subramanian. The judge said he had noticed Combs nodding in the jury's direction during his lawyer's cross-examination of a witness. Judge Subramanian said that was 'unacceptable' and threatened to kick Combs out of the courtroom if he sought to interact with the jury again. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Lawyer for Sean ‘Diddy' Combs accuses witness of lying about balcony attack
Sean "Diddy" Combs speaking to his lawyers in a court sketch, before the start of the day's proceedings on June 5. PHOTO: REUTERS NEW YORK - A lawyer for Sean "Diddy" Combs accused a witness at his sex trafficking trial on June 5 of falsely testifying that the hip-hop mogul held her over the balcony of a Los Angeles apartment, and suggested Combs was on the East Coast at the time of the alleged attack. Ms Bryana Bongolan, a friend of Combs' former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, testified on June 4 that Combs in September 2016 held her over the rail of the balcony at Ventura's apartment and then threw her onto the balcony's furniture, causing her bruises. Prosecutors say the incident was among several violent acts that Combs, 55, took against Ventura and people close to her during the decade he was coercing Ventura to take part in drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers known as "freak offs." Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts. Ms Bongolan had not stated the exact date of the alleged balcony attack during her testimony on June 4. Jurors on June 4 saw a picture Ms Bongolan took of a bruise on her leg taken on Sept 26, 2016. A civil lawsuit Ms Bongolan filed against Combs in 2024 said the incident took place "on or about Sept 26, 2016." On June 5, Combs' lawyer Nicole Westmoreland asked Ms Bongolan if she was aware that Combs performed at a concert in New Jersey on Sept 25, 2016, and attended an event in New York with Ventura the following day. Westmoreland also showed jurors a document from the Trump International hotel in New York indicating that someone named "Frank Black" stayed there from Sept 24, 2016, through Sept 29, 2016. Previous witnesses at the trial have testified that Combs, like other celebrities, frequently used aliases when staying at hotels. "You came in here and you lied to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury, didn't you?" Ms Westmoreland asked. "I can't agree with you," Ms Bongolan replied. Ms Bryana Bongolan (right) leaving court after testifying on June 4. PHOTO: REUTERS Under further questioning from prosecutor Madison Smyser, Ms Bongolan said she did not know the exact date of the incident because it happened 'a while ago', but said she had no doubt it took place. 'I will never forget him holding me on that balcony,' Ms Bongolan said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
My Perfect Weekend with singer-host Daphne Khoo
Singer-host Daphne Khoo during an arts and craft session (left) with her friends, and with her family at West Coast Park (right). PHOTOS: COURTESY OF DAPHNE KHOO Who: Daphne Khoo, 38, also known as Haneri Milliona, is a Singaporean singer and host. The former Kiss92 radio DJ has curated music and artists for a new Saturday afternoon series at bar and club Rasa Space called Sync, which started on May 24. Each week features DJ sets, live performances and spontaneous collaborations across house, R&B, nu-disco, funk and more. The series is designed as both a platform and a gathering space: social, experimental and welcoming. It is also family-friendly, with a kid-friendly zone, and runs from 2 to 7pm. Khoo, who is single, was a contestant on the first season of reality singing contest Singapore Idol (2004 to 2009) and has released an album, Desperate (2007), as well as a number of singles, including Y Didn't You Say So in 2002. 'I try my best to get extra sleep over the weekends. It is close to impossible because I'm always doing something. But weekends are the time when I catch up on sleep and see my friends and family. One of my most beautiful weekends was when I went with my family to West Coast Park. We flew a kite together, my dog ran around and my sister's eight-year-old daughter was climbing this massive structure. That moment was significant to me because I love her very much. I've watched her grow up, which is an amazing honour and blessing. I was climbing with her, and we had a little heart-to-heart talk while we were at it. It was just a perfect bonding time. Any time I get to spend quality time with friends and family over the weekend, that's something that I cherish very much. Over the weekends, I spend a lot of time rearranging my room to make it my safe space. My room is modular, so if I want to do something, I can move things around easily. Sometimes, I just lie down and watch movies on the projector on the ceiling. Whenever I see myself happy and comfortable, I picture myself in my room. I am satisfied with what it feels like and looks like to me, and I think that's important because it helps me spend time alone. To be honest, I am terrible at taking downtime. But I am lucky to have friends who will remind me and book me to do nothing, like to have 'nothing' days when we basically sit around, watch television shows and talk. Doing nothing has been life-changing in my adulthood. It has given me better work-life balance. Sunday is my day to hang out with friends. We usually try to do something sporty together or an activity. We're in a pickleball phase and so is the rest of the world. Sometimes, we just go to the gym together or go bowling.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
