HEY YOU!

Ridin' solo?

Don't miss out on a chance of priceless experience!

For those who have already done so,

"lip lai!" (it just means "come in"... current temp job requires me to speak lots of hokkien):

This is our ice-breaking event!

Big props to my brother Rafiq for writing this!

I have already signed up. All stoked to meet 99 new friends. Teehee!

Ready to groove together, buddy?

*pictures from Chingay 2010

Chingay 2011 is divided into various segments i.e. grand opening, grand finale, etc.

SIM is participating in the travelling dance segment called "Move!Community: We Are One!". It is a segment "to bring people together and foster friendships" and aims to be "the platform for talents to showcase their creativity."  (Passion Chingay Club)

One thing you need to know about this segment is that it's a competition. In my opinion that's a good and bad thing.. Definitely more good than bad though.

One of the many good things being this:

Champion :  $15,000 + Title Honour Certificate

1st Runner-up :  $5,000 + Title Honour Certificate

2nd Runner-up :  $2,500 + Title Honour Certificate

3 Other Winners :  $1,500 each + Title Honour Certificate

"The above plus six other top contingents selected (total 12) will be conferred the title honour as Member of the Premier League, Singapore Travelling Dance Contingents 2011. A title honour certificate will be conferred by the People's Association to them. *The Chief Trainer of each Member of the Premier League will receive a token cash award of $1,000 each. "

 What is the dance competition format? 

All dance groups are encouraged to unleash their creativity in their own choreography.

However, in the first segment of the dance, each and every dance group will have to incorporate a set of standard choreographed dance steps taught by a PA appointed instructor. This standard 1.5 minute dance steps of moving forward choreographed by the PA cannot be altered. (Passion Chingay Club) (emphasis mine)

Woo, my current favourite word (creativity) is in it.

 For the 2nd half portion of the music, contingents are free to perform our own choreography. Our performance will be judged and winners will be chosen by a professional panel.

Roving Performance:
 1.5 min of standard forward movements (steps taught via workshops by PA)
 followed by
 1.5 min of own static choreography (by Group) on the spot

The music/dance set lasts 3 minutes and will be looped till the contingent comes to the end of the parade. Total duration is approximately 18 minutes for the full length of the F1 route.

*this means dancers have to do the same routines six times for different parts of the audience.

How are we assessed?   

•  Creative presentation
• Creativity of the costumes (extra points for uniqueness)
• Creative use of props
• Level of synchronisation and energy
• Successful presentation of the group branding and identity
• Special X factor

Commitment required

-Weekly dance practices *more about this in the next entry (because it's late and I'm working tomorrow, I can't possibly harp on every single detail. Okay I can, but I can't expect you to read it.)

In addition:

• 7 pm, Sat, 8 Jan 2011, Combined Rehearsal
• 7pm, Sat, 15 Jan 2011, Combined Full Run for Local Groups
• 7pm, Sat, 22 Jan 2011, Full Dress Rehearsal for Local Groups      
  (two rounds)
• 7pm, Thur, 10 Feb 2011, Chingay Preview
• 8.30am- 3.30pm, Sat, 11 September 2010.
  Amazing Race bonding event at Marine Bay for all SIM dancers.
• 11.45am- 1.15pm, Wed, 15 September 2010
  Briefing on overview of Chingay at SIM HQ LT2.08

• 11 am, Sat, 18 September 2010 ,
   Briefing cum workshop for Moves!Community, We are One! @ PA
• 7pm, Fri, 7 January 2011
   Briefing for leaders and Choreographers of Local Groups @ Pit Building
• 10.00 am, Sat, 12 February 2011,
   Debrief and Screening of Video of Parade 1 for Local Group Leaders & Choreographers @ PA
  

Note: You don't need to have any dance background to join SIM's Chingay Contingent. But this is only open to SIM GE students.

More later...

***Update: INTERESTED STUDENTS CAN NOW REGISTER ONLINE!

click!-> INTERESTED STUDENTS CAN NOW REGISTER ONLINE! <-click!

http://bit.ly/register_chingay2011

I was at the Student Portal to see if the SIM-UOL results are released when I chanced upon this very intersting notice.

SIM is kicking off 2011 with a big bang.

For the very first time in our 46-year history, SIM has been invited to join Chingay.

We will be fielding a dance contingent, led by SIM's hiphop club, Dreamwerkz. We are entering the "Moves Community, We Are One" segment, the first travelling dance competition held within Chingay.

We need 100 dancers to step forward from the student community.

Other than time and effort spent on practices and rehearsals, there is no additional cost to you. Costumes, training, food and transportation for the performances will be borne by SIM.

You get the experience of a lifetime, and a indelible memory imprinted in the history of SIM.

To join us, visit our booth at Koi Pond during lunch time from 30 Aug - 3 Sep, or click this poster for more details.

Early Bird Reward:

Join us for a Amazing Race team bonding event held on Sat 11 Sep at Marina Bay/Singapore River. A $10 refundable deposit applies.  

Check back for more details! *types away like a madwoman.

Meanwhile visit:

SIM DreamWerkz

One indisputable room for improvement that Singapore has is our local arts scene. Art is awesome. In my opinion, it’s more than just self expression. Love is the real reason why art exists.
Someone once said to me that art is in fact a metaphor of creation and I can’t agree more. It takes the heart, mind and soul for one to be truly creative. We take pride in finishing our masterpiece. Even when in the process, people who don’t understand come along and dismiss our work as rubbish, we persevere until the final product takes form. How do you explain this strength? It is the same reason that accounts for why we sometimes call our projects our “babies”, and how my friends and family find it in their hearts to unconditionally love me despite the wretch I am. It is also what makes our artwork worth our painstaking effort.

Hence, we really shouldn’t allow stringent laws, high living standards, demanding career commitments, competitive academic environments, or whatever and anything for that matter, stifle creativity.

Being creative gives me joy and a sense of purpose. It may not always be easy but I sincerely think it’s one of the best things in life. If we could all embrace this challenge, it would definitely encourage a more vibrant culture and even take the local arts scene to a new height!

So anyways, let me just introduce a big arts movement that has been taking place annually in Singapore for MANY years now!

It’s called “Chingay Parade”! If you’ve never heard of Chingay…

It’s alright, because I’ll be blogging about it so much from this point that you get sick of it, ;)

So the history of the Chingay Parade could be found on Wikipedia: 

On 4 February 1973, the first Chingay parade was held in Singapore, partly as a result of the ban on firecrackers a year earlier in 1972 as a result of fire hazards. This ban was viewed unfavourably despite the safety issues involved. Some people felt that the ban would result in a much dampened festival mood for the Chinese New Year period. To address this issue, the People's Association and the Singapore National Pugilistic Association jointly organised a street parade from Jalan Besar to Outram Park featuring the signature floats, acrobatic acts, lion and dragon dances, stilt walkers, and the like, to bring back some cheer to the general public.

Personally, I find this story to be quite moving! Of course, the cynic in me would argue that it’s just a coincidence that the firecracker ban and the Chingay initiative took place in the same year. But assuming that this story is true, the ban on firecrackers can definitely be said to be a blessing disguise. Firecrackers are just… firecrackers (duh). While admittedly they’d become rather significant because people had attached meanings to them, they’re really more symbolic than meaningful.

In contrast, Chingay is… Chingay! (=.=) It’s a MOVEMENT that is meaningful AND CREATIVE.  The experience is way more substantial… and to be involved as a participant in the parade, rather than as part of the audience, must be very enriching!

Kay, I shall end this entry abruptly with pictures from Chingay 2010!

Edit: I actually didn’t want to announce this so early, but I re-read this entry and realised how random it is! So, listen up- SIM IS PARTICIPATING in CHINGAY 2011!
Yours truly= official blogger
Check back for more details on how you can be involved! Okay? Good.

This event has been blogged about and blogged about again for like, 2489012489 times already, but that doesn’t deter me from blogging about it again! *jumps on the bandwagon.

A couple of weeks ago (I know this is outdated), I got to join the roving team in promoting SIM Casting Call 2011. How time flies! I remember it was around this same time one year ago that I first became a blogger for SIM.

At one point, we got the lecture times mixed up and crashed the wrong LT! Uh-oh! No one needs to know, but see, there's no secret between you and me already.

Isn't this cute? Go ahead and have fun with it in the school bathrooms/ tea rooms/ restrooms/ toilets/ whatever! Submit your pictures to "I M Adventurous (self-shot photos)"

The sequel will be an entry on the SIM Casting Call 2011 ON-GROUND EVENT on 1 & 2 September 2010.

-11.30am - 2pm and
-5.30pm - 7pm

I've volunteered to help out again! Do drop by and get your pictures taken. We'll have professional photographers to do that. It'll be fun! =)

SIM GE will choose more faces from the photos taken during this on-ground event. So please come on down! SIM HQ Atrium.

MEANWHILE...

REGISTER yourself or NOMINATE your friend HERE.

Vote for your friends at the SIM Casting Call 2011 FB page!

Other SIM Casting Call 2011 related post!

An energetic announcement on the attractive prizes SIM Casting Call is giving out by Fateha.

The ultimate publicity experience of David!

Janice shares her Casting Call experience, both the current one and the one two years back!

Fateha registered for SIM Casting Call 2011

Dramatic introduction/ teaser thingy by Raphik. (Rafiq la)