At 93, Benny Phang is the oldest performer in the show. A cancer survivor, he strongly believes in taking active steps to keep the mind and body healthy. He is currently training to do a 4km walkathon. Here, he takes a moment to collect himself, as he gets ready for the publicity photo shoot.

Photo Credit: Guek Peng Siong

Kwek Leng Joo, Managing Director of City Developments Ltd takes time out of his busy schedule to volunteer as a photographer for the publicity shoot. A supporter of the arts and an avid photographer, he has raised funds for many worthy causes through his photo works.

Photo Credit : Daryl Yeo

The Philharmonic Orchestra and The ARTS FISSION Company conducted a series of workshops at senior activity centres and homes, introducing the seniors to the story of The Rite of Spring as well as using dance imagery to engage them in creative movement exercises.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

As the senior performers will be performing primarily using hand gestures, workshops and rehearsals usually start with warm up exercises such as this.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

Mayu Watanabe, a dancer with The ARTS FISSION Company sharing a light moment with the seniors at Asian Women’s Welfare Association while conducting a workshop.

Photo Credit : Daryl Yeo

Rehearsal Director Edwin Wee demonstrates a move and helps the seniors to remember their sequences by referencing everyday objects and actions. In this shot, they are simulating a string being pulled apart.

Photo Credit: Guek Peng Siong

Lee Chwee Sian is an octogenarian who believes that in this phase of life, it is important to be happy on a daily basis and to keep healthy. This spirit of positivity is very much a quality in many of the seniors taking part in this production.

Photo Credit : Daryl Yeo

At the end of the series of workshops, 23 seniors were selected to perform at the Esplanade. For these seniors, it meant putting in extra hours for rehearsals, not that they seemed to mind it at all.

Photo Credit : Ezane Tan Yi Fang

These paper cranes were made by one of the seniors, Benny Phang, which he gifted to members of the production team. Through small gestures like these, friendships were forged.

Photo Credit: Ko Siew Huey

Children from The ARTS FISSION Company’s Young Dancers Theatre programme rehearsing for their parts in the performance. The youngest performer is 8 years old.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

The costume designer taking measurements for special headdresses to be made for the children.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

Cecilia Heng-Llewellyn is 64 this year and she has been making costumes for many years. Together with a group of 12 other community seamstresses consisting of retired homemakers, students and working adults, the costumes for the elderly were painstakingly put together and involved many hours of coordination work for the costume design team.

Photo Credit : Daryl Yeo

Costume designers Lim Chin Huat and Loo An Ni visit the seniors to do the fittings. Says Lim, “We would make alterations according to the seniors’ requests. I could see it was a special occasion for them since they generally do not have many things specially tailor made for them. It was a process I enjoyed very much.”

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

The basic wear was designed with two cotton layers to provide an additional layer of comfort and warmth to the senior performers.

Photo Credit : Ezane Tan Yi Fang

With the basic wear done, photos were taken and then sent to the community seamstresses so they could see the person they would be sewing for. In this process, the community seamstresses were encouraged to offer suggestions and to co-create the design of the costume together with the costume design team.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

Student volunteers from LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts meeting the senior performers for the first time. The dance volunteers are each paired with a senior and through this “buddy system”, they are able to guide the seniors through their sequences.

Photo Credit: Ko Siew Huey

An open rehearsal was held at Raffles Institution where the full orchestra, dancers and seniors came together for the very first time.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

At the open rehearsal, the dancers perform a climactic segment from Scene One : BEGINNING OF SPRING 立春 - a game of chance, the selection of the sacrificial virgin.

Photo Credit: Guek Peng Siong

P. Seeni being guided by her dance volunteer, Nur Liyana Binte Mohammad Aminuddin.

Photo Credit: Lee Siew Yian

Students of music and dance from several schools as well as other guests were invited to the open rehearsal. There was a question and answer segment after that where audience members had the rare opportunity to query the two cultural medallion recipients, Lim Yau and Angela Liong about the creative process behind the work.

Photo Credit: Guek Peng Siong

At the end of the open rehearsal, Lim Yau opened the floor and invited a student to have a go at conducting a short section of the music with the orchestra.

Photo Credit: Guek Peng Siong

Seah Mui Kee, being helped off stage during rehearsal. For some of these senior performers, mobility may be an issue, but with a little support and a whole lot of determination, the show goes on.

Photo Credit: Lee Siew Yian

Chow Sow Yong, 77, is one of six performers from NTUC Eldercare & Henderson Senior Citizens’ Home. She used to make a living washing dishes. Now, she enjoys dancing, watching TV and listening to music. Word has it that she is a whiz at jigsaw puzzles.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping

Soh Yong Kee, 81, is one of 17 performers from AWWA Elderly Services. A former hawker assistant, his interests include dancing, watching Taiwanese drama serials and eating. His advice for the younger generation is to love their loved ones while they are still around.

Photo Credit: Chua Boon Ping