The Invitation Program for Professionals in Performing Arts 2025

Helly Minarti is a Jakarta-born who relocated to Yogyakarta in late 2018 where she continues working as an independent curator/dramaturg/scholar in the field of contemporary performance. She seeks ways to align her politics/practice of the arts by rethinking radical strategies to connect it with theory grounded in the experiential as well as the historical. Applying curating-as-research, one of her core interests is looking at the historiographies of choreography as discursive practice vis-á-vis the eclectic knowledge that instill the understanding of human body, consciousness and nature. She has co-curated a number of festivals and co-facilitated artistic platforms, in Indonesia and abroad. Her signature curatorial projects include Jejak-旅 Tabi Exchange: Wandering Asian Contemporary Performance (2018-2021) in four Asian cities and The Sea Within, being the first to do the Cruising programme of Taipei Arts Festival, a curator residency. The project engages with the notions of island/archipelago that is now extending to the exploration of the archipelagic/oceanic thinking. Most recently she joined a group of artists and practitioners in a residency on Climate/Coloniality at PRAKSIS Oslo - an experience that adds another layer of her current investigation.

Yustiansyah Lesmana is a director, program designer, and performing arts curator based in Jakarta. He works extensively with Teater Ghanta, an open collaborative platform for performance-making. His artistic practice focuses on diverse forms of collaboration among artists across disciplines, regions, media, and generations, with a particular interest in exploring new contexts that connect narratives across time. Received the Best Director Award from the Jakarta Arts Council at the Jakarta Theatre Festival in 2013 and 2014. Currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Djakarta International Theatre Platform, Secretary-General of the Indonesian National Theatre Association (Penastri), a member of Theatre Committee, and Chair of the Archives and Collections Commission of Jakarta Arts Council.

Rebecca Kezia is involved in curatorial work, theater production, and playwriting, focusing on the development of dramatic texts and theater in Indonesia. She initiated aRRRah, a collaborative space that experiments with collective imagination and performative inquiry across artistic and discursive practices. She worked at Komunitas Salihara (2015–2023) as Program Manager for Education and Discourse and served on the Theater Committee of the Jakarta Arts Council (2020–2023). Her curatorial projects include Indonesia Bertutur 2024, JICON 2023, Indonesian Dance Festival 2022, and Indonesia Dramatic Reading Festival 2018. She also co-initiated the Indonesia Performing-arts Producer's Network (Jejaring Produser Pertunjukan Indonesia ), a forum for performing arts producers."

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LEAV CHANLYKA (Kakou) began her dance training in 2003, specializing in the male and giant roles of Cambodian classical dance. She studied for eight years at the Secondary School of Fine Arts and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Choreographic Arts from the Royal University of Fine Arts. Currently an artist at the Department of Performing Arts (DPA) under the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Chanlyka is deeply passionate about expanding her artistry through contemporary dance. She is a member of SilverBelle Dance Company, the first-prize winner of the Cambodian Contemporary Dance Competition 2018 organized by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. Chanlyka has performed widely across Asia and Europe. In 2013, she joined The Royal Ballet of Cambodia on a European tour, including performances in Paris. In 2015, she participated in JENESYS 2.0 (ASEAN–Japan) and the ASEAN–ROK Youth Program in South Korea, later leading the Cambodian delegation to Brunei in 2016. Her international experiences include performing Magic Flute with Amrita Performing Arts in France (2017) and representing Cambodia at the Asian–Republic of Korea Graffiti Contemporary Dance Festival in Manila. In 2019, she joined The VIVA ASEAN Cultural Year in Thailand and Japan. In 2021, she received grants from Cambodian Living Arts for her dance film CELL and from the KELOLA Foundation for her work INSIDE THE MASK. Since 2018, she has contributed to SilverBelle Dance Company as a dancer, choreographer, and project organizer.

Kuntara Chaicharn is a Thai performing arts professional whose work bridges artistic creativity and project management. She holds a master’s degree in Dramatic Arts from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, and began her career at one of Thailand’s leading event management agencies, where she gained extensive experience in project administration, coordination, and production management. Currently, Kuntara serves as the Operation Manager of BIPAM (Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting), an organization that connects local and international performing arts communities through exchange, dialogue, and professional development.

Parnrut Kritchanchai is an independent theatre artist, director, playwright, and performer based in Thailand. Active in the theatre scene since 2003, Parnrut’s work spans contemporary and experimental performance, distinguished by humour, emotional depth, and visual storytelling. Her productions have received multiple national awards, and she has toured internationally as a performer across Europe, China, South Korea, and Taiwan. She holds an MA in Performance Studies from Royal Holloway, University of London, and a BA in German from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University. She is currently the Festival Director of the Bangkok Theatre Festival.

Icee Po is a Filipino artist-teacher, producer, facilitator, and cultural leader whose work bridges theater, education, and social innovation. As Managing Producer and Senior Artist-Teacher of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), she has spent over two decades advancing the use of theater as a transformative medium for empathy, civic dialogue, and social change. Her extensive portfolio includes acclaimed works such as Rak of Aegis, Walang Aray, One More Chance: The Musical, Tempest Reimagined, Sari-Sali, and Nobody’s Home—a Philippine-German collaboration exploring migration, care, and intercultural dialogue. Through these projects, Icee has established herself as a driving force in contemporary Filipino theater, championing narratives that resonate both locally and globally. A dedicated facilitator and creative producer, she leads workshops in creative theater making, advocacy-driven performance, and youth empowerment. With a strong foundation in marketing, communication, and business innovation, Icee effectively integrates artistry and strategy, ensuring that creative projects remain visionary, sustainable, and people-centered. Beyond her artistic practice, she serves as a Leo-Lion and International Leo Advisory Panelist under Lions Clubs International, mentoring youth leaders and fostering intergenerational collaboration across Asia-Pacific. A graduate of the Asian Institute of Management’s Master in Innovation and Business program and a Doctor of Dental Medicine, Icee continues to design and produce work that bridges creativity, compassion, and purpose, empowering communities to imagine and build a more empathetic world.

NGUYEN Hai Yen (Red) is a Video artist and independent art producer working across dance, theater, experimental music, and interdisciplinary art. Born in Lang Son, based in Ho Chi Minh City, with frequent projects in Hanoi and Nha Trang. Co-founder and producer of MORUA (Nha Trang-based independent dance platform) and Project Đẩy Sàn (Saigon-based platform centering learning, collaboration, and experimentation for performance makers in Vietnam). Red has curated and produced different local and regional projects, including Dealing in Distance (mini traveling festival by Goethe Institut Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Manila, 2025-2026), Djakarta International Theater Platform (co-curator, 2025), and Nổ Cái Bùm Traveling Art Festival (Hoi An & Da Nang, 2024). She collaborates with Southeast Asian artists and producers through initiatives like MORASUM (co-founded by producers from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and South Korea) and Southeast Asia Choreographer Networks (SEACN) exploring potential infrastructure and interlocal exchanges for contemporary performance makers in Southeast Asia. Her work has been supported by the British Council, Asian Cultural Council, Prince Claus Fund, Pro Helvetia, Goethe-Institut, Mekong Cultural Hub and Yayasan Kelola. Red received the Prince Claus Seed Award in 2022.

Photo: Nurul Aizam

Ridhwan Saidi is a writer, theatre practitioner, dramaturg, and filmmaker whose work explores interdisciplinary experimentation and lyrical intimacy. He co-founded Moka Mocha Ink (mokamochaink.com) in 2011 as a small publishing house, which has since evolved into a platform for theatre and film practice.

His 2024 project Pengalaman Prangin is a two-kilometre roaming performance in George Town, Penang, blending walking and cycling along a route from the Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park to Lorong Prangin and Beach Street. Participants listen to audio narration and soundscapes in English, Malay, and Hokkien while time travelling through stories of the city’s geomorphology and built environment.

In his film Tears in Kuala Lumpur (2025), the city becomes a labyrinth of memory and loss. The film draws inspiration from P. Ramlee’s song Air Mata di Kuala Lumpur and follows two women, Jay (a photographer) and Tze (a car workshop owner), as they navigate grief, personal ruptures, and the shifting cityscape of Kuala Lumpur.

Ridhwan also collaborates actively as a dramaturg, contributing to productions such as Tidur Lambak (2022, Kuala Lumpur; 2025, Jakarta), an immersive performance exploring communal sleeping, and Beyond Moving with Artisans (2021–2024) by Lau Beh Chin, a choreography responding to fading crafts in Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur.

P Cube, also known as Pyae Phyo Paing, is a professional dancer, curator, and multidisciplinary artist with over a decade of experience in the creative field. Specializing in Popping and Hip-Hop from street dance culture, his performances often merge freestyle expression with choreographed structure, reflecting both technical mastery and emotional depth. Beyond street styles, P Cube explores experimental movement, pushing the boundaries of dance as an art form. His artistic philosophy is rooted in abstract thinking and cross-disciplinary exploration. Deeply inspired by abstract art, he blends various mediums, including video art, photography, installation, and painting to create immersive and thought-provoking experiences. For him, art is not confined to one form; it is an evolving conversation between movement, visual composition, and human connection. As a curator and project organizer, P Cube is passionate about developing platforms that empower communities and artists. His experience in project management allows him to transform creative ideas into well-structured, collaborative productions. Whether curating exhibitions, producing performances, or leading community projects, he aims to foster dialogue, creativity, and inclusivity.

Known for his innovative vision and collaborative spirit, P Cube thrives in spaces where art meets social purpose. His work continues to blur the lines between disciplines, offering audiences a fresh, authentic perspective on movement and creation—one that celebrates individuality while uniting people through shared artistic experiences.

Siphai Thammavong is a storyteller at Garavek Theatre, Luang Prabang, Laos.
Originally was born and raised in a small village called Ban Numpouk in Bokeo Province northern Laos. In 2004 he finished his high school level in his hometown and was told by his parents that he needed to move to Luangprabang to continue his study. He went to Luangprabang Teacher Training College and learnt English teaching course. In 2010 after his graduation, he started his first job as a festival manager at Luangprabang Film Festival Organisation in Luangprabang. In 2014 he found Garavek Theatre based in Luangprabang. He has been working as a storyteller at this theatre until now.

Kris Nelson is the Festival Director of Sydney Festival. He has over 20 years of international experience as a festival maker, curator, producer, and dramaturg. Kris was Artistic Director and CEO of LIFT (London) where presented two biennale editions, commissioned new works from artists such as Janaina Leite, The Nest Collective, Sonia Hughes and Nassim Soleimanpour and launched Concept Touring, a research platform dedicated to exploring forms of international collaboration with little to no travel. He was Festival Director of Dublin Fringe Festival, producer, and curator on some of Canada's leading festivals and championed the works of experimental Canadian theatre and dance companies via his Montreal-based touring agency Antonym.

Brad Spolding is a curator, programmer and director working across art forms. He is the Curator of Double Vision at ACMI and the Head of Performing Arts Programming for Bunjil Place. He was previously the Arts Program Director at the Brisbane Powerhouse, the Artistic Director & CEO of The Substation and in 2020 was engaged by Asia TOPA and Arts Centre Melbourne as the Curator of the Subsonic program. Brad holds a Bachelor’s in Visual Arts, a Graduate Diploma in Arts Management and a Master's in Arts and Community Practice. He is a board member of the Macfarlane Fund and Temperance Hall.

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Christine Standfest lives and works in Vienna. Following a career as an independent artist and performer, she has been dramaturge and curator of the ImPulsTanz – Vienna International Dance Festival since 2013 and teaches at the University of Vienna, a.o.

Seonghee Kim is a curator and producer, former Artistic Director of the Asia Culture Center Theater(2013-2016), and founder of Festival B:om (2007–2013). She has directed interdisciplinary programs at MMCA(2017-2018) and MODAFE (2001–2005) and is co-representative of the multidisciplinary arts magazine Ob.Scene.