AN intimate male and female duet - or pas de deux, in ballet-speak - will be one of the highlights of Singapore Dance Theatre's (SDT) Ballet Under the Stars at Fort Canning at the end of the month.

Bittersweet, by Australian Natalie Weir, will also be a world premiere as it makes its stage debut at SDT's annual park performance. "Janek (Schergen, SDT's artistic director) had asked me if I was interested in creating a duet, which is one of my favourite things to create," explains Weir, the artistic director of her own contemporary dance company, Expressions Dance Company, and who has choreographed for the Queensland Ballet (from 1994) and The Australian Ballet (from 2000).

"Firstly, I found the music for Bittersweet and the concept grew from there. I wanted to create something quite intimate and beautiful for a man and a woman - where they each also had a small solo. I really wanted to do something special to show off the dancers' exquisite line, passion and delicate movement style," she says in an email interview. The piece reflects her love of partner work - with the male and female intertwining in an organic and beautiful way. "It is quite emotional - and looks at the bittersweet moments of a relationship. It is also en pointe - which I do not get to do so often, and which I love!" she adds.