Today’s Star article (31 July 2008) July 31, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: article, black, deja vu, final, finale, malaysia, season 2, so you think you can dance, sytycd, the star
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I was flipping through today’s Star newspaper and saw an article abt the 4 finalists of SYTYCD2 (malaysia). And then I saw something familiar… like something I had said in my previous post…
You can check it out HERE.
Here’s the part that gave me a sense of déjà vu.
Black had apparently grabbed the attention of viewers in the early stages when he did some high-jump kicking in midair. He’s known to do some half-turns and back kicks and is the one to watch in the finals.
Here’s my post:
Black: He caught my attention in the early stages when he actually jumped high up kicking one of his foot straight forward and then in midair – he did a half turn and the forward foot became a back kick! All these done in mid air in a split second. Watch here (minute 8:25). In the solo performances today, he’s obviously the one to watch, emulating Michael Jackson’s moves. The moonwalks etc are just so smooth!
Haha…. what do you think?! 
So You Think You Can Dance (Malaysia) Season 2 – Top 6 show July 25, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: dance, finale, grand, malaysia, season 2, so you think you can dance, sytycd
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For the past months, I’ve been rushing home after my dance class to catch So You Think You Can Dance Malaysia (Season 2) which starts at 9.30pm every Thursday.
I just finished watching SYTYCD2 (Malaysia) on TV and boy, what a great show it was! As I expected, the top 4 for the Grand Finale next week are Black, Hong, CC and Sim. Although Sly and Jojo are great dancers too, but this is a competition and a couple must be eliminated weekly.
I can’t wait to watch who will win in the Grand Finale next week. Last year I missed the LIVE show of the Grand Finale as I was travelling. And looks like, I’m gonna missed next week’s Grand Finale too! 
What a coincidence as I’ll be travelling again this time too! For those who don’t know the new date/time of next week’s Grand Finale, it will be on Friday, 8.30pm Malaysian Time at the Ruums, KL or catch it Live on 8TV. On the usual slot on Thursday, there will be a segment to get-to-know the Top4 contestants deeper.
Looks like I’ll only be able to catch the Grand Finale on the internet after I return from my trip! As like last year, haha, my friends will keep my up to date who wins SYTYCD via SMS! 
Who do you think will win SYTYCD2 this year? All top 4 are equally good in their own way.
Black: He caught my attention in the early stages when he actually jumped high up kicking one of his foot straight forward and then in midair – he did a half turn and the forward foot became a back kick! All these done in mid air in a split second. Watch here (minute 8:25). In the solo performances today, he’s obviously the one to watch, emulating Michael Jackson’s moves. The moonwalks etc are just so smooth!
Hong: Oh, this lyrical boyish dancer not only can dance, but act as well! I still remember the nerdy look when he dance to Greased Lightning few weeks back. Gosh, this guy has real potential…
CC: Besides doing Latin dancing, I heard she also does line dancing too. So, I’m naturally biased for her and hoping that she will win! Haha… Anyhow, I think she’s one girl worth watching for as I feel, she got the moves and style.
Sim: Obviously one of the best female dancers, she’s the one and only contestant in the Top4 who has never been voted by the judges to the bottom 4s or 6s. A great contender.
Line Dancing in BM July 13, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: Bukit, carnival, CBM, dance, Jean, line, Mertajam, penang, PISA, SY, yeoh
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Janice and I are back in BM for the weekend. We took this opportunity to meet up with our ex-math-teacher, Jean Yeoh, who is actively teaching and promoting line dance in Penang and China.
We went to SY One Stop Fitness Centre in BM where Jean teaches line dancing. As she was teaching when we arrived, we gate-crashed into her class 
It was an ultra beginner class and Jean was teaching the dances for the coming PISA line dance Carnival (23 Nov 2008). The dances taught were “Cucu – Winnie Yu”, “Cha Cha Queen – BM Leong” and “Oh Suzannah – Bill Larson & Chris Watson”. As Janice and I haven’t learn these dances, we were glad to have gate-crashed!
After class, we chatted and caught up on old times. Jean still look the way she was when she was in her forties (when she taught me Add Math in school). She said some of my ex-teachers from CBM like Mrs Yeoh BW and Miss Ooi CH is also dancing with her. Hearing that, I realised how much I missed them! I also reminded Jean that I read her a poem during her Retirement Gathering. Janice and I also told her how “the only school that has dancing period in the timetable” made us got to know each other in gym, and we have Jean to thank for that. She was the one who taught us folk dancing in school, besides promoting rhythmic gymnastics in my school.
I was so excited to meet Jean again, I forgot to take photos with her!
Next time I come back to BM, I know where to go for dancing
Arabian Eyes – Sue-Yuan July 11, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: arabian, dance, eyes, line
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Sue-Yuan of Alabama has put up a video of Arabian Eyes on youtube. What a pleasant surprise!
Do check it out.
Thanks, Sue-Yuan!
Line Dance: Improve your memory power July 9, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: brain, dance, game, improve, line, memory, power
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It’s common knowledge among line dancers that Line Dancing helps to train our memory power as we need to memorise our basic steps sequence and keep repeating them. The challenge is that you got to memorise the same sequence of steps no matter what wall you’re facing and that proove to be very challenging for new line dancers. You may be able to remember all the dance sequence for the first wall… but the 2nd? the 3rd? the 4th? Don’t worry, as intermediate and advanced dancers sometimes faced the same problem too when they learn a new dance or dance at a new venue. It’s all about wall orientation and sense of direction… But I’m talking abt line dancing increasing your memory power, is this true or not?
I would say it’s very true, or at least, line dancing trains your brain to stay active, not only memorising the steps but coordinating your psychomotor (physical) limbs to the music. It would at least maintain your cognitive level at the point rather than go downhill all the way. 
Many retirees find that their brain just suddenly decline when they stop working, as if the brain knew it is retiring as well. Little did they realise it’s because, when you stopped using your brain, it will stop working too. It’s just like well, try to leave a car for a month without using it, then try to give the engine a start…
Perhaps that’s why line dancing is very popular among the middle age groups, because they realised that their cognitive power is on the downhill and what other activity is fun, exercises your body and your mind? Not only that, many women I spoke to found so much joy in line dancing for the friendships they make and something they look forward to every week (some day!!)!
Amy Christian sent me a nice game today. I think it’s a memory game and at the end of the game, based on your scores, the programme calculates the age of your brain. It’s interesting! Try comparing the age calculated to your real age and see if you need some serious line dance classes! 
Try it. I’ve got an impressive 22 yr old brain on first trial ~ which is way below my real age… haha… What a great way to start my day 
Click on http://flashfabrica.com/f_learning/brain/brain.html
Procedure of Flash Fabrica Game:
1. click ’start’.
2. Wait for the 3, 2, 1 count down and GET YOUR MIND (and mouse) READY
3. Memorize the number’s position on the screen, then click each circle from the smallest number to the biggest number.
4. At the end of game, computer will tell you how old your brain is.
Good Luck!
Hare Ram: Classical Indian? Bollywood? Funky? July 8, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: bhool bhulaiyaa, bollywood, classical, dance, funky, hare ram, indian, line
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The dance Hare Ram has indeed attracted many line dancers all around the world. There are currently more than 15 videos of Hare Ram line dance on youtube. I’m sure this is just a tip of the ice berg as there are many others which I know that love this dance but hadn’t recorded it nor put it on the www. And although the videos are all depicting Asian dancers, I’ve gotten feedback emails from Americans and Europeans alike. So, Asians aren’t the only ones who were dancing it
The song Bhool Bhulaiyaa is the title song for the movie of the same name. The fun, catchy and groovy tune of Bhool Bhulaiyaa has captured the interests of many line dancers. Based on its Indian origin, many creative and innovative line dancers are seen adding the Indian factor into the dance. You can see it in the hand movements, head movements etc, when ppl dance it in parties and in the videos. It’s fun to incorporate those steps and feel like you’re in a Bollywood movie, dancing amongst the trees… especially when you dance it complete with Indian costumes and accessories!
And I’m really not complaining! I’m glad enough that my dance was taught and danced widely. But here’s my 2 cents worth as I’ve been getting a lot of queries asking for my opinion on the “indian factor”.
Putting the Indian factor into Hare Ram is NOT wrong, although I had choreographed the dance WITHOUT any “Classical Indian” factor. The only Indian factors there are in Hare Ram was the language (Hindi) and that it originates from India, sung by an Indian (Neeraj Shridhar) and the title song for a Bollywood movie (Bhool Bhulaiyaa). The beats are funky, thus I’ve choreographed it the funky Bollywood style. The beats are also strong, so the dance needs to be executed with strong energy and attitude. It will not look nice, if the movements are not strong enough for the beats.
All in all, this is simply just line dancing, where ppl dance to destress and have fun and socialise. By all means, be creative and add any movements you deem appropriate but MOST OF ALL, REMEMBER TO HAVE LOTS OF FUN!
Hare Ram… Hare Ram… Hare Krishna Hare Ram… (shimmy shimmy)…
Amazing dance moves – Popping and Locking July 4, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: dance, locking, muraine, popping, robert, sytycd
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I just watched the video of Robert Muraine dance routine from the Audition of SYTYCD4 if USA.
Check it out:
http://www.break.com/index/i-think-he-can-dance.html
I wonder if popping and locking will arrive on the shores of line dancing too? That would have been interesting!
(p.s. The video on youtube has been removed)
Evolution of Line Dancing July 2, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: ballroom, country, dance, dancing, evolution, hip hop, latin, line, pop, western
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Evolution, a much controversial term, though, we can’t deny it’s happening all around us, our passion of line dancing inclusive.
3 yrs ago, when I started line dancing, we were doing a lot of dances to the tunes of country & western, and a few others of cha cha music. Line dancing was termed as an “Aunty dance” (and still is by certain ignorant groups) but line dancing has gone a long way and very much evolved into what we have today. Let’s see what are the prominent changes there are:
|
Then |
Now |
|
Dance to mainly Country & Western music, after all, it’s where Line Dancing originates from… |
More Latin/Ballroom, pop and hip hop music are favourable nowadays |
|
Most dances consist of simply just grapevines, weaves, shuffles, coasters… |
More and more new (often challenging) steps are introduced into line dancing: Dorothy steps, mashed potatoes, body rolls, plie, arabesque … |
|
No (or minimal) arm movements, just a lot of footwork and some hipwork. All movement done are just below the waist. |
Arm movements, head movements (ie. Gyrate, Go Greased Lightning, Hare Ram). Dancing is moving every part of your body to the beat! |
|
No props, but some can be done the contra way and some with partners |
Props are sometimes included! Like caps! (Here We Go – Guyton Mundy) |
|
All steps executed while standing |
Steps can be executed while sitting or kneeling on the floor, I won’t be surprised if headspins will be included in the near future… gulp! |
|
Simple and fun |
Complicated but challenging and fun! |
And nowadays, the younger generation are enjoying line dancing as much as the “Aunties” were, as many of the music of their generation were choreographed into amazing dances. I was from the 80’s & 90’s, and songs like Ice Ice Baby, which we used to dance during every party then, has a line dance (Ice – Shaz Walton). Imagine how excited we are! And nowadays, with latest groovy, top of the billboard songs choreographed into line dances, such as Low (Those Applebottom Jeans – Joey Warren) kept the youngsters and “Aunties” & “Uncles” alike, dance like never before, executing those “impossible” hip hop steps. It sure made a lot of us feel younger again!
Was it like the “Chicken or Egg comes first?” case? Were the new hip songs the ones that attracted the younger generation? Or was it the younger generation that introduce the hip songs into line dancing?
I thought, maybe, a small group of younger generation started line dancing to hip songs which in turn attracted more line dancers of the younger generation.
Although we flow along the current of evolution, enjoying those new groovy and challenging hip hop line dances, we should never forget the genesis of line dancing – and I still do, very much enjoy the country and western dances, although I’ve been doing those less often nowadays…
DILEMMA in Line Dancing?! July 17, 2008
Posted by Jennifer in General.Tags: allstars, comment, dance, dilemma, extravaganza, feedback, jb, jubilation, line, ttdi
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Both LD events are on the same weekend.
JB: Jubilation 2008. Line dance celebrities will be there – Scott Blevins, Jo and John Kinser… 2 days of line dance workshop and party party party… But then again, it’s 4 hours drive from KL and it’s gonna be real tiring… It would of course cost more, plus accomodation, transport and food… not to mention the entrance fee!
TTDI: Allstart LD Extravaganza. A 7 hr party organised by the 5 starletts of Line Dance Gurus here in KL. I’ve been foretold abt this event since April and to keep this date free. The dance list is good. And Emily has reminded me again to pls come! It is of course cheaper …
I still can’t make up my mind! Argghhh…
What would you have done if you were in my dansneakers? Feedback via the comment link. Thx!