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Where can you get a glimpse of several dance genres on one stage, in the same night?
The answer is Momentum.
This year’s Momentum performance features 14 dance groups from various institutions, ranging from Republic Polytechnic (RP) to other education institutes in Singapore. Each school will be bringing with them different dance genres; each special in its own way.
Of the 14 performing groups, five are RP’s very own. Let us take a peek at
two of the RP dance groups that will be performing in Momentum 2010.
“Breaking” with a difference
You can always see them around after school, at the lobbies of the classroom blocks, dressed in baggy clothes and constantly moving their bodies to the funky and upbeat music blasting from their music players.
They are the dancers from RP’s Hip Hop Interest Group (IG).
Long after most students have returned home to rest and relax after a stressful day in school, the dancers from the Hip Hop IG would still be hanging around in school - practicing hard to perfect their dance moves.
“Usually we will meet up twice a week, from 5pm to 9pm.” says Grace Tan, current President of the Hip Hop IG, when asked about the dancer’s practice schedule.
However, when performances like Momentum are around the corner, the Hip Hop IG
will make major changes to their usual practice schedule. This usually implies more sessions and longer hours. “For Momentum we extended our practice time. Usually, it starts at 5pm and it will end at 10pm or 11pm. And we will try to practice five times per week, which means
practising every day.” explains Grace.
So what motivates the dancers to hang in there despite the long and tedious practice sessions?
“Passion,” answers Mustaffa Kamal, a break dancer from the Hip Hop IG. “if you don’t have the passion, you can’t do anything because passion gives you the determination to improve and to succeed. Then you will continue to dance, no matter how far it takes and how long it takes.”
Ambition is another form of motivation for the dancers. “I think for our IG, what really motivates them is the opportunity to perform for Momentum. Because it’s a very, very good opportunity to perform on a stage like this.” says Grace.
Sufian, an alumnus of RP and the Hip Hop IG, agrees that the opportunity brought about by Momentum is also a major push factor. “It’s not exactly easy to get into big events like Momentum and to perform at such places.”
The combination of passionate and ambitious dancers creates a dance group that is distinctly different from other groups. Larry Liu, the choreographer of the Hip Hop IG, commented, “They actually get down to problem solving, trying to figure out why things are done in a certain way. It’s very different from other schools and groups I have encountered. Other schools will sit back, listen, take what they have and understand quietly.”
Their broadmindedness and adventurous attitude have also helped them venture into new styles of dance.
So what can we expect from this innovative and ever-revamping dance group in this year’s Momentum?
“Fresh music, fresh dance steps, fresh choreography. Everything is fresh.” replies Mustaffa Kamal with a grin.
“This year’s piece is definitely out of the box. We will be going back to the 80’s.” adds Grace, with a hint of suspense. “The music is funkier too!”
Expect to see fabulous dance groups such as the Hip Hop IG, coming together for two nights of fascinating and inspirational performances!
Dance away with passion
To be modern is to be able to keep up to the trends of present times. To do so, RP’s Modern Dance Group challenges itself with different genres of dances every year instead of sticking to one.
It is a tough challenge for dancers when they need to be versatile as the genres vary from cultural dance to social dance – Salsa or even Jazz and Ballet. Mastering one type of dance in itself is an uphill battle for most people; not to mention having to include a mixture of different genres in a single dance. However, the girls from RP’s Modern Dance Group do not mouth a word of unhappiness.
“Dancing is like a roller coaster ride. You will feel the excitement when dancing, you will feel the passion to keep performing and you will feel a great sense of achievement; especially at the end of the performance when people start cheering and clapping for you” shares Chua Si Hui Karen, a member of Modern Dance Group.
It is not only their strong love for dance that kept them going but also their love for each other. “We are a family, not a dance group” says Ang Yan Ling, President of Modern Dance Group. Working with a group of people who share the same passion and love on dance is what motivates them to work even harder, together.
Their close-knit relationship with one another also supports them emotionally. “Sometimes after practice, we’ll ask each other how the things are going, how they feel and how to improve. When we are tired we encourage each other.” shares Yan Ling.
RP’s Modern Dance Group will be taking up another challenge for this year’s Momentum. Themed “Bold and Beyond”, Modern Dance Group’s choreographer Mr Zaini Tahir, who is also the Artistic Director for Momentum 2009 and 2010, designed a Bollywood dance that is more challenging than last year’s performance. He said, “The girls came in with zero background but they have a lot of enthusiasm and passion.” This was one of the many reasons that made the choreographer want to push them to greater heights this year!
To see them bold and go beyond their limits on May 26th and 27th, grab your tickets for Momentum 2010 now!
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