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Tutor's Bio
Zaini Mohammad Tahir
Artistic Director & Resident Choreographer
Zaini Mohammad Tahir started dancing at a late age of 19 when he joined the SAF Music and Drama Company as an artiste. Upon graduation from National University of Singapore, he continued his passion in the performing arts and worked as a dancer/choreographer for projects in Japan, Germany, Canada, and the United States. His noteworthy performances include memorable parts in TheatreWorks' original productions of 'Beauty World' and 'Private Parts' and the role of Pouncival in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, CATS, which toured Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Seoul. As the Founder, Resident Choreographer and Artistic Director of NUS Dance Ensemble since 1992, he has led the company of over 100 dancers to garner acclaim and establish itself as a promising contemporary dance company, evident in their annual concerts, Next Wave (1995-2008) and Evocation (2002-2009) as well as NUS' Centre for the Arts 'Reflections' (1995 – 2007). To date, he has choreographed over 100 works for the company. He has also led the company to numerous overseas performances including ASEAN University Cultural Forum (Yogjakarta, 2005 and Phnom Penh, 2007). Trained in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance, his choreographic style is deeply rooted in traditional Asian, bearing testimony to his Indonesian classical training at the Bagong Academy of Dance in Yogyakarta.
As the Artistic Manager of Singapore Armed Forces Music and Drama Company (2001-2007), he directed/choreographed most of the performances including SAF Day Reception (2001, 2002, 2007), Chingay (2003, 2007), National Day Parade (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007), MINDEF National Day Observance Ceremony (2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007), Asian Aerospace Launch (2002, 2006) and all its seasons' repertoires. His other choreographic/directorial works include Whole New World (Singapore Airlines, 1996) Reach (Singapore Airlines, 1998) Hearts over Heels (Singapore Airlines, 2001) Fight Fever (Singapore Airlines, 2004), Army Daze (Henderson Sec School, 2004), Macbeth (NUS Centre for the Arts, 2005), Aladdin (Wildrice, 2004), Broadway Christmas Carol (The Arts House, 2005), CABARET which starred Feixiang (Toy Factory, 2006), The Magic Box at the Esplanade (2008) and Sleepless Town (Toy Factory, 2009). He also performed and choreographed the 'Singapore Day in New York' concert (2007) staged at the Central Park, New York. His latest project brought him to China to choreograph Feixiang's latest music video and his concert tour. He is currently the Assistant Director (Artistic Development) of The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC) at Republic Polytechnic where he oversees the creative development of 26 performing arts groups of Republic Polytechnic. He was also the Artistic Director in TRCC's Dance Festival, Momentum 2008 and Reflections 2008, its annual Arts Festival.
