Imagine it’s the year 2009. It’s a Saturday afternoon and you hop on a public bus headed towards the nearest mall. Chances are you will picture at least one tiny girl clad in baby pink leotard with her hair neatly contained in a bun fastened with a furry scrunchy, sitting with her chubby legs dangling from the edge of the seat.
Back then, think ‘dance’ and most likely only the Singapore Dance Theatre (SDT) and Crestar School of Dance will come to mind. For the longest time, Ballet has dominated the Singapore dance scene and thrived thanks to the Tiger Moms who insist their daughters take up Ballet among other classes such as Piano lessons, Abacus classes, Art classes… (I was one of them).
However, think ‘dance’ now and a slew of studios that do not just specialise in crafting poised ballerinas come to mind — O School, Lindy Hop SG, Danz people… the list is inexhaustible.
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As a dancer myself, I can certainly attest that it has been a wonderful decade for the Singapore dance scene as I watched, while growing up and trying out new genres, the number of studios in Singapore boom and the amazing amount of talent that has developed over the years. I’ve seen my secondary school friend (who couldn’t even handle our annual ACES day steps, mind you) transform into a competitive break-dancer and another who was known to have two left feet become a regular at renowned dance studios in Singapore.
Long-standing competitions such as Super 24 and Singapore Dance Delight are now accompanied by competitions within schools such as NTU’s Hall Olympiad Closing Ceremony (dance competition amongst the Residential Halls in NTU), school recitals, which are common in many Junior Colleges and Polytechnics, and dance battles for every genre of dance out there.
These individual organisations are not alone in this challenge to advocate the dance movement. The National Arts Council has got their back and has, in fact, been pumping in millions to fund the annual Got To Move event (started in 2015) to spread the message that dance is for everyone.
You’d be surprised at how dance is being used to express and entertain in Singapore today. From traditional ballet concerts such as Ballet Under The Stars to the latest “We The Singaporeans” by TRDOco (The Royal Dance Off company) that explores the unique dynamics of Singaporean culture, there are a myriad of ways to immerse yourself in the Singapore dance scene.
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You no longer have to rely on Korea’s 1Million Studio dance tutorials or stare in awe at Kyle Hanagami’s mad choreography on YouTube. You no longer have to bash on the replay button with your sweaty fingers as you stand in front of your laptop trying to learn the latest Kpop dance choreography on your own. There are plenty of studios that can cater to whatever genre you are interested in from Kpop to Jazz to Waacking.
And if you’re interested in making a name for yourself as a dancer, there are endless battles and competitions you can join (such as the recent Waack it Out battle and the ARENA competition) to hone your skills and confidence and give you a platform to rise to the top alongside other dancers whose passion will only continue to keep yours burning.
The Singapore dance scene is pirouetting, krumping, lindy-hopping its way to the top. It is far from dead.
By Rachel Lim
