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Goodbye Comfort Zone

Many times in dance, a dancer will have to take a step out of their comfort zone. It could be in terms of dance style (something they are not used to), doing something that you have never done before (like joining competitions) or basically trying something new. 

This was taken during a dance battle competition, and I made it to Top 8. I really just joined for fun because I did not expect to make it through auditions and it was one of my first few competitions. And honestly, I learned a lot from my experience during the event.

Lesson here is; just take a step out of your comfort zone and into the big world, you never know what you could be missing out on.

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Look Good, Feel Good

Usually when I perform or take part in competitions, I will be in different costumes, usually those that I will NEVER wear when I'm out. However, I feel good because I'm "dressed up" as compared to my otherwise slack fashion. The following are just a few examples;

  It is not everyday that I look and feel this good, and what better way to remember than with photos. 

It may we awkward and weird at first, but I always tell myself,

"If you feel good, then you will look good, and vice versa."

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Fireworks

When it comes to dance, it is not only about the end product, but also the preparation. For example, fireworks. The end product is a spectacular show of vibrant colours, but the preparation before that, the making of the rocket, the timing, the planning, all comes into play just for that one small moment. It is the same for dance. 

When it comes to any performance/production/competition, the team must put in time and effort beforehand to prepare and make sure that the best will be put up in the few moments. It could be weeks, maybe even months before the actual show that the performers start coming together. 

A great example would be during Waves 18: The Nutcracker. The club started 4 months before show day to choreograph and make the props. Countless hours were spent either dancing or painting/sculpting/building the props almost everyday during the holidays. All of that just for 2 hours of show time. 

So when an audience watches a performance (be it a concert or competition), they are also looking of the fruits of labour of the team's effort in preparing. At that very moment, that is where the fireworks display begins.

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Perseverance & Determination

In dance, perseverance is also a key characteristic that one must have. There are never any smooth rides when preparing for a competition or a performance. Things are bound to be hard and a lot of challenges will come in the way.

This is the team that took part in Super24 last year (from my previous post). We practiced 3 nights a week, and it is especially hard as some of them are already working. It was also during the time of the haze, yet we all still trained outdoors as the competition was drawing near and we had nowhere else to train. Everyone came together for a common goal and our performance exceeded our expectations.  

This was the group that I choreographed for a friendly competition between Temasek Polytechnic and SP. It was especially hard for me because I was in the organising committee, choreographing and had many projects during that period. I nearly gave up on them, but we all pulled through together. 

All in all, dance teaches us to persevere and to keep going to reach our end goal, no matter what the circumstances are. 

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Opportunities

In dance, you will also have many opportunities to perform on big stages. 

This is SDZ last year, during their annual concert, which was held at Kallang Theater (I'm the one with the big blue button at the front hehe). 

A few of our SDZ members performing for the 2013 to 2014 countdown at *scape.

Last but not least, some of SDZ performed for Heart. Hope. Haiyan., a fund raising concert for those affected by Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines. 

There are many opportunities that come to a dancer. These are a few from SDZ. You never know when such opportunities will come. 

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An Artistic Sport

Most people have the perception that dance is an art form. That may be true, but there is more to dance than just that. It is also a sport.

Let’s compare a dancer to a soccer/football player (since soccer/football is the most popular sport). Both have to train their techniques and physique. Both have to endure the torturous regime that they or their instructors have set for them. Both have to make sure their basics are strong so that they could execute their moves properly without fail.

The most vital point? Both could take part in competitions to see where they are at in terms of skill level and overall “ranking”.

Dance to some is just a hobby or something they do during their leisure. To others it is their passion, their lifestyle. There is always something to work on, something to train, other than enjoying themselves, which comes naturally as one is doing what he/she loves.

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Mind. Body. Soul.

Dance, from a third-person point of view, is a physical activity. They see it as an external form of expression. However, that is only on the surface. There are internal factors or “stages” that come into play when a person dances. The example below is when a dancer is doing choreography; it is a different matter when it comes to freestyle.

1)   Mind

When a dancer is thinking of choreography, their mind is working to see what step fits best with the music and the transitions from one step to the next. When they are learning a choreography, they are observing and trying to “tell” their body what to do. When they are executing a choreography for the first few times, they are thinking of the steps that they just learned, what to do and on which count/note/beat (of the music). These are the physical aspects.

2)   Body

Once the mind tells the body what to do, it is the body’s job to execute the step as to what the choreography asks for. The lines, extensions, the amount of strength that is supposed to be put into the step and of course the timing.

3)   Soul

Once the mind and body are in sync, it is the soul that steps in next. The soul is where all the emotions and feelings come from when a person dances. It could be jovial, happy, excited, or it could also be remorse, sad, depressed. The soul is what determines what and how the audience feels while watching a dancer. However, this will usually come in during the later stage as it takes time to learn the choreography. The choreographer will tell the dancers what the feel of the choreography is, and usually the soul will come in once the dancer nails the choreography, when they do not need to think about the steps anymore. 

All this being said, dance requires all three aspects. This trifecta is the essence of when a person dances, and this is what we actually see on stage. 

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Freedom of Expression through a Singing Body

Dance is a way to let one’s emotions flow and let out whatever they have bottled up inside. It is another platform to express our true feelings inside, something like writing a blog, but instead you are using your body to sing a song that is filled with emotions, and usually when that happens, you will be able to touch others. Yes, just by moving your body.

When a dancer dances while being filled with emotions, the atmosphere will transform into what it is they are feeling, and everyone in the area will feel it, will be moved by it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/poeyyt/11930612765/

Above is a link of one of my instructors, Ryan Tan. When he dances and choreographs, a lot of emotions are being put into it, and his students will have an emotional roller coaster ride during his lessons, because they can feel and understand the story that he is telling through his dance.

Dance is more than a way to move your body. It is about telling a story & singing a song using your body. 

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Together Like an Octopus

Octopi have 8 limbs that have minds of their own, and they come together to form the octopus, together with the head. 

Being part of a dance crew is similar; each have their own styles and characters, but when they come together, they move as one big “organism”. 

At that moment, the dancers will feel each other, and everyone’s presence in the team could be felt. 

Dance is more than about an individual; it is about the unity of different kinds of people doing what they love. Everyone is part of this huge community.

Above is a video of SDZ during Super24, a dance competition. It really illustrates what I have mentioned so far. You would just have to see it to believe it.

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One of those popular songs that could get people to sing along. 

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Globalisation?

With access to technology like the Internet (YouTube) and social media etc, we can see how and what dance is on the other side of the globe. 

Introducing Lyle Beniga. He is one of the choreographers for the famous Wedding Dress by TaeYang in the music video. I was blessed to be able to meet one of the best choreographers known in the dance scene. He has been invited multiple times to Urban Dance Camp, an intensive dance education in Europe, to carry out workshops for the attendees there. 

He shared with us how they trained in the US and gave us (those who attended his workshop in SIngapore) a few lessons and tips on how to improve and train, giving us a new perspective. 

This here is Yuko Nakamura, and she also went for Lyle's workshop. She also held a workshop after Lyle, but she also went for the workshop. 

In dance we get to meet many different kinds of people, from many different locations around the globe and each of them have their own styles and things to share.

That is the beauty of dance. There are many things to learn as much as there are many different kinds of people in this world. With the Internet, that means we can learn much more than what we can learn here in Singapore studios. 

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A quote from one of the most famous dancer/performer of all time.

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Here is one of those songs that are catchy and do not really have a (deep) meaning behind them. 

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Music moves people, especially dancers; both physically and emotionally. Here is a song that tugs at the heartstrings.

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Working Life

Dance is not just about the final performance that is put up. It includes thorough planning, coordinating and arranging of people and logistics.

It is like working with a team of colleagues in an office, the only difference here is that everyone dances too !! Which means after discussions, we can dance together and bond beyond meetings. That means the team will be more cohesive and know each other better, which is key as for me, the committee/team will only be together before passing down to the next. 

Here is the team that has been "thrown" together. We've been through a lot and that made us closer. Planning, discussing, arguing and lashing out with/at each other to bring out the best. It really taught us how to work as a team. To me it is like a preview of what is to come in the working life and I believe I'm better prepared for it.

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Another chill house song. this time with a saxophone !! Great for chilling ~

Punga by Klingande

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From my diverse taste in music, I will also occasionally post songs that are to my liking/describe/relate to what I feel at the moment (and they can be played from the music player at the side). And now it is chill house. 

집(House) by House Rulez