daniel kok / diskodanny.com
01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
06.
07.
08.
09.
10a
10b
10c.
1
1.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Daniel Kok studied Fine Art & Critical Theory (Goldsmiths College, London), Solo/Dance/Authorship (HZT, Berlin) and Advanced Performance and Scenography Studies (APASS, Brussels). In 2008, he received the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council (Singapore).
His artistic research explores the politics of inter-subjective relationality. By drawing a key distinction between spectatorship and audienceship, he highlights the tension between the experience of an individual and that of a group. From 2010 to 2018, he created performances through ‘figures of performance’ - such as the pole dancer, cheerleader, and military commander - each engaging the crowd through specific tools and protocols.
Since 2014, he has collaborated with Melbourne-based artist Luke George on a performance practice based on rope bondage that investigates collective negotiations of consent and intimacy. Their performances are live experiments in democratic politics and acquiescence, welcoming failure as part of a radical approach to consensus and coalescence. Their work has been presented across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America, including at the Venice Biennale, AsiaTOPA (Melbourne), Singapore International Festival of Arts, and Taipei Arts Festival. Still Lives: Melbourne won Outstanding Contemporary and Experimental Performance and Design/Technical Achievement at the 2023 Green Room Awards.
As Artistic Director of DANCE NUCLEUS (Singapore), Daniel develops capacity for independent artists and builds trans-local partnerships across the Asia-Pacific. He regularly coaches younger artists in the formulation of their praxes across four domains - Research, Creation, Production, and Dissemination - treating independent artistic production as a question of dramaturgy in and of itself. He also curates the da:ns LAB coaching programme and the VECTOR exhibition of performance annually with support from the Esplanade (Singapore).
Daniel Kok is based between Singapore and Berlin.
C.V.
12.Planet Romeo, 2012
Daniel Kok
Solo Theatre Performance
What if when I say I am working on my relationship with the audience I meant it literally? What if when I look back at the audience from the stage, I can look at each of you in the eye and recognise you? What if we have already had an intimate relationship by the time you come into the theatre to watch me?
Through the online portal, gayromeo.com, I went on 40 dates in 60 days. During the encounters, I ask each one for a gift in response to our relationship. In exchange, I invite my gayromeos back to the performance where I return my gift in the form of a dance.
"You are going to be my bitch." Looking me in the eyes, he smiled lightly and said in a thick accent,"You understand? You are going to be my bitch."
Concept, Choreography, Performance: Daniel KOK
Dramaturgy: Jorge GONÇALVES
Producer: TANG Fukuen
Production & Stage Manager: YAP Seok Hui
THE GAY ROMEO LOG BOOK Manual to the Performance
GIVE IT AWAY Exegesis on The Gay Romeo