Jitti Chompee
Born 1974 in Bangkok, Jitti Chompee graduated in Chemical Engineering from the Chulalongkorn University in 1994. He trained in classical ballet at Varaporn-Kanchana Ballet School. In 1988, he was awarded a scholarship from the Jean M. Wong School of Ballet in Hong Kong to travel to Paris, where he studied modern jazz. From 2000 to 2001 he attended the Alvin Ailey School in New York as a full time scholarship student, where he studied various styles of dance, with a strong focus on modern dance and neo-classical ballet.Jitti Chompee has worked with choreographers and directors such as Ismael Ivo, Marcia Haydee, Rafiga Akhundova, William Morgan, and Luca Bruni. He has danced for the Bangkok Ballet Theater Company, MTV New York, Lest Ballet Persans in Stockholm, and Oplas Teatro in Italy.
He created the duo like him and protect him for AIDS Help 2000, and the pieces Tombe' du lit and Remember what you have done in 24 hours for the Patravadi Theatre in 2007.
Artist Statement
“Apart from classical ballet, modern dance is poorly represented in Thailand. I strongly believe that this dance style will enable young artists to find their own voice and identity, challenge their existing ideas, and lead them to develop their own ways of making art. (…)
We have come to believe that technology is not only necessary, but that it is essential for a convenient and modern lifestyle. It is an undeniable fact that our way of life has become much easier thanks to technology. But, technology is a double-edged sword with its own consequences. A faster lifestyle can result in a loss of emotional values in our everyday routines. Happiness, passion, and even inspiration can depreciate over time with the rise in our technological expertise.
This is the theme of our theatrical performance, which explores technology’s impact on our lives through the delicate avenues of human emotions and interactions. The way technology and media impact on our lives is a complex subject. Through our performance, we hope to raise awareness and encourage our audience to examine how technology and media have impacted on them. As artists, we strongly feel that human emotions and the ability to empathize are important elements in a fulfilling life. Our performance embodies the hope that technology and media will not undermine the very emotions that make us human.”
Jitti Chompee
Portrait
Performing media critique: choreographer Jitti Chompee
While artists around the world are breaking free from the limitations of their disciplines (…) and expanding their audiences’ perspectives in the process, most Thai artists and audiences seem quite comfortable operating within clearly defined disciplines.
What a surprise and delight then, that audiences and critics should so warmly embrace the unique contemporary dance theatre Remember what you have done in 24 hours, the first collaborative effort of dancers and choreographers Jitti Chompee and Sarawanee Tanatanit, film director Tanon Sattarujawong, and glass harpist Weeraphong Thaweesak. That success, in major part due to Jitti’s ability to coherently bring together the work’s diverse elements, encouraged them to join hands again last month for their second production, the aptly titled In Tune.
The broad spectrum of actions and movements performed on and around sofas throughout the piece led this reviewer to think, first, of the sofa at my favourite coffee shop where I am writing this review, and, secondly, of my sofa at home. The armrests on the former seem to ward off interactions with the people around me, while encouraging me to concentrate on the 14-inch TV screen nearby; while the latter frequently focuses my attention on our 29-inch screen, rather than on my family and friends.
Another choreographically and thematically unforgettable feat was Jitti and Sarawanee’s pas de deux, which was saturated and almost drowned out by the multiple layers of video imagery projected onto a screen upstage and shown on three LCD televisions. This is perhaps a critique on contemporary performing arts itself — artists rely so much on the help of media that they seem to forget that audiences come to performances to witness the creation of a work of art by human beings.
In addition to veteran dancers such as Mueanphun Ampunsang, Sirithorn Srichalakom, and Olivier Vinkler, young and vigorous dancers like Korarat Chaimuangraj, Natida Wirushsilpa, Fahsai Thaweesak, and Amarin Cholvibul also had their shining moments. Their robust performance of Jitti’s invigorating choreography promises a bright future for dance in Thailand if they are given more opportunities to perform in or create more original and contemporary works such as this, alongside the classical ballet productions that introduced them to the public. /Pawit Mahasarinand
The original, full text was published in the Nation newspaper, September 5th 2008
WORKS
I don't want to sit there (2009)
Carmen (2009)
Tango (2008)
In Tune (2008)
Remember...what you have done in 24 hrs? (2007)
Tombe' Du Lit (short film) (2006)
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