About Subcultures: Uncover the more offbeat and unknown hobbies and interests of Southeast Asia through Coconuts TV’s latest profile series.
On a rooftop in Singapore, the glow of red and green lightsabers pierce the darkening sky as a Jedi and Sith fiercely duel. In a few deft moves, the Jedi overpowers the Sith and pins his conquest to the ground with his lightsaber. After a moment, the Jedi and Sith start laughing.
The Jedi is Mohammad Azmi bin Danuri, grandmaster and founder of FightSaber, a lightsaber choreography and theatrical arts troupe group based in Singapore, which also has teams in Malaysia and Indonesia.
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FightSaber takes Star Wars super fandom to the level of performance art. The troupe presents dynamic re-enactments of lightsaber duels from the Star Wars movies for audiences around South East Asia, featuring intricate choreography, elaborate costumes and a cast of ‘Jedis’ and ‘Siths’.
“In a way it’s like reliving your childhood all over again,” said Danuri. “Everybody wants to live in that fantasy. For myself, I want to be part of the galaxy far far away, and I want to be a Jedi fighting against the bad guys.”
For the troupe’s members, FightSaber seems to be an escape from their daily lives, where they can transform into their dueling Star Wars alter-egos. And of course, there’s the the love of the lightsaber.
“I mean, who doesn’t love lightsabers?” said Danuri. “It’s a light-up sword that’s every kid’s fantasy, even some man-child’s.”
