On Learning Choreography
One common question that students often ask is why does Actfa Dancers all look the same: their variations are the same; their stunts are the same; their styling are the same; the way they spin are the same….?
This must be taken in a positive light that the school has taught its students so well that they look identical when they dance! As a teacher, we proud that we have taught students who have put in so much effort to learn and perfect the steps, stunts and styling that people can tell which school they are from.
Some people may think that it’s silly to have ‘clones’ of Person X dancing on the dance floor; or to have 5 couples performing exact same moves. But there is a reason for doing so.
From the point of view of a teacher, all students need to go through a training process within the school to understand the fundamental techniques of certain steps. Naturally, all schools teach a certain of set variations/ shines/ stunts to its students when it trains its students for a group choreography. At the initial stage, all the students will learn a similar set of variations/ shines/ stunts in the class. Also, at the initial stage, the student will not have enough knowledge in the dance to vary much from what he/she has learnt in the class. Hence, he/she will look similar to the teacher and other students when he/she dances.
Those who comment about looking the same when they dance are missing the essential point in this aspect: When a student begins to learn about a variation, stunt or shine, he is not only learning the steps (on the surface), but is also learning the fundamental techniques to the steps (the underlying aspect). For example, a student learns how to shimmy his shoulders in a particular shine. The teacher may only ask him to shimmy at one point in the shine, but once he has learnt how to shimmy, he can actually put it in anywhere he wants to while social dancing. In the case of a stunt, eg, the death drop, the student is not only learning the technique and execution of the death drop (on the surface), but more importantly, he is learning how to keep his body stable, how to watch out for potential injuries while doing the stunt, how to protect his partner so that she feels safe while doing the trick, how to execute the moves cleanly and with precision, etc (the underlying aspect). Another crucial factor when learning dips and tricks is that the student also learns to believe in himself, and discover that he is actually able to execute such a stunt. Most people don’t believe that they can ever dance like professionals, and teaching the trick is not as important as convincing the student that he can actually do the amazing stuff that professionals do. And once the student believes that he can do these higher-level moves, the door opens for him to try all sorts of things in the dance like other shines, more complex variations, more difficult spins and other dips and tricks.
Actfa teaches its students to perform many shines, stunts and variations and is dedicated in pushing its students to execute them cleanly and precisely so that they look good while dancing. I feel that the school has done its job in opening the doorway for its students to explore the different aspects of dance but it is eventually up to the student to take the initiative to perfect, practice and later on try out new things on their own. The teachers are always there to encourage, teach and guide the students through them, but it is up to the students to decide what they want to learn and try. And if all else fails, the student can at least fall back on what he has learnt from the school.
Thursday, July 5
Friday, May 11
How to Apply Choreography in a Social Context
The benefits of choreography
Many people say that Salsa is a social dance and that the most beautiful aspect of Salsa can be seen on the social floor where the dancers play and dance their moves to the music, all in an impromptu fashion. I agree with that and I have seen some amazing dancing on the social floor. However, I feel that there are certain benefits to choreographing a dance that some people tend to overlook. In my opinion, choreography is important for beginners who are not seasoned dancers as it provides them with a good starting ground in their social dancing for the following reasons:
1) Easy to remember/recall steps while dancing
Many newbies to Salsa have very few moves to execute while dancing because their knowledge in dance is limited. Their variations are often interspersed with a lot of basic steps because they are thinking of the next move to execute. A simple choreography that is taught to them will allow them to constantly practice one variation after another, so that they can train their muscle memory to execute simple steps one after another on the dance floor without worrying about what the next step is.
Some people may think that this will make their dancing boring and repetitive as they constantly repeat the same things. However, I stress that this is for beginners and that doing repetitive steps again and again is better than doing many basic steps while worrying and ransacking your brain over what steps to execute next on the dance floor. Furthermore, the dancers can rearrange the sequence of steps after they are more familiar with the steps.
So beginners out there, put what you learn into a series or combo that you can easily remember. Don’t make it too long as that will be hard to remember. I suggest that you choreograph Combo 1 which comprises of variations A, B, C and D, Combo 2 which comprises of variations E, F, G and H, etc. That way, you also practice how to transit from one move to another!
2) Posture and other tiny details corrected – confidence in the steps obtained
A choreographed routine will ensure that you have executed the moves many times in that sequence. This will make sure that you familiarize yourself with the steps quickly as you repeat them many times. In addition, you will gain confidence in your dancing as you become more secure in your leading and following of the variations. If you have a teacher correcting you in your choreography, this is a plus point as a good teacher will not only correct your lead but also your posture, hands, expression and other tiny details to make you look good on the dance floor. It is easy for the teacher to correct you in such a scenario as you repeat the steps and he/she can check if you slouch in a particular step or if your hands are placed wrongly in a particular step. Once you are sure that you look good, you will get the confidence to dance and enjoy yourself.
3) Students who are less talented can learn about timing and rhythm and how to pose to a particular music through the choreography
A choreography to a particular music also helps students with problems in keeping the timing right while dancing as the fixed music will help them to familiarize themselves with at least one song. Once they learn to keep the count in the song, they can gradually learn to keep the count in other songs. The first song allows them to start ‘somewhere’ in learning about the Salsa beat.
A choreographed routine may also have pauses and different rhythms where the students are taught to pose or dance in response to the music. This teaches students how to play with the different musical styles of Salsa.
4) Finally you can piece them together like a jigsaw puzzle to mix and match moves
After learning the choreography, students who have become more comfortable with their routine can then choose to mix and match the variations or shines to vary their repertoire as they dance.
The benefits of choreography
Many people say that Salsa is a social dance and that the most beautiful aspect of Salsa can be seen on the social floor where the dancers play and dance their moves to the music, all in an impromptu fashion. I agree with that and I have seen some amazing dancing on the social floor. However, I feel that there are certain benefits to choreographing a dance that some people tend to overlook. In my opinion, choreography is important for beginners who are not seasoned dancers as it provides them with a good starting ground in their social dancing for the following reasons:
1) Easy to remember/recall steps while dancing
Many newbies to Salsa have very few moves to execute while dancing because their knowledge in dance is limited. Their variations are often interspersed with a lot of basic steps because they are thinking of the next move to execute. A simple choreography that is taught to them will allow them to constantly practice one variation after another, so that they can train their muscle memory to execute simple steps one after another on the dance floor without worrying about what the next step is.
Some people may think that this will make their dancing boring and repetitive as they constantly repeat the same things. However, I stress that this is for beginners and that doing repetitive steps again and again is better than doing many basic steps while worrying and ransacking your brain over what steps to execute next on the dance floor. Furthermore, the dancers can rearrange the sequence of steps after they are more familiar with the steps.
So beginners out there, put what you learn into a series or combo that you can easily remember. Don’t make it too long as that will be hard to remember. I suggest that you choreograph Combo 1 which comprises of variations A, B, C and D, Combo 2 which comprises of variations E, F, G and H, etc. That way, you also practice how to transit from one move to another!
2) Posture and other tiny details corrected – confidence in the steps obtained
A choreographed routine will ensure that you have executed the moves many times in that sequence. This will make sure that you familiarize yourself with the steps quickly as you repeat them many times. In addition, you will gain confidence in your dancing as you become more secure in your leading and following of the variations. If you have a teacher correcting you in your choreography, this is a plus point as a good teacher will not only correct your lead but also your posture, hands, expression and other tiny details to make you look good on the dance floor. It is easy for the teacher to correct you in such a scenario as you repeat the steps and he/she can check if you slouch in a particular step or if your hands are placed wrongly in a particular step. Once you are sure that you look good, you will get the confidence to dance and enjoy yourself.
3) Students who are less talented can learn about timing and rhythm and how to pose to a particular music through the choreography
A choreography to a particular music also helps students with problems in keeping the timing right while dancing as the fixed music will help them to familiarize themselves with at least one song. Once they learn to keep the count in the song, they can gradually learn to keep the count in other songs. The first song allows them to start ‘somewhere’ in learning about the Salsa beat.
A choreographed routine may also have pauses and different rhythms where the students are taught to pose or dance in response to the music. This teaches students how to play with the different musical styles of Salsa.
4) Finally you can piece them together like a jigsaw puzzle to mix and match moves
After learning the choreography, students who have become more comfortable with their routine can then choose to mix and match the variations or shines to vary their repertoire as they dance.
Thursday, April 12
Fashion Tips for the Dance Floor!
Bottoms
Short skirts that swirl around the hips are always a good buy. They catch the eye when you spin. However, do wear safety shorts if you happen to wear those that flare a lot to prevent over-exposing yourself! Safety shorts (short bicycle shorts) can be bought in most lingerie shops.
Bottoms
Short skirts that swirl around the hips are always a good buy. They catch the eye when you spin. However, do wear safety shorts if you happen to wear those that flare a lot to prevent over-exposing yourself! Safety shorts (short bicycle shorts) can be bought in most lingerie shops.
Most girls prefer to wear pants or jeans, as it is convenient and easy to wear. Invest in a nice pair that fits your form nicely. I personally prefer stretchable pants, as they do not restrict my movement.
Hot pants are good too, if you are adventurous. When worn with high heels or boots, they can make any girl look stunning. Of course, invest in good shorts that flatter your thighs and bottom. The length and the tightness of the shorts are important, especially for those who do not have model-like legs. Go experiment with different kinds of shorts to see which suits you!
Most people tend to wear black – it being the “in” color. Unfortunately, black makes a person hard to spot in a dark and dim Salsa Club. That’s why many Salsa dancers like to wear white. It can look really chic and it stands out on the dance floor. Red is also a favorite… it sets the feel of Salsa – red-hot chili!
Tops
With so many different tops around, it’s hard to cover all of them. Rather than trying to do that, I’ll explain what to look out for when choosing tops to wear.
First, spaghetti straps are not always the best to wear, as they tend to drop down the shoulders. Tubes also tend to slip down the body. Those who dance often will prefer halter necks or racer backs (the kind that curves in at the back) or straps that cross to the back as the straps remain on the shoulders.
Secondly, if you should choose to wear something more revealing, be sure to use tape to stick the top to your skin as accidents do happen on the dance floor. When wearing bikini tops, I usually wear at least 2 layers in case one of them comes out. It has happened before while I was performing so I always take extra precaution.
Thirdly, beware of tops that have extra things like cloth or chains dangling around; they may get caught in your partner’s hands while dancing. Try to avoid dangling chains on the tops as they may hurt when you spin!
Must Haves!
Invest in plastic see-through bra straps and lots of safety pins. Make sure your top does not slip down by pinning it to your bra. Use nipple tapes if you want extra security, and pin your skirt to your saftey shorts too as they tend to ride up.
Hair
Most dancers either keep their hair loose or bun it up. Ladies, try not to tie ponytails if you’re planning for a night out dancing. However great it looks, it hurts! A ponytail acts like a whip when you spin at high speed. Not only will you whip your own face, you’ll even whip your partner, and trust me, it really hurts. It is also important that you do not plait your hair. It’s worse that a ponytail… Need I explain? If you would like to tie your hair, bun it up or tie it in a way such that it will not hurt you or your partner while dancing. Clips also tend to drop out after a while. If you would like to put any accessories on your hair, my suggestion is to experiment with it by spinning a few rounds to ensure that it doesn’t come out or hinder your dancing.
Accessories
Belts: Belts are a good way to accessorize. However, beware of dangling chains, as they may be a hindrance while dancing. If you do like chains, ensure that they are short or stay close to your body as they hurt when they swing around.
Bracelets: Ladies, the guys often catch your wrists when executing moves. Try to refrain from wearing bracelets (especially those that have a range of dangling artifacts attached to them) when you dance as they can hurt your partner when he executes variations. If you would like to wear bracelets, stick to the simple ones or cloth/ soft ones.
Rings: I highly discourage rings when dancing, especially those with a piece of rock (e.g., diamond) that protrudes out of the ring. Your partner will suffer when he spins you. Rings are metallic and they can cut into the men’s fingers when he leads you around. And it really hurts! Try not to wear rings.
Necklace: Necklaces tend not to be much of an issue with regards to affecting the lead in salsa except at higher levels. However, beware of chunky and heavy necklaces as they may hurt you.
Shoes
There are a wide variety of Salsa shoes at various costs. Check out http://www.amanci.com/, http://www.aslas.com/, http://www.akoala.com/ for some varieties.
Thursday, April 5
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Life of a Xenbar Penguin (Part 2)
There was also another time when they got it in their head to try out a Lilo & Stitch episode in their costume making class. And they decided to make me Lilo, seeing that I was short and cute like she was. They made me wear a skirt!!! I thought I was going to be so humiliated to be seen in a skirt! So when they put a mask on me, I was relieved... No one would recognize me. yay!
But later they took out my mask and made me do a hula dance for them!!! Thank goodness I took dancing lessons! Think I did well for the dance...Last week, the girls had a make up test. I took part in it too! And I'm proud to say that I passed with flying colours!
Don't I look pretty? Introducing my make up artist!
Do join me for Make Up & Costume Class every Friday @ Xenbar! heehee
Life of a Xenbar Penguin
Hi, my name is Penguin, and I was created from the movie, Happy Feet. I was adopted into Xenbar by Justin and Yanqing who rescued me from a certain death sentence at Carrefour, which hanged me up for display by the neck! (They tried to strangle me, but thank goodness I had no bones and was made of fur and cotton). The residents at Xenbar quickly took me under their wing. They hugged me, squashed me and loved me... I was really happy.
One day, 2 residents of Xenbar decided to give me a makeover. I was so excited when I thought that I would get a nice bath and a good brushing of my fur. After being passed around by so many people, to be hug and play (it sure was a full time job!), it would be nice to be fresh and clean again. So the 2 humans took me and to my horror put something over my head. I couldn't see! They were laughing... at me! They called me... Garfguin?
Little did I realize that they had placed garfield over my head. What a makeover! I didn't feel at all prettier and nicer. These people had bizarre tastes for sure...
So they eventually took garfield off my head and I once again lived a happy peaceful life... Until one day, they decided that I should join the costume class conducted every Friday. Ooooh, I was so excited about getting to try nice and smart clothing... (I was pretty tired of wearing the same bow tie tuxedo everyday). They brought some costumes for me to try and I obediently let them fuss over me, adjusting some material here and placing some props there... When it was time for me to see the full costume, I couldn't wait. I turned around to look into the mirror and.... OHMIGOSH!!!!
I had a fright of my life as I looked at my scary reflection. My fur was quivering on its end and I nearly balded myself in my fright (yep, the fur nearly dropped off). I didn't recognize this scary creature they have morphed me into. It took me a while to get accustomed to wearing this costume. I had big bright pink wings behind my back that kept threatening to topple my balance and a scary mask with a feather in one eye so I could hardly see...
I gradually grew accustomed to the weird ways of the Xen humans and before long, I was eagerly awaiting costume class... I always looked forward to the different costumes they would make me try on. It was like playing dress-up and it was quite fun. I tried out Nachos Libre... I wrestled with the contestants at Xenbar and they all lost. No one could beat me with my libre costume! I was too good!
So good that I had the chance to take pictures with a fan of mine who adored my macho fighting ways.
She didn't mind my sweaty fur but smuggled up to me for the photo shoot. Don't I look Macho?
The Person Behind the Star – On the Importance of Coaches and Mentors
There are many famous people in the world – TV stars, Hollywood stars, Sports stars, Presidents, Multi-billionaires who have successfully built up organizations like Donald Trump, Bill Gates, etc. Most of us are focused on these people and we often idolize them, wondering at their talent and luck to be so successful in life. However, there is one thing that we tend to overlook: the person behind these Stars, as I will call them. These people behind the Stars are the ones who guide, encourage and lead the Stars to their success. They are known as coaches, mentors, advisors or simply, teachers. These teachers play a huge part in bringing the Stars to such great achievements that make them known throughout the world. They teach the Stars what to do, how to act, where to go, what to say…
There are many famous people in the world – TV stars, Hollywood stars, Sports stars, Presidents, Multi-billionaires who have successfully built up organizations like Donald Trump, Bill Gates, etc. Most of us are focused on these people and we often idolize them, wondering at their talent and luck to be so successful in life. However, there is one thing that we tend to overlook: the person behind these Stars, as I will call them. These people behind the Stars are the ones who guide, encourage and lead the Stars to their success. They are known as coaches, mentors, advisors or simply, teachers. These teachers play a huge part in bringing the Stars to such great achievements that make them known throughout the world. They teach the Stars what to do, how to act, where to go, what to say…
They are important because they have the experience in their field and know all the shortcuts: they can guide their protégé to success in the fastest way possible. The really good teachers care for their students, and help them to achieve things beyond their imagination. As a dancer, I never really dared to believe that I could ever be the best in Singapore, let alone one of the top few in Asia. I came into Salsa wanting to learn something new in my spare time. Little did I know, I struck a jackpot. I found a teacher who was willing and cared enough to guide me, lead me, encourage me and scold me to become what I am today – a good dancer. I still have a long way to go, but what I have achieved through his guidance is already beyond what I even dared to dream. If not because of a good teacher and mentor who convinced me time and again that I could do it, pointed out the way to achieving it, showed me that it was alright to dream big because it was really after all, not that difficult to reach (“it’s easy” is what he says), and at times give me a little kick in the butt to push me further on, I would not be where I am today.
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Me at the NUS Achievement Awards Ceremony, where I was awarded for my local & international achievements in Salsa for the year 2006.A common misunderstanding that I come across is that people tend to think that a good teacher must be able to dance well, or at least better than them. Because dancing is very visual, some people feel that the teacher must be able to dance well so that they have a role model to follow in class. This strikes me as weird because we are often trained by teachers who are less flexible and technically worse than us in ballet. Ballet is such a precise dance that older people in general will not be able to manage the dance (in terms of technique, stamina, flexibility, etc) as well as the younger dancers. Although it is important to get inspiration from a good dancer, it doesn’t necessarily need to come from the teacher. It can come from other students or even professional dancers. I feel that it is more important for teachers to be able to teach well. A good teacher will not only take care of your physical training, but also focus a significant part of your training on conquering mental blocks, doubts and fears.
Even the best dancer in the world needs a teacher. Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world, and he has 3 coaches. He clearly is better than any of his 3 teachers, why does he still need a teacher? That is because he still needs an experienced eye to point out his mistakes and to make him belief that he is the best golfer in the world. As dancers, we can’t see our mistakes when we dance, and sometimes, we need a second opinion to ensure that what we do looks good. We need someone to scold us when we are lax, someone to guide us when we are lost, someone to plan for our training so that we can focus on perfecting our moves and not worry about planning for our future as dancers. Most importantly, we need someone to encourage us and make us belief that we have what it takes to be the best. We need someone to motivate us, to push us on and to believe in us. This is what I feel makes the best teachers. Someone who believes in me, who never gives up on me and who will always be there to guide me through the roughest patches. It’s amazing how much we can achieve when someone believes in us.
PS: This article is dedicated to my teacher and mentor. It’s been truly a blessing and such a great adventure these past 3 years. Words can’t express my heartfelt gratitude.
PPS: Good families are also important for the same reasons, don’t you think? And I have a great family! =)
"I Want to be a Good Dancer!" - 5 Steps to Dancing Success!
1. Basics
A good Salsa dancer needs to have good fundamental techniques. In building a house, one needs a good foundation; likewise in dancing. The fundamental techniques can be divided into 2 categories: 1) partner techniques, and 2) non-partner techniques. The former simply describes proper lead and follow techniques while the latter consists of body and leg flexibility, and spinning techniques.
Lead and follow techniques are crucial in partner dances because the leader needs to know how to lead his partner properly and the follower needs to know how to respond to her partner’s cues. We can’t social dance properly, especially at the advanced level if we do not have the proper lead and follow techniques. That’s why we emphasize a lot on basic class in Actfa. Most people actually don’t realize the full importance of basic class (where they teach the fundamental lead and follow techniques) until they have been to an intermediate or advanced class where they find it hard to catch up in the class because they don’t have the proper techniques to execute the steps right…*
Besides learning how to lead and follow properly, we also need to have sound techniques in body isolation, flexibility and spinning.** This is vital if we want to look good when we dance. In Salsa, a dancer stands out if he styles well, spins well and is flexible. Body flexibility and isolation techniques are important for those shines and styling (e.g. body waves!) to look good. The more flexible our body is, the better it looks, as the body movements are bigger and more fluid. We also gain a better control over our movements when we master the techniques for isolation. Flexibility is necessary for dancers simply because it looks outstanding, and our legs and bodies move better and are not so stiff when we are flexible. Spin is crucial in Salsa as it is one of the main components in Salsa. Once we grasp the concepts of spinning, we can balance better and move faster. When this happens, we have a lot of time to style and look good because we are not rushing after the music or catching our balance. On top of that, our spins look sharper because they are faster and more precise.
2. Practice, practice, practice
Besides having a good foundation for dance, another golden rule is to practice. Repeating the variations or styling will enable us to be more familiar with the variations and styling. If we practice enough, we will commit the variations or styling into our subconscious so that we automatically execute the steps without consciously thinking of it. This is important in social dancing, where the movements are impromptu for the ladies. By training the steps into their subconscious, they will respond to the leader’s cue and execute the variations and styling automatically. This in time will train their sensitivity in responding to the lead. It is also crucial for the men as they can fluidly execute one variation after another only after they commit the steps into their subconscious. That way, they will not have to keep thinking of which step to do next when they dance with their partners.
3. But practice makes perfect, so find a good teacher
Although practice is important, we must also be careful not to practice the wrong steps. A teacher of mine once said, “Practice makes perfect. If you practice the wrong thing, you’ll perfect that”. So we all need to constantly check through a mirror or a video of our dancing to see if we are executing the steps the way we imagine it to be. More importantly, we need a good teacher or mentor who cares to teach us the right things and correct our mistakes. A good teacher will find out what we want, encourage us to pursue our goals and show us the shortest path to achieving it. He will plan our training for us so we don’t have to worry about what to learn, and prepare us both mentally and physically to attain our goal. A good teacher cares enough to scold and push us to achieve what we want, and more.
4. It’s not the quantity but the quality of your variations/styling
Many people seem to want to learn one hundred complex variations, shines and styling, with the thought that if they know a lot of moves, they will be good dancers. It is true that many advanced dancers seem to know many moves and variations. However, I feel that it is more important to get the moves looking nice rather than knowing a lot of variations. Dancer A may know a lot of moves but the quality of his move may only be 2/10. Dancer B may know only a few moves but the standard of his moves are 8/10. Dancer A’s moves will look messy and average; any potential he may have as a dancer will not be obvious because he is like an uncut diamond – it looks like an ordinary rock on the outside. Dancer B may know limited moves, but he is clean and precise in his execution. Because of his cleanness and precision, he may stand out among other social dancers – he is like a small diamond, small but nevertheless sparkling! Of course, it is important to have both quality and quantity and the best way is probably to learn new steps gradually while perfecting those we know.
5. Be polite to others and you’ll always have people to dance with
A last but crucial point to being a good dancer is to build a good relationship with the people. Be polite to others: treat your partner with respect, respect other dancers’ space while dancing, thank your partner after dancing and guide her to the edge of the dance floor if you’re a guy. Most importantly, smile! It’s important to be on good terms with other dancers because you meet them frequently on the dance floor. Being on good terms will ensure that you’ll always have people to dance with!
* Actfa conducts Salsa Examinations certified by AC Dance (www.acdance.com) & Salsa Academy (www.salsaacademy.com) which has 50 pointers in its Level 1 Basic Exam as guidelines for its students to develop the proper lead and follow techniques.
** Actfa holds Isolation & Body Conditioning classes 5 times a week to help its students to master their body isolations, flexibility and spinning techniques (www.actfa.com).
1. Basics
A good Salsa dancer needs to have good fundamental techniques. In building a house, one needs a good foundation; likewise in dancing. The fundamental techniques can be divided into 2 categories: 1) partner techniques, and 2) non-partner techniques. The former simply describes proper lead and follow techniques while the latter consists of body and leg flexibility, and spinning techniques.
Lead and follow techniques are crucial in partner dances because the leader needs to know how to lead his partner properly and the follower needs to know how to respond to her partner’s cues. We can’t social dance properly, especially at the advanced level if we do not have the proper lead and follow techniques. That’s why we emphasize a lot on basic class in Actfa. Most people actually don’t realize the full importance of basic class (where they teach the fundamental lead and follow techniques) until they have been to an intermediate or advanced class where they find it hard to catch up in the class because they don’t have the proper techniques to execute the steps right…*
Besides learning how to lead and follow properly, we also need to have sound techniques in body isolation, flexibility and spinning.** This is vital if we want to look good when we dance. In Salsa, a dancer stands out if he styles well, spins well and is flexible. Body flexibility and isolation techniques are important for those shines and styling (e.g. body waves!) to look good. The more flexible our body is, the better it looks, as the body movements are bigger and more fluid. We also gain a better control over our movements when we master the techniques for isolation. Flexibility is necessary for dancers simply because it looks outstanding, and our legs and bodies move better and are not so stiff when we are flexible. Spin is crucial in Salsa as it is one of the main components in Salsa. Once we grasp the concepts of spinning, we can balance better and move faster. When this happens, we have a lot of time to style and look good because we are not rushing after the music or catching our balance. On top of that, our spins look sharper because they are faster and more precise.
2. Practice, practice, practice
Besides having a good foundation for dance, another golden rule is to practice. Repeating the variations or styling will enable us to be more familiar with the variations and styling. If we practice enough, we will commit the variations or styling into our subconscious so that we automatically execute the steps without consciously thinking of it. This is important in social dancing, where the movements are impromptu for the ladies. By training the steps into their subconscious, they will respond to the leader’s cue and execute the variations and styling automatically. This in time will train their sensitivity in responding to the lead. It is also crucial for the men as they can fluidly execute one variation after another only after they commit the steps into their subconscious. That way, they will not have to keep thinking of which step to do next when they dance with their partners.
3. But practice makes perfect, so find a good teacher
Although practice is important, we must also be careful not to practice the wrong steps. A teacher of mine once said, “Practice makes perfect. If you practice the wrong thing, you’ll perfect that”. So we all need to constantly check through a mirror or a video of our dancing to see if we are executing the steps the way we imagine it to be. More importantly, we need a good teacher or mentor who cares to teach us the right things and correct our mistakes. A good teacher will find out what we want, encourage us to pursue our goals and show us the shortest path to achieving it. He will plan our training for us so we don’t have to worry about what to learn, and prepare us both mentally and physically to attain our goal. A good teacher cares enough to scold and push us to achieve what we want, and more.
4. It’s not the quantity but the quality of your variations/styling
Many people seem to want to learn one hundred complex variations, shines and styling, with the thought that if they know a lot of moves, they will be good dancers. It is true that many advanced dancers seem to know many moves and variations. However, I feel that it is more important to get the moves looking nice rather than knowing a lot of variations. Dancer A may know a lot of moves but the quality of his move may only be 2/10. Dancer B may know only a few moves but the standard of his moves are 8/10. Dancer A’s moves will look messy and average; any potential he may have as a dancer will not be obvious because he is like an uncut diamond – it looks like an ordinary rock on the outside. Dancer B may know limited moves, but he is clean and precise in his execution. Because of his cleanness and precision, he may stand out among other social dancers – he is like a small diamond, small but nevertheless sparkling! Of course, it is important to have both quality and quantity and the best way is probably to learn new steps gradually while perfecting those we know.
5. Be polite to others and you’ll always have people to dance with
A last but crucial point to being a good dancer is to build a good relationship with the people. Be polite to others: treat your partner with respect, respect other dancers’ space while dancing, thank your partner after dancing and guide her to the edge of the dance floor if you’re a guy. Most importantly, smile! It’s important to be on good terms with other dancers because you meet them frequently on the dance floor. Being on good terms will ensure that you’ll always have people to dance with!
* Actfa conducts Salsa Examinations certified by AC Dance (www.acdance.com) & Salsa Academy (www.salsaacademy.com) which has 50 pointers in its Level 1 Basic Exam as guidelines for its students to develop the proper lead and follow techniques.
** Actfa holds Isolation & Body Conditioning classes 5 times a week to help its students to master their body isolations, flexibility and spinning techniques (www.actfa.com).
Wednesday, March 28
Friday, March 2
Girls and Make Up
I recall that make up used to be a hassle. Firstly, it took a lot of time. Secondly, I looked weird after making up because I looked different. Third, I didn't know what I was doing and so I looked funny after I put those stuff on my face. All this excludes the hassle of removing the layers of paint on my face. I didn't like to put make up. I didn't realise it then, but it was because I didn't know how to do it properly so I thought looking natural was probably the best coz make up looked fake on my face.
Little did I know that I just felt insecure about making up because I didn't know how to do it. Then Teacher Ong told me something: Making up is like dressing up for a business meeting. It's being polite and professional, and it's grooming. You don't wear T-shirts and shorts into an important job interview right? You make sure you've had a bath and brush your teeth before appearing before an important client. Similarly, making up is just a part of grooming. It shows that you care to dress properly and groom yourself properly for the occasion; i.e., the meeting is important enough that you took the time to prepare yourself for it. Also, you're showing that you respect your client or boss by taking care to groom yourself properly.
A friend once told me that his student wore a blazer and tie to a talk by an entrepreneur, while others simply wore t-shirts and berms (it was a talk held in school). The entrepreneur later told him that he was the only one whom he gave his name card to because he bothered to dress properly. Although making up will not be as significant as dressing properly, it is part of grooming. A person who looks polished and immaculate will alwiz tend to look more confident and put together than one who looks messy.
All this made sense to me... Making up is a part of grooming, much like styling your hair or choosing the proper clothes to wear. I think it is important to learn how to do it properly just so that we know how to do it when the need arises. That's why we conduct free weekly makeup classes for our students in Actfa. It's a place for them to learn how to do proper make up and also to experiment with different styles so that they know what suits them best. And now that I know a little more about make up, I'm not so scared of making up. After all, we have so many performances that I have lots of practice!
Of course, making up is a good skill to master but we can't depend on it. When I started learning how to do it, I used to make up everyday before I went out... I started thinking that I looked ugly, sallow and pale without makeup. Then Teacher Ong said this: "It's important to learn how to make up, but it's also important not to be dependent on it". I know that many gals feel sort of naked on the face without make up on and are less confident without it, but I think it's crucial not to be dependent on it and know that what's the most important is what's inside, not what's outside. The outer apearance is important to create a good first impression on others, but ultimately what's important is the inner beauty. I know some people are totally against make up, some people never leave home without it...
Personally, I think that make up can create a good impression coz a woman who bothers to groom herself respects others by making herself look presentable. Of course, the inner beauty is still the most important thing, but making up has its benefits so why not use it to your advantage? Of course, I use it only when I have to... Most of the time, I'm too lazy to make up everyday especially if I have to teach a lot and perspire buckets all over my make up. So I learn to do it for business meetings, presentations, performances and to look professional, but I don't wear it if I have to... Too Lazy lah. Haha...
I recall that make up used to be a hassle. Firstly, it took a lot of time. Secondly, I looked weird after making up because I looked different. Third, I didn't know what I was doing and so I looked funny after I put those stuff on my face. All this excludes the hassle of removing the layers of paint on my face. I didn't like to put make up. I didn't realise it then, but it was because I didn't know how to do it properly so I thought looking natural was probably the best coz make up looked fake on my face.
Little did I know that I just felt insecure about making up because I didn't know how to do it. Then Teacher Ong told me something: Making up is like dressing up for a business meeting. It's being polite and professional, and it's grooming. You don't wear T-shirts and shorts into an important job interview right? You make sure you've had a bath and brush your teeth before appearing before an important client. Similarly, making up is just a part of grooming. It shows that you care to dress properly and groom yourself properly for the occasion; i.e., the meeting is important enough that you took the time to prepare yourself for it. Also, you're showing that you respect your client or boss by taking care to groom yourself properly.
A friend once told me that his student wore a blazer and tie to a talk by an entrepreneur, while others simply wore t-shirts and berms (it was a talk held in school). The entrepreneur later told him that he was the only one whom he gave his name card to because he bothered to dress properly. Although making up will not be as significant as dressing properly, it is part of grooming. A person who looks polished and immaculate will alwiz tend to look more confident and put together than one who looks messy.
All this made sense to me... Making up is a part of grooming, much like styling your hair or choosing the proper clothes to wear. I think it is important to learn how to do it properly just so that we know how to do it when the need arises. That's why we conduct free weekly makeup classes for our students in Actfa. It's a place for them to learn how to do proper make up and also to experiment with different styles so that they know what suits them best. And now that I know a little more about make up, I'm not so scared of making up. After all, we have so many performances that I have lots of practice!
Of course, making up is a good skill to master but we can't depend on it. When I started learning how to do it, I used to make up everyday before I went out... I started thinking that I looked ugly, sallow and pale without makeup. Then Teacher Ong said this: "It's important to learn how to make up, but it's also important not to be dependent on it". I know that many gals feel sort of naked on the face without make up on and are less confident without it, but I think it's crucial not to be dependent on it and know that what's the most important is what's inside, not what's outside. The outer apearance is important to create a good first impression on others, but ultimately what's important is the inner beauty. I know some people are totally against make up, some people never leave home without it...
Personally, I think that make up can create a good impression coz a woman who bothers to groom herself respects others by making herself look presentable. Of course, the inner beauty is still the most important thing, but making up has its benefits so why not use it to your advantage? Of course, I use it only when I have to... Most of the time, I'm too lazy to make up everyday especially if I have to teach a lot and perspire buckets all over my make up. So I learn to do it for business meetings, presentations, performances and to look professional, but I don't wear it if I have to... Too Lazy lah. Haha...
Tuesday, February 27
The Benefits of the AC Exams
After all the buzz of the Hong Kong Fest and the New Year, I finally have some time to conduct some examinations for our students. These exams are important for them to keep track of their progress. Starting with the basic level 1 exam, I plan to guide them through to at least 3 or 4 levels eventually (hopefully by the end of this year so that they can go on to higher level next year). I think the Salsa aspect of the AC Dance is not too difficult to clear so long as the students are familiar with the basic techniques. What's more difficult is the other dances they have to clear, like rueda, maerengue and bachata, coz some of them are not very familiar with these dances. Still, the dances are not that difficult, and if all goes as planned, my semi-pro darlings will have completed their basic level exams, together with the rueda, bachata and merengue aspect of the exams! Yeah!
The good thing about the exams is that we can all keep track of what we have completed and what we have not done. This ensures that those who take the exams are well-rounded and know enough of each aspect of Salsa (and its related dances) to dance it, whether they actually do it or not. Eventually, all our students will be made to go through merengue, bachata, rueda, hiphop, chacha, afro cuban rumba, Argentine Tango, rhumba, jazroc and more! And the conditioning classes will train them up for the demanding body isolations, spins and flexibility these dances require for them to look good when they dance!
Of course, Jaztin amazingly drafts out all the modules for training. Sometimes I'm amazed by just how far into the future he can "see" and how well he can read minds. Because of his planning, everything somehow alwiz falls into plan. Take the conditioning classes he planned for instance, it seems boring right now as the steps repeats itself again and again, but I think everyone who regularly attends the classes will be amazed by just how far their isolations and spins have improved when we do our choreography! The thing about dancing is that you never quite realize how much you've improved or deproved unil you compare your dancing now with that of a few months back.
And I can't wait to show the students their video next time as compared to now! Hee hee...
After all the buzz of the Hong Kong Fest and the New Year, I finally have some time to conduct some examinations for our students. These exams are important for them to keep track of their progress. Starting with the basic level 1 exam, I plan to guide them through to at least 3 or 4 levels eventually (hopefully by the end of this year so that they can go on to higher level next year). I think the Salsa aspect of the AC Dance is not too difficult to clear so long as the students are familiar with the basic techniques. What's more difficult is the other dances they have to clear, like rueda, maerengue and bachata, coz some of them are not very familiar with these dances. Still, the dances are not that difficult, and if all goes as planned, my semi-pro darlings will have completed their basic level exams, together with the rueda, bachata and merengue aspect of the exams! Yeah!
The good thing about the exams is that we can all keep track of what we have completed and what we have not done. This ensures that those who take the exams are well-rounded and know enough of each aspect of Salsa (and its related dances) to dance it, whether they actually do it or not. Eventually, all our students will be made to go through merengue, bachata, rueda, hiphop, chacha, afro cuban rumba, Argentine Tango, rhumba, jazroc and more! And the conditioning classes will train them up for the demanding body isolations, spins and flexibility these dances require for them to look good when they dance!
Of course, Jaztin amazingly drafts out all the modules for training. Sometimes I'm amazed by just how far into the future he can "see" and how well he can read minds. Because of his planning, everything somehow alwiz falls into plan. Take the conditioning classes he planned for instance, it seems boring right now as the steps repeats itself again and again, but I think everyone who regularly attends the classes will be amazed by just how far their isolations and spins have improved when we do our choreography! The thing about dancing is that you never quite realize how much you've improved or deproved unil you compare your dancing now with that of a few months back.
And I can't wait to show the students their video next time as compared to now! Hee hee...
Thursday, February 22
On the Importance of Attending Classes
Social dancing is important as it trains you to react and perform in a spontaneous environment. It also really forces the gal to follow the guys and she has no idea what variations to expect. However it's still important to go for classes and check that the steps look nice. We all need some 'quiet time' in front of the mirror from time to time to re-acquaint ourselves with our body and how it moves. Too much social dancing and no 'quiet time' makes me feel weird and insecure coz I forget how I look. I'm a pretty visual person and I see in my mind how I want to look when I dance so I know how to project my body when I dance... I guess that's the result of staring at my reflection every week since 6 years old. It's become a habit to me, and that's the way I visualize my dancing...
I feel that classes are important as it doesn't have the distractions of the social dance floor and the pace is slower and more predictable. In class, I have the time to just take care of the way I look and make sure it's nice. I have the time (unlike social dancing) to see if my move or my pose looks good coz the teacher repeats the steps over and over and over again and I can try out a hundred different poses until I'm satisfied that the one I eventually choose is the nicest. It also gives me a chance to reflect on my lead or following... coz I don't have to worry about what moves to do next or who is watching at me dance (in the social arena). That's why I love to go for classes! Haha...
Of course you have to know what to look out for while you attend the class. I find that many people overlook simple things like posture and arms in class when they focus too much on the legs... However, I'm quite particular about the arms and posture. After all, it's the first thing you look at when you watch people dance. Who stares at people's legs when they dance unless the person launches into some awesome crazy leg-stunts... Most people look at the faces or upper body (especially in a crowded dance floor) and that's where the posture and arms are noticed. Moreover, the air of confidence about a person usually has to do with 1) how precise he/she executes the steps and 2) the posture...
But the most important factor of all in Salsa is............... the SMILE! The joy and laughter is what attracts people to Salsa. They are there to have a good time, to smile and to have loads of fun! And I think that's why people of all standards can enjoy and dance Salsa. It's the fun they have while dancing. It doesn't matter how good you are, what matters more is how much fun you're having. People are, after all, attracted to laughter! So dance, enjoy and laugh lots! Hee hee
Social dancing is important as it trains you to react and perform in a spontaneous environment. It also really forces the gal to follow the guys and she has no idea what variations to expect. However it's still important to go for classes and check that the steps look nice. We all need some 'quiet time' in front of the mirror from time to time to re-acquaint ourselves with our body and how it moves. Too much social dancing and no 'quiet time' makes me feel weird and insecure coz I forget how I look. I'm a pretty visual person and I see in my mind how I want to look when I dance so I know how to project my body when I dance... I guess that's the result of staring at my reflection every week since 6 years old. It's become a habit to me, and that's the way I visualize my dancing...
I feel that classes are important as it doesn't have the distractions of the social dance floor and the pace is slower and more predictable. In class, I have the time to just take care of the way I look and make sure it's nice. I have the time (unlike social dancing) to see if my move or my pose looks good coz the teacher repeats the steps over and over and over again and I can try out a hundred different poses until I'm satisfied that the one I eventually choose is the nicest. It also gives me a chance to reflect on my lead or following... coz I don't have to worry about what moves to do next or who is watching at me dance (in the social arena). That's why I love to go for classes! Haha...
Of course you have to know what to look out for while you attend the class. I find that many people overlook simple things like posture and arms in class when they focus too much on the legs... However, I'm quite particular about the arms and posture. After all, it's the first thing you look at when you watch people dance. Who stares at people's legs when they dance unless the person launches into some awesome crazy leg-stunts... Most people look at the faces or upper body (especially in a crowded dance floor) and that's where the posture and arms are noticed. Moreover, the air of confidence about a person usually has to do with 1) how precise he/she executes the steps and 2) the posture...
But the most important factor of all in Salsa is............... the SMILE! The joy and laughter is what attracts people to Salsa. They are there to have a good time, to smile and to have loads of fun! And I think that's why people of all standards can enjoy and dance Salsa. It's the fun they have while dancing. It doesn't matter how good you are, what matters more is how much fun you're having. People are, after all, attracted to laughter! So dance, enjoy and laugh lots! Hee hee
Check this out for my Salsa video! Hee hee... One of my best so far I think. =) I can't wait for HK Salsa Fest one to come out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45X87eHOKeY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45X87eHOKeY
Friday, February 16
After coming back from the Hong Kong Salsa Fest, I'm full of energy to try new things, mostly inspired by watching the many different dancers in the Festival. It's cool to see the different flavors of each country. And I can tell that our students have the potential to be world standard, but they have to be sharper, better and faster. Similarly, I've gotta be even faster, sharper and quicker to be better! We still have so much to improve, and that's what make dancing incredible... There's almost no limits to it!
Now I need the human beings to produce the stuff... They seem to be taking a break, I guess it's time to do a killer choreography and bring them all back in! Hee hee... All the stuff that's in my mind will be fabricated soon. Hmmm this is so fun! I can guess what I'll be doing over the New Year!
Thursday, February 15
Tuesday, January 23
My Journey
By Yanqing, 22/01/07
Many people who have come into Xenbar have undergone miraculous changes. I will not try to sum up the whole extend of all those changes, but I will attempt to describe my journey.
In my two and a half years there, I’ve blossomed from a toot and blur little girl to a happy, confident and skillful person. I’ve never had much ambition in life, and always had a vague idea that God would know what He wanted me to do and send me to do it. Little did I know that He had big dreams for me; dreams that I did not even fathom of dreaming. Of course, God was smart. He knew that I would freak out if I knew, or my head would swell so big with that thought that He didn’t bother to let me know. Instead, he sent me a miracle. A miracle of a man who could see a part of His plan such that he could guide me down that path. That man had the facilities and the resources to fulfill His plans for me. One month into my training, He sent an invite from Thailand and charted me on my course to dance overseas; something I never even dreamed or considered was possible. Don’t ask me why, maybe I’m a girl and a romantic, but my journey as a dancer is one long miraculous ride. I mean I work hard and have loads of fun along the way. I’ve found the man of my dreams and achieved many things that I never asked for but was bestowed upon me… A girl can’t ask for more that that right?
Many people wonder why I’m pursing dance as my career. They’re astonished and express regret that I decided not to pursue my honors degree just to dance. But honestly, I didn’t choose my career; it fell upon my lap and I would have been stupid not to pursue it. Hey, you only live once anyway. And now that I’m in this, I’ve never been happier. I love what I’m doing, and I’ve grown so much as a person and a character. I still have so much more to grow, and I can’t wait to see what He has for me next.
“Oh that you would bless us indeed, and enlarge our territories, that your hand would be with us, and that your would keep us away from evil, that we may not cause pain!” – 1 Chronicles 4:10
By Yanqing, 22/01/07
Many people who have come into Xenbar have undergone miraculous changes. I will not try to sum up the whole extend of all those changes, but I will attempt to describe my journey.
In my two and a half years there, I’ve blossomed from a toot and blur little girl to a happy, confident and skillful person. I’ve never had much ambition in life, and always had a vague idea that God would know what He wanted me to do and send me to do it. Little did I know that He had big dreams for me; dreams that I did not even fathom of dreaming. Of course, God was smart. He knew that I would freak out if I knew, or my head would swell so big with that thought that He didn’t bother to let me know. Instead, he sent me a miracle. A miracle of a man who could see a part of His plan such that he could guide me down that path. That man had the facilities and the resources to fulfill His plans for me. One month into my training, He sent an invite from Thailand and charted me on my course to dance overseas; something I never even dreamed or considered was possible. Don’t ask me why, maybe I’m a girl and a romantic, but my journey as a dancer is one long miraculous ride. I mean I work hard and have loads of fun along the way. I’ve found the man of my dreams and achieved many things that I never asked for but was bestowed upon me… A girl can’t ask for more that that right?
Many people wonder why I’m pursing dance as my career. They’re astonished and express regret that I decided not to pursue my honors degree just to dance. But honestly, I didn’t choose my career; it fell upon my lap and I would have been stupid not to pursue it. Hey, you only live once anyway. And now that I’m in this, I’ve never been happier. I love what I’m doing, and I’ve grown so much as a person and a character. I still have so much more to grow, and I can’t wait to see what He has for me next.
“Oh that you would bless us indeed, and enlarge our territories, that your hand would be with us, and that your would keep us away from evil, that we may not cause pain!” – 1 Chronicles 4:10
Conditioning Class
Gosh, it feels great after the conditioning class... Absoutely exhausting, but my muscles are tired in a good sort of way. After the workout, I feel refreshed and well challenged. I was never really quite satisfied with my isolations, but now I'm even more determined to make it look nicer... Somehow I must arch more! Haha...
I sound like a dancer obsessed.
I guess the isolation class is really good training for us all because it encourages us to push our bodies further beyond it's current limit and break into new territories - more arched backs, faster hip or torso circles... Sometimes I wonder if there's any limit to the human body. Everything I do, I feel that I can push my body further beyond its limits and it never fails to (gradually) go to that limit. It's a never ending game. I guess the only time it'll stop is when my tailbone indeed touches my shoulder blade! Haha... Sounds scary!
The conditioning classes comprises of series of isolations, spins and stretches... the fundamental techniques that we need to be good, solid versatile dancers. Most forms of dance require certain amounts of the three techniques, and Justin has set up a class to mold the dancers into great dancers with the isolations. Personally, I feel that the class is pretty cool, since you can focus on making your isolations better, practice spins in a group, and open up you body after all that with some stretches... This is especially so if we do it everyday... What a great way to end the day with a solid hour of conditioning... I can feel all the stress go away as I use up all my energy sustaining the moves. You also forget about everything else when you're struggling to push your body beyond its limits. And the stamina training you get from it is incredible! Gosh! It's like doing the cardio shines all over again, this time you get to focus more on the isolations. I bet all our students will be effortlessly doing beautiful isolations in no time! Heehee, I can't wait!
The spins are also important. They are the ones that make our dancers stand out in the crowd. All the older SemiPro people are addicted to spinning... Most of them can do at least 4 rounds, if not 5 - 6. I'm thinking of conducting spin practice sessions everyday 15 minutes before class to give us a chance to practice together... That sounds good! And maybe 15 mintues after classes too! Heehee... I must get my 8 - 10 rounds of spins! *new objective set*
Gosh, it feels great after the conditioning class... Absoutely exhausting, but my muscles are tired in a good sort of way. After the workout, I feel refreshed and well challenged. I was never really quite satisfied with my isolations, but now I'm even more determined to make it look nicer... Somehow I must arch more! Haha...
I sound like a dancer obsessed.
I guess the isolation class is really good training for us all because it encourages us to push our bodies further beyond it's current limit and break into new territories - more arched backs, faster hip or torso circles... Sometimes I wonder if there's any limit to the human body. Everything I do, I feel that I can push my body further beyond its limits and it never fails to (gradually) go to that limit. It's a never ending game. I guess the only time it'll stop is when my tailbone indeed touches my shoulder blade! Haha... Sounds scary!
The conditioning classes comprises of series of isolations, spins and stretches... the fundamental techniques that we need to be good, solid versatile dancers. Most forms of dance require certain amounts of the three techniques, and Justin has set up a class to mold the dancers into great dancers with the isolations. Personally, I feel that the class is pretty cool, since you can focus on making your isolations better, practice spins in a group, and open up you body after all that with some stretches... This is especially so if we do it everyday... What a great way to end the day with a solid hour of conditioning... I can feel all the stress go away as I use up all my energy sustaining the moves. You also forget about everything else when you're struggling to push your body beyond its limits. And the stamina training you get from it is incredible! Gosh! It's like doing the cardio shines all over again, this time you get to focus more on the isolations. I bet all our students will be effortlessly doing beautiful isolations in no time! Heehee, I can't wait!
The spins are also important. They are the ones that make our dancers stand out in the crowd. All the older SemiPro people are addicted to spinning... Most of them can do at least 4 rounds, if not 5 - 6. I'm thinking of conducting spin practice sessions everyday 15 minutes before class to give us a chance to practice together... That sounds good! And maybe 15 mintues after classes too! Heehee... I must get my 8 - 10 rounds of spins! *new objective set*
Saturday, January 13
At the end of a chapter, a new one begins...
2006 was certainly a memorable year... In terms of Salsa lingo:
Went to HongKong in Feb for the HK Salsa Fest, performed and competed there... Got the scars to prove it!
Major performances for the SP team at DblO, MOS, The Green @ Kallang in June.
Had a fabulous time in Taiwan for their 1st Salsa Fest... Broke a top and a shoe during performance.
I neva had so much casulties on stage until this one haha... The shoe fiasco was the best... My feet slipped out of the shoe (uh-oh), then the strap (thankfully) decided to break too, all during the coffeegrinder. And I completed the cgrinder, the flips and split flawlessly with one stocking feet and one ladybird shoe. Now this video is shown all over Taiwan on TV... Hmmm, now I got story to tell my future grandchildren.
Then it was the Singapore International Salsa Fest. We got featured over the local Newspapers and on Stomp. That was cool... Met Eddie the Salsa Freak and other great dancers. Loved her classes. She commended us for supporting and sponsoring this fest even though we were going to hold another congress in December - an awesome moment! Oh yeah, we also broke the largest Rueda World Record.
And last but not least was the Singapore Salsa Congress. It was awesome. Stress, but loads of fun!
We were going everywhere to party, even to MOS... It was so jam-pack in there, ppl had no space to dance! And 26 performances in Kallang Theatre by the SP ppl on the 17th... Wow, you can't beat that lah... Teacher Ong has taught me well. I didn't even know we pushed out so many performances - 17 were group performances! Wow, how did we do it? I've got no clue! Haha. I previously counted 15 but apparently I missed out some then! heee
The classes were great fun.... Cynthia was much loved by the students in her class. Everyone loved Joseph's music! Albert fr LA even did an extra class for our students after the congress, and boy were they impressed... I still see them practicing those moves on the dance floor! And whoa the social dance was great! Though I din really get to social much, having to run around like a mother hen finding all my chickens, the ones that I did, I really enjoyed. My first social dance for the week was on Friday, after 5 days of the congress, can you believe it? Most of the social dance I did was on Sat night, and Sunday night, when the major part of it (the performances) were over... Then I still remember, we were all sitting by the podium in Qbar, finally resting because we did it! It was over and it was a Great Success! WhooHoo!! My Gosh, we were so exhuberrant after that.
I can't seem to stop writing about the congress, coz there is just so much of it to say, the words juz pour out. =)
And then after all that, I spent the holiday season learning to play majong and honing my skills... Funny thing was, I watched more then I played! And also accomplished quite a lot of work while they played! Hee hee...
I think this December is the Month of the Sleepover Parties... We stayed over like 3 times during the week of the fest itself... I think we all bonded really well then... Then the Christmas and New Year mj sessions... haha. I think we can migrate there already!
2006 was certainly a memorable year... In terms of Salsa lingo:
Went to HongKong in Feb for the HK Salsa Fest, performed and competed there... Got the scars to prove it!
Major performances for the SP team at DblO, MOS, The Green @ Kallang in June.
Had a fabulous time in Taiwan for their 1st Salsa Fest... Broke a top and a shoe during performance.
I neva had so much casulties on stage until this one haha... The shoe fiasco was the best... My feet slipped out of the shoe (uh-oh), then the strap (thankfully) decided to break too, all during the coffeegrinder. And I completed the cgrinder, the flips and split flawlessly with one stocking feet and one ladybird shoe. Now this video is shown all over Taiwan on TV... Hmmm, now I got story to tell my future grandchildren.
Then it was the Singapore International Salsa Fest. We got featured over the local Newspapers and on Stomp. That was cool... Met Eddie the Salsa Freak and other great dancers. Loved her classes. She commended us for supporting and sponsoring this fest even though we were going to hold another congress in December - an awesome moment! Oh yeah, we also broke the largest Rueda World Record.
And last but not least was the Singapore Salsa Congress. It was awesome. Stress, but loads of fun!
We were going everywhere to party, even to MOS... It was so jam-pack in there, ppl had no space to dance! And 26 performances in Kallang Theatre by the SP ppl on the 17th... Wow, you can't beat that lah... Teacher Ong has taught me well. I didn't even know we pushed out so many performances - 17 were group performances! Wow, how did we do it? I've got no clue! Haha. I previously counted 15 but apparently I missed out some then! heee
The classes were great fun.... Cynthia was much loved by the students in her class. Everyone loved Joseph's music! Albert fr LA even did an extra class for our students after the congress, and boy were they impressed... I still see them practicing those moves on the dance floor! And whoa the social dance was great! Though I din really get to social much, having to run around like a mother hen finding all my chickens, the ones that I did, I really enjoyed. My first social dance for the week was on Friday, after 5 days of the congress, can you believe it? Most of the social dance I did was on Sat night, and Sunday night, when the major part of it (the performances) were over... Then I still remember, we were all sitting by the podium in Qbar, finally resting because we did it! It was over and it was a Great Success! WhooHoo!! My Gosh, we were so exhuberrant after that.
I can't seem to stop writing about the congress, coz there is just so much of it to say, the words juz pour out. =)
And then after all that, I spent the holiday season learning to play majong and honing my skills... Funny thing was, I watched more then I played! And also accomplished quite a lot of work while they played! Hee hee...
I think this December is the Month of the Sleepover Parties... We stayed over like 3 times during the week of the fest itself... I think we all bonded really well then... Then the Christmas and New Year mj sessions... haha. I think we can migrate there already!
Friday, January 5
Recently, someone said... Never look down on an elder; don't underestimate the wealth and depth of experience in their lives. If I have only lived for 22 years and have done so much already, I can't imagine what it's like to be 60 or 80 and have all the experiences and knowledge I have. I've always been a sucker for stories, whether they are fictional or true... And our elders sure have lots to tell, and we have lots to learn from. It's a pity my Hokkien is so poor. I miss out all the good stuff from my grandparents.
I remember when I studied the Joy Luck Club in Sec 4, the book was basically a collection of stories told by 7 people about their lives.... I asked my parents about my grandparents' lives, and was indeed rewarded with a rich collection of memoirs. It's pretty amazing how much like a fairytale our lives can be.
The Lady with the Chopper
My great-grandmother was a very strong (cool) woman. When my grandfather was born, they went back to China to visit their relatives. The relatives wanted to keep my grandfather (the first-born son) with them to ensure that my great-grandparents kept strong ties with the family. You know what my great-grandma did? She went to the table of elders holding a chopper and threatened, "If you don't return me my son..." and Wham! The chopper slammed down on the table. And they took my grandpa and ran off to the boats.
Now I always tell ppl I have a very cool great-grandma. She's the reason why our ties with China on my grandpa's side is weak and why we all don't speak Hakka... Heehee... She also single-handedly brought up her children, but that's another story altogether.
I remember when I studied the Joy Luck Club in Sec 4, the book was basically a collection of stories told by 7 people about their lives.... I asked my parents about my grandparents' lives, and was indeed rewarded with a rich collection of memoirs. It's pretty amazing how much like a fairytale our lives can be.
The Lady with the Chopper
My great-grandmother was a very strong (cool) woman. When my grandfather was born, they went back to China to visit their relatives. The relatives wanted to keep my grandfather (the first-born son) with them to ensure that my great-grandparents kept strong ties with the family. You know what my great-grandma did? She went to the table of elders holding a chopper and threatened, "If you don't return me my son..." and Wham! The chopper slammed down on the table. And they took my grandpa and ran off to the boats.
Now I always tell ppl I have a very cool great-grandma. She's the reason why our ties with China on my grandpa's side is weak and why we all don't speak Hakka... Heehee... She also single-handedly brought up her children, but that's another story altogether.
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