On Basics

WHAAAAAT? Not Again!
The Importance of Basic Class

Yep, they say it's boring. They say they have already learnt the steps. They say they know it. They ask why they have to repeat the same steps over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over over and over and over and over and over again.

Well, now you're gonna find out why!!! lalalalala............

Yes, I got myself started on the Basics. Hey I'm a teacher, you can't fault me... Good teachers nag. Heehee....


Yep, we discussed this yesterday. And every time we talk about it, I get more clarity. The basics are something we cannot run away from. It's the structure from which everything derives from. Why do we have to take 300 basic classes? Issit a money-making facade? Obviously not, or we won't tell you to keep repeating the same classes 300 times! What do we want you to do? Die of boredom? If this were a money-making scheme, we'd give you a different class everyday until the end of your life, and I think it's possible with the amount of stuff there is in salsa. Curiously, I'm never bored with the basic class. Gosh there are so many things to constantly check and correct, how can I be bored? I've been doing piles in ballet since I was 5 years old, and I still don't like it... I just don't have a good turnout. I'm certainly not bored by it!

Alignment

As teacher ong so aptly put it, every dance has its "settings": where to place your hand, where to look, where to put your feet... Most people do not even know where is the right place to put their hands and feet, and how to hold their body in the correct position. They do the step, but don't understand where the alignment is. The basic training is for you to check your alignment and correct it. Obviously, if your alignment is wrong (e.g., your entire body is slanted to the left rather then standing straight, your footwork is wrong, preparation into the spin if lopsided), don't expect to dance nicely. If you can't even look nice when you're stationary (e.g., a hunched posture), I highly doubt that you'll look beautiful when you're moving to the beat!

An analogy: There are so many ways to step forward with your left leg: one foot-length forward, three foot-length forward, turned in, turned out, heel first, toe first... The nice ones are like 5 out of 1000 ways. If you don't check, what makes you think you're stepping nicely? The chance of hitting that is maybe a lucky 0.5%. However, if you consciously find the nicest way to step forward, the chances of hitting the mark is 99.9%.

The alignment is like an equilibrium you're trying to maintain. One little tilt of your arm and you're out of alignment and you don't look right, you don't spin right, you don't style right.... They are all cumulative because it's the basics. How can you look good if the foundations that hold your dance together is lopsided or weak?

Steps to be a Good Dancer

(1) You have to first know your "settings": where to place the step, how far to step forward and back, how high the hands are held, how the chest and posture should look like...
(2) After you know that, you have to align yourself to it. This actually takes a while to get used to.
(3) Next comes the part of sustaining that alignment. This last part requires discipline more than the previous, and it is the one that people don't understand ("I already know my basics, why do I need to do it 300 times?"). I have one thing to say for this. There are so many ways of doing a step wrong (ugly) and so few ways of doing it right (beautiful). One twirk of your finger can make everything look bad. Are you sure you're doing it nicely now? Or has one of your fingers "twirked"?

"Practice makes Perfect... If you practice the wrong thing, you'll perfect it."

My choir teacher, Nelson alwiz says this: "Practice makes perfect. If you practice the wrong thing, you'll perfect it." Such wise words... Hee hee...

Social dancing on the dance floor actually kills your alignment. Think about it. It's crowded, you step small steps, you slant yourself to avoid hitting someone, the music's too fast to follow... It's a madhouse. What are the chances of proper alignment if you can't do it in your sleep? Practically nil. And if that's all you do (social and only social), will your proper alignment remain in place? Probably not: remember, "Practice makes perfect". And you're perfecting messy dancing during social. That's why it's always important to go back and check your basics, to ensure that no bad habits has been created. I mean, it's very good to social dance and I nag people to go and dance, but you can't rely on just that to look good. If you realize, the things that teachers correct are your BASICS!!! Your posture, your line, your lead, hook and tension... No matter how advanced you are in your dancing, it will always be the basics that are to be corrected! So the shortcut is...... 300 basic classes. Where there are few distractions and you can focus on and check your alignment.

Me as Princess Jasmine, Carlton Hotel New Year Countdown 05

On Slinky Short Skirts

Had lunch wif Nick today and we saw this gal who was dressed like she saw going to a club that night: mini-skirt that juz covered her bum, stilettos and big earring loops. The highpoint came when she bent over to get her bag... Bet all the guys were looking. He must have been drooling, could practically hear him gulp (haha hope he doesn't read this or he'll have my hide!). He commented that all the gals should dress like that to school... My first reaction was that it probably doesn't set a good impression, especially wif all the conventional profs and may be a little rude to dress so slinkily all the time. Of course, I have enuf problems waking up in the morn, dun even ask me to make up and dress up everyday! But on second thought, it may do us gals good if the guys are kept preoccupied by all the skin... Less people to compete wif and we may rise up on the bell curve of the marking list! Haha... Juz a wicked thought!

On Advertising

Put the koala pix in the open for all to see? Ohmigosh... I think I can change my koala residence from a eucalyptus to under the bed lah... Jiat lat if everyone see that, they'll recognize me! How how? *run around in circles* I need to invest in a nice mask or wig... I wonder if I'll be left alone to crawl around... Hmm, headlines should put: "Come to Xen to measure the koala's mouth open wide wide! 10 cents to throw garbage into her mouth from the entrance of XCC room (which is for XCC members only, so no entry!). Win a dvd if you throw in 3 times! $2 to take picture wif the koala! Purchase the XCC pass for $5880 to tickle the koala in slumber!" Keekee...

On Blessings

On the subject of fame, Douglas said that I'm pretty well known in the Salsa scene: whoever he knew who danced salsa knew me... This is embarrassing lah. He was shocked that I teach 5 days a week at Xen. I wonder what he'd think if he knew that I was there everyday. How do I study and survive? By the grace of God if you ask me, and nothing else! I have at least one moment of panic every sem (esp when the deadlines come) and somehow, He comforts me and assures me. *shrug* I think every sem that I survive is a miracle. He sends angels along the way too. Friends that I couldn't possibly do without who remind me to study and patiently help me out. I pray for his blessings everyday and thank him ferverently for them.

I did 8 spins yesterday!! I have now decided to set a goal... 10!! That'll be fun... keekee. I wanna be able to tell my grandchildren: "You know ah, your grandmother used to be able to do 10 spins when she was young ah...."" Yep, that's my motivation!

Had a presentation today... Wasn't quite coherrent during the presentation, teacher kept frowning, I thot she disagreed wif me or I said something wrong... But she kept frowning and frowning and frowning, I decided that it wasn't my fault. Hmm think the Q & A was pretty good thou. Hee hee... The class was pretty obliging. *whew*

That left me exhausted thou... Then had tourism tutorial wif Douglas. Pretty interesting. He mentioned about how people can just walk across the street, sit among caucasians and become a tourist, even in their own country, which led to the thing about multiple identities and how people seem to have so many identities in the different things they do.
Life seems to have become faceted into many different fragments... Does this make us lost and instigate us to embark on quests to "find" ourselves (as in tours and hobbies...)? My students agree wif me when I say sensual and belly dance helps you to discover and explore your sensual side. Are there so many sides to us that needs to be discovered? Is this the process to self-actualization?
Furthermore, going into a trance when you dance... what does it mean? When we sucuumb to our subconscious state of mind, when we surrender to the music and just feel, do we allow one of those multiple identies to dominate? Are we subconsciously embarking on a quest to find ourselves (whereby the only time we are truly ourselves is when we do not think and go into a trance-like state of just being and not trying to be)?
But these multiple identies are not so fragmented... It's still interconnected: I dance, I teach, I help run a dance school, I study... These are all my 'titles' and I use the right title in the right context, in business, social, class. So is this about marketing and capitalism - for people to put us into categories that are easy to remember, especially in this day and age - rather than a segmented life/lifestyle?
*ponder* Probably a bit of both... I dunno, but it's also kinda fun to have so many 'identities' (call it what you may). Makes life a little more interesting.

Haiz... Think I'm a pretty boring person. Need to work on my lousy communication skills.
How to start a conversation:

1. How's the weather today?
2. How was work?
3. How was class?
4. What do you like to do?
5. Do you like dancing?
6. lalalalalala.... Boooooooooooooooooring

Think I'll stick to this:

Well, I gotta shrug it all aside. It's time to forgive, myself especially, for not having the confidence to carry things through the right and proper way. Yep, I din do the best, but I learn. Life goes on. Haha

Gonna meet my ballet students for breakfast tomm (this?) morn. Haha it's high time lah. Lousy teacher I am. Must make it a weekly or monthly thing. Macs breakfast!!! I miss it... Haiz, the things that make me happy are such foolish things... I'm such a foolish gal. Heehee...

Gimme a diamond, I'll stare at it and go "Wow..." (speechless silent- wat the hell am I supposed to say here?)
Gimme a Sausage McMuffin, I'll stare for a short while, gleefully squeal in utmost (greedy!) delight, scramble furiously to open the wrapper and promptly proceed to dispose of it into my awaiting stomach! Keekee... I sound like cookie monster.

In defense of my greedy self, we only live once and I dun get to eat it that often! Anyway, hunger is a basic need to satisfy. I should add:.. eat..crawl..danz..sleep..koala.. My basic needs. Haha...

koala koala

1st Singapore Salsa Open Competition 2005

As a teacher,
there are times when you're so proud of them that your heart threatens to burst
there are times when you're so frustrated that you wanna wrench your hair apart
there are times when you're so disappointed that you can't bring yourself to speak
there are times when their genuine thanks leaves you at a loss for words that tears well up in your eyes.

As a dancer,
there are times when everything juz goes
there are times when the flow's not really there
there are times when the hard work becomes all worthwhile with the enthusiastic applause
there are times when the music just kidnaps your soul into another world and you explode with exuberant joy.

As a dance teacher,
you wanna share it all with them
you hope they feel your passion
you ache when they're in mutiny
but when their eyes illuminate in that moment of discovery, all the frustrations vanish like the shadows in the wake of the morning sun.

How can we describe dance?
You have to see it to understand.
You have to experience that feeling of reckless abandon when you let it all go and become one with the music.
You have to try it to know that euphoric moment of estacy:

The music lifts your soul,
the drums tickles your feet,
the melody entraps your body,
You juz dance...

I was very (absurdly) happy this afternoon. Went to buy 3 carton load of canned drinks from the minimart. The uncle who owned the shop choked when he saw me carrying all 3 cartons up to him. Haha... He said, "Wah you're very strong!" and scrambled to clear some space for me to put them on the counter. Haha, cheap thrill...

Anyway, it makes me think. Many times, things aren't really as difficult as they seem to be. I din even consider that maybe I couldn't carry them and it wasn't really that heavy. But if someone told me it was really heavy & all, I'll probably not try to lift all 3... So I guess the saying's true (though probably not all the time lah), that if you believe, you can do it...

I must therefore now believe that I can do all my essays in time and produce a good one!! *Ommmmmmmm*

It's so funny: the simplest things make you the happiest - the absurd way the ppl in Friends try to cover up for each other; the stupid things you do to make ppl around you laugh; swaying to the beat of good music; the satisfaction of teaching a good class; the surge of pleasure to see your student hit an "eureka" moment and breakthrough in their dancing; the wild thrill and adrendaline surge after doing a great performance. These things money can't buy... But our lives are constantly enriched by it. Feelin' Blessed, but there's still a long way to go... A lot to live and to learn. Yep yep... Life goes on, crawling along.

Went to Union today. Din feel the kick I felt last week, but it went pretty ok lah. Four ppl asked me about classes... Shine seemed to be a hot topic. Talking about shine, I saw this MTV featuring Shakira doing some amazing belly stuff. *inspired*

Gosh better hit the bed or I'll be sprawled on the sofa tomm at 7pm wif my mouth hanging wide open again!!

...Sexy Shoes...

see www.akoala.com

Ladybird shoes, Leopard shoes, Funky Orange shoes, Gooey Green shoes (from left)

The Ladies behind the shoes...

Pretty rite? Haha

Damn I'm vain!

Well, I'm only this age once, better dun wait till I have wrinkles to try this out.

I'll either be labelled as a very cool grandma or a menopausing auntie (Please let it be the first)!

Then someone will also have to hand me a walking stick to wobble around in these 3 & 1/2 inches!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JY & me...

I look like Medusa wif the snakes for hair flying around looking for prey to turn to stone!!! Only the man wif the blessing of a maiden's kiss can avoid the "Death by Stoning" and fight me!!

(Hey I drew that! Haha)

And he's winning! Must be all the mirrors in the background, my magnificent stoning powers are useless! And he has me in his grasp! AHHHHH! Heeeeelp!

(take the corn knock on the knee... corn-knee!)

Yeah they trying the flatten me & make me shorter. As if I not short enuf!!!

Already wearing 3 & 1/2 inch shoes!!!

Might as well go on pointe lah! Might as well call me Koala Shortcake...

Memories from Xenbar Salsa Competition 2005

Wai Hwang gave me this top for Xmas! Gold Gold, I like! hee hee

Christmas, 2005

Xmas Sentiments... Mr Snowman!!! Super cuuute, for juz $2 each!!!
Anyway, it was near Xmas (2005), Teacher Ong bought them, I couldn't resist!

They now reside at Xen, greeting everyone who enters

It's way beyond Xmas, but they're too adorable to put away lah.

Edmund & I preparing for the New Year's countdown at Carlton. (30/12/2005)

Fish dive!

JY & HP's interpretation of it...

Me at
Xenbar Salsa Competition 2005
Professional Category

final pose!

heehee i think make up quite nice...

wonder how i did it

Award Ceremony at Xenbar Competition, Dec 2005

About Salsa... "it totally changed my life"

My gosh, I never really understood the full extent of those words till I started dancing Salsa. Talk about a full-bodied inside-out makeover! Personally I think Xenbar n Teacher Ong contributed a lot to this change. It's not just Salsa per se, but the people at Xen, the stupid things we do, the very fact that we have a place to just muck around, train when we want, sleep, bathe, play x-box (and now the guys are going into online game too- XCC corner: Xenbar City/Country Club -> Xenbar Computer Club??).

Xen's like a home:
cozy, comfortable, cluttered and loved by many...

Maybe we should name XCC to be Xenbar cozy Corner! I mean, dammit!, I can sleep on the massaging chair wif my mouth hanging wide open like an Orang Utan and no one cares! Haha... My deepest darkest secret... (remind me to pray b4 I sleep tt nobody mistakes it for a damn funky-lookin' garbage bin)

And just for your information, I LIKE clutter.

All About Clutter clutter clutter clutter clutter
Call it a quirk if you like, but I think clutter shows something about you: you have a lot of things to do that is so fun and enriching that you have no time to pack!! Haha... More important, it shows that your home is lived in. That there are real people messing up the place, there is life going on, not an empty nest you inhabit every night coz there's no place to go to. I think this was influenced from the Joy Luck Club (Waverly and her child). Blame it on Sec4 Lit... But it kinda stuck with me when my teacher said it. Then again, you could say tt I'm a messy creature, which I dun totally deny. I paraphrase: it's good and disciplined to keep a home clean, but clutter and mess is not all that bad. It show's that you're having fun!

Back to Xenbar: the best school in the world

We've got everything here: costumes, masks, hats, shoes, video screen, gym set, chicken wings, shower, bed, blanket, 3 studios, make up, colored hair wax, posture strap, dvds... All the facilities you need to train and be good.
We've also got all the classes you need: Afro-Cuban, Performance, Shine, On 2, Rueda, Yoga, Isolation, Spin, Stretch, Hip Hop, Belly, Sensual, Ballet, Jazz... All set up with the goal to improve our Salsa dancers... Hmmm... Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, the most important thing: BASIC CLASS EVERYDAY!! (dun get me started on that) And it's so convenient... All the Salsa classes are modular so if I decide that I wanna start learning today, I can join it this week. I dun hafta wait until twenty-something of July or September for the series of classes to start again.

Seriously, it's the ambience of the place. It's a place of healthy competition, lots of laughter, a pyramid of chicken wings and where we can work hard but luff all the way. Yeah sure, it's no Salsa Palace like Union Square, it's far from it in fact. But if you ask me honestly, I don't want a grande ballroom where everytime I step on the dance floor, there are a billion and one people with their eyes safety-pinned on me, calculating and analyzing everything I do. I want a cozy hideaway where I can stick my tongue out when I feel like it (pant, pant, woof!), crawl around everywhere, find the eucalyptus tree to koala... (tt's the full time job of a koala, by the way... They are only awake for 4 hours of the night. The rest is spent in blissful slumber on a eucalyptus tree). Isn't that what life is all about anyway? Living your life. Like scratching your back when it itches: it feels good.

That's what I like about Xen. There is no condemning judgment; there is a lot of forgiveness. I'm not saying that we are so super duper angelic that we don't get on each other's nerves, it happens. But we try not condemn or spread unnecessary rumors around. Like what Teacher Ong says, we always try to see the heart, if the person is sincere. And we practice forgiveness. At least I do. Practice it. I've not mastered it yet, but I'm trying hard! One thing that I learned when I teach: I seldom get angry with someone, but I get disappointed often. And I do get very frustrated. It's very heart-breaking sometimes when you see the potential of the student and try to give him the most important things that you know, but he has pre-decided to do things his way and cannot meet his goal. It's like you have the key to open the door but he refuses it and keeps banging his head against it to force it open.

I guess Teacher Ong, as alwiz is rite on the mark when he says that the teachers are important because they know the road. They have been through the process and achieved the goal (and also helped many others to do so), so they know what path you have to take, they know what is the most important thing you have to do to get there and the miraculous thing is that they can show you the road in the darkness. Damn bloody important. What takes a normal person 2 years to achieve can take you 3 months. I know. I've done it, and I haven't stopped yet, I'm still getting better, and I still have so so much to learn. THAT's why I love Xen!!! I was so thoroughly blessed to go to Xenbar to learn Salsa. I was blessed with such a high calibre teacher who gives us so much. =) Of course, I'm not saying that other schools do not have good teachers, in fact I think they are all pretty good (even though I did not train under them). I'm just saying that I Love my school. I think it's the best. My subjective opinion based on true facts. Haha!!

Koala Koala..

!!YAY!!

I finished my essay! lalala! heehee...
My belly button's rubbing my spine already - stomach got hole! *hungry*
keekeekee

My moomoo shoes... haha It's been awhile since I've worn it. Me likey! I'm kinda determined to litter this blog wif all the pix that i took over the past 2 years and neva got a chance to use it! So here they come; how else do I remember all the fun we've had at Xen if I dun write it down anyway... One of these days, I'm gonna dig up the cowboy hat and teach a basic class wif the hat and shoe! That'll be fun! or maybe shine class... Hmmm...

Teacher Ong & Me, Xmas Morning 05

My Blog My Blog!!!

Well, I finally did it! lalala... After like wat- a year?
As alwiz, stuff like these are created when you have an essay due the next day and are aleady extremely drained from looking at it like a gazillion times. haha...

What's in a rose, that by any other name would smell as sweet? (in other words, why do we need names?)

Yup, it's called.... Advertisement! I know tt I can't avoid it, but I'm like the most indecisive person in Singapore. We discussed "The Tazmanian Devil" but I'm not from Tazmania lah, and can you imagine ppl calling you "Hey Taz!" or "Hey Devil!????" Kinda funny at first but I'm not quite sure it'll be as funny 20 years down the road. Then I can imagine going into a meeting with the PM or something, "advocating" for the World Salsa Congress and i get introduced as "The Tazmanian Devil" coz I can spin... (crows dropping from the sky) Nah, it's cute but unless I wanna spin crazily around the room and make funny "herlgph gaa gaa" Tazmanian voices with my tongue sticking out till I'm 70, I think I'll stick to simple YanQing for now...