Speaking to Top earlier, we assumed Transaction was part of an ArtdeGround project, but it’s actually going to be hosted by Democrazy Studio. What’s the deal with that?
I’m an independent artist. I work for many troupes like B-Floor and Democrazy Theatre but I’m not officially a member of them. So, basically it’s my independent project but I asked Top for help on it as he works as an economics lecturer.

What’s the inspiration behind the performance?
It comes from the Occupy Wall Street movement a while back. I didn’t pay that much attention to it at first until it spread to many countries all over the world. I began to think if one incident could affect so many other countries, there surely must be something that links them together. And that’s economic inequality. This brought me to the world of economics, something that controls our lives, so I was convinced to do a play about the issue.

What exactly are you focusing on?
Human or even animal behavior can be looked at through an economic perspective. With monkeys, for example, when they’re helping each other looking for ticks, this can be explained as give-and-take behavior—they treat others the way they want to be treated. For humans, our decision making is so often determined by money. Economics for me, then, is the story about desires and values. The play looks at the bigger picture of society. Since we’re living in a market-driven economy where everything can be traded for money—how do we find a balance that pleases everyone? And is there an alternative economic system that could change our lives?     

How does Transaction stand out from your previous work?
Well, I’d call it contemporary dance; it’s conceptual in that it is driven solely by a concept not a plot. Here, I focus more on composition than dancing. To give you a clearer picture—I think the most successful choreography in the world is namaz. The way Muslims from all over the world do the same ritual five times a day speaks to me. It’s not the act itself but the ideas embodied in it that drives them. I’ve attempted something like that in my choreography. Even though there’s no solid story line, all the performers react to one other. It’s the most interactive piece I’ve ever done.   

What do you expect audiences to get from the show?
I want the audience to gain an idea of where their money goes. During a trip to India, I bought a bottle of water from a street vendor and she used the money I gave her to pay for her food, immediately. I asked myself, what would have happened if I didn’t give her that money? Every time we meet someone, there is money to be spent.