By Chew Cheng Yu (16S06L)
Photos by Nicholas Chang (16S03K) and Nadya Ang (15S03I)
The one thing that rouses Raffles Jazz like no other is a soulful song. Performers were peppy indeed as they played their opening song – charmingly titled Soul with a capital S.
The Jazz band in the swing of their performance.
Such was the high note that Coffee Blues, Jazz’s annual concert, had started on. They had outdone themselves this year, as tickets had sold out the day before the actual day of the concert on 8 May. Our quirky emcees, Carmen Leong (16S03S) and Melody Kang (15S03C), briefly introduced the history of jazz to the audience: It had originated in African-American communities over a hundred years ago, and is, today, a part of many musical genres that were heavily influenced by the creations of African slaves in America back then. To quote Melody, Jazz is a genre that is unique for its focus on “improvisation and band interaction”, splendidly shown by the various pieces as members shifted the focus onto different instruments now and then.
Melody (left) and Carmen (right) giving an introduction about jazz
In a creative fashion, Jazz’s concert was split into two different segments – the concert segment, and the acting segment. “It’s a Jazz tradition,” said Erica Ngiam (15S03E), chairperson of Raffles Jazz. “Having two different segments [always] helps bond the J1s, who all have to act. History shows that it appeals to the audience, so it’s why we continued it [this year].”
Thus commenced the concert segment, where a rich variety of songs embodying a diverse spectrum of emotions were performed. A slow, steady jazz remix of Someday My Prince will Come from Snow White set the mood for their following slower pieces such as Black Orpheus and then Misty, a jazz-ballad. Of course, there were more upbeat songs in the mix, such as an instrumental piece titled Freddie Freeloader, an acapella arrangement of Mr. Sandman, a vocal piece On Green Dolphin Street, another instrumental piece Five Spot After Dark, and Shining Star, which was as hyped and energetic as their first song. Among their songs was an interesting tidbit – their very own jazz-ified instrumental rendition of We Are, an opening theme song of popular Japanese anime One Piece.
During the break, a fan from the audience commented that “the songs were well done, and the renditions were pretty impressive for a school jazz band,” citing Freddie Freeloader in particular. After the intermission, we were promptly seated for their acting segment, with several gavel bangs and a resounding “Order in the court!” as a teaser for what was to come.
The acting segment was a romantic comedy short featuring Draco Malfoy being sentenced to community service, namely working at a cafe, as part of his punishment for war crimes. As we were brought on a humour filled journey, featuring Draco and his egoistic antics, different jazz songs were performed in relation to the stage of the story – such as Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely when meeting his serious boss, and Jimmy McHugh’s On the Sunny Side of the Street upon reuniting with Victoria despite losing their memories of each other. John Chew Geronimo Jr. (16A01E), who played Draco, maintained that “the acting went fine, and the play served its purpose [of entertaining the audience well]”.
Draco, reluctant to deign himself to being in the presence of Muggles, played by John Chew.
As the play drew to an end, and curtain calls made, there were cheers and yells from the audience for an encore, to which the J2 performers responded with Bobby Hebb’s Sunny; the encore was complete with flashing lights and all the performers lining up below the stage to take another bow. After that dramatic conclusion of the night, the audience left feeling slightly more spirited, and lighter on their feet.
As for our final verdict, Jazz had deserved every moment of glory in their sold-out concert, and all the more so after we found out from Erica that the band had “only had one month for practicing all their songs and acting after the J2s’ first Common Tests”. Owing to this, the band indeed had much reason to be proud of themselves, especially the J1s who had gone all out for their acting in the comedic segment. The concert was overall a success, showcasing skilful acts by talented performers which had, by the end, inspired a sense of nostalgia within those present, for the ‘blue’ days of soulful and chipper music from a more distant, long-forgotten era.
A sombre tune floods the theatre and there is a sense of foreboding in the air. For a while, there is no movement on stage. Then, four dancers stepped out from the shadows of the curtains. The spotlight falls on the boards in their hands, and the audience catches sight of the images printed on the placards that depict heartbreaking images of starving children. There is one showing a child’s palms turned up, a meagre handful of rice in her hands. Another shows emaciated children queuing for food with hungry expressions on their faces. The last is the famous Pulitzer-prize winner depicting a starving child stalked by a vulture. As the dance progresses, with each turn of their heads, each graceful hand gesture, each leap across the stage, the dancers paint a gloomy picture of the scenes of hunger in modern-day India– one of famished beggars out on the streets and passers-by who have grown desensitized.
When the last note of the first song echoes throughout the theatre, the movement of the dancers on stage comes to a halt, their bodies bent, arms spread, faces frozen into expressions of pain and unspoken anguish. Then without warning, all 14 dancers turn and begin stamping their feet to a steady beat. Anger, the main emotion the dancers wish to express through the second half of their dance, forms the connection between every sharp turn, every powerful thrust of the hand. The dance speeds up, each underlying shift in the music forcing their bodies to undergo a thousand changes: their legs cross, their heads dips, their fingers morph to from a classical hasta into the shape of a flower, all in a complicated synchrony. Maintaining their lines of formation, the dancers use traditional Bharathanatyam footwork to maneuver their way across the stage, striking their final poses with their hands stretched out and bodies reaching forward. They smile benevolently, their serene expressions a sharp contrast with the angry frowns they had worn just moments ago. The narrator delivers a single question for the audience to ponder over. “Can we do more?” it asks.
The music fades, but the energy of the dance still reverberates about the room. RI Indian Dance exits the stage amidst overwhelming applause.
Titled “Pasi“, or “Hunger”, the dance depicted the desperation and indignation acutely felt by many hungry individuals around the world. Choreographed by the CCA’s resident choreographer, Mrs Sreedevy Sivarajasinga, it was a bold mixture of both classical and contemporary Indian dance movements. There was a great deal of dramatization involved and an extensive use of props- a coconut was even smashed onto the stage at one point of time and was thereby hungrily “devoured” by dancers playing the role of beggars. However, while it was not uncommon for schools to explore different dance styles, what set RI Indian Dance apart from the other institutions participating in the SYF would be their unconventional choice of theme, which added depth to their choreography. Through the symbolic hand gestures, the intricate layering of dance steps and the canonical facial expressions that were so characteristic of Indian Dance, the dancers questioned the prevalence of hunger in our world and challenged the audience to consider an alternative perspective to a social issue close to the hearts of many in the India. The question of the day, as aptly put across by Mrs Sreedevy Sivarajasinga, is why hunger continues to persist even though the world is able to produce enough food to feed the global population.
RI Indian dance before their performance.
Initially, the dancers were worried that they would not be able to get the message across to the audience. Thankfully, they seemed to have achieved their desired effect. “The dance was an angsty one that was executed with genuine passion and sincerity. Due to the theme of the dance, the steps involved were quite complex but nevertheless neatly showcased,” a member of the audience (M Kothai Niveda from NTU) commented.
Dabbling in traditional Indian dance is no easy feat even for a trained dancer, and it comes across as a Herculean effort for those with little experience in the dance form. When asked about some of the challenges that she faced during the course of learning the dance, Jeraldine Low of class 16S06I stated, “I found it difficult to get used to the music, which comprises of seven beats and is unlike anything that I normally listen to.” Right before the performance, she was “quite worried that she might forget a certain step or do something wrong on stage, especially when it came to the parts that required turns and quick coordination.” However, she also felt “excited, to be a part of the CCA’s final showcase where everyone gave their all.” She confided in Press that she felt that the CCA “did generally well, in terms of the expression, execution of movements and energy level,” .and During the course of preparation for the SYF, Jeraldine shares that she “really enjoyed dancing with the other CCA members and the friendships she had made out of this experience were what made the journey worthwhile.”
With thought-provoking and skillful performance, Indian Dance was able to bring home a Distinction award. Vice-Chairperson Kalyanni of class 15S06K tells Press that “With only a few trained members in the CCA, the dance came across as a rather challenging one for many of the members. The choreography comprised of many complex steps that were initially hard to perfect. Nonetheless, everyone worked immensely hard and with their hard work, staged a successful performance! The CCA had indeed worked together to help each other and had strived to bring out their best.” With continuous effort and perseverance, the Indian Dancers will surely go far, and we at Raffles Press wish them all the best for their future endeavors!
By Alex Tan (16S03B), Huang Jiawen (16S06G) and Stella Soon (16A01C)
Photographs by Tuen Young Ji (16S03A) of Raffles Photographic Society
Emcees Yi Fen and Cayson
“I wish I could go travelling around the world!” So opened the highly-anticipated Piano Ensemble concert, with emcees Low Yi Fen and Cayson Chong expressing their wanderlust. Premised on the theme of exploring new territories and discovering new peoples, the pianists transported the audience from land to land, not unlike a magic carpet, giving them a brief but magical taste of each country’s atmosphere and culture.
Stepping into the concert venue, we were amazed by the vast changes in physical appearance. The drabness of the lecture theatre had been brightened with strings of blinking fairy lights, silhouette cut-outs of landmarks around the world, strung-up paper planes of pastel hues, and A4-sized hand-cut graphics depicting images of each piece’s origin country. Pianist Kellerine Quah illuminates the painstaking and assiduous process of decoration: “What was particularly unforgettable was sticking small pieces of duct tape to the wall in order to form a trail that even went to the floor. It really took a lot of effort.” The sheer amount of effort that Piano ensemble had put into decking the place up was a clear indication of the hard work the team had invested in preparation for the concert. 30th April was, indeed, a night to be remembered.
The strong turnout for the night
One of the standout moments was surely Franz Schubert’s ‘The Erlkönig’, performed by Emmanuel Tan and Fan Ze Cheng. This was accompanied by a sand art animation video set closely to the original poem, Goethe’s ‘Der Erlkönig’ and to the classical piece itself, portraying the young boy protagonist’s journey home with his father on horseback. Throughout the journey, the boy is continuously assailed by a supernatural being visible only to himself, aptly named the Erlkönig (literally “Alder King”, more commonly translated as “Elf-King”).
Emmanuel and Ze Cheng poured their hearts into their music to deliver a compelling, poignant rendition. The rise and fall of the music, enriched by the video’s vivid scenes, did justice to the piece’s emotional depth and nuance. Audience members were taken on a moving journey alongside father and son, keenly feeling the former’s anguish as he desperately attempted to assuage his son’s immense fear of the spirit. The piece ended on a loud staccato chord, signifying the unexpected, discordant death of the young boy to the Erlkönig, leaving many members of the audience buzzing about the shocking, unfortunate resolution.
Supplementary visual projections were made use of for several other songs as well, like ‘Waltz of the Flowers’ from the two-act ballet ‘The Nutcracker’. A video of twirling, tiptoeing ballerinas spinning like tops from man to man was displayed while Cheryl Chin and Deng Yimin performed Tchaikovsky’s composition. The video aroused mixed reactions as to its effectiveness: one of the writers felt that the sight of pirouetting dancers fit perfectly with the dancing tune, while another writer thought that the mismatched beats failed to complement the piece.
Isaac Lee and Tan Chin Soon performed Debussy’s ‘Nuages’
In other cases, as in Claude Debussy’s ‘Nuages’, the video seemed only to distract. It consisted of an apparently random assemblage of time-lapse videos of cloudscapes rolling, amassing and dissipating across the sun. But it was incongruous with the music and was therefore unable to add value to the performance.
Allan fully exhibiting his equine instincts
Another one of the most unforgettable moments of the evening was Galop Marche by Albert Lavignac, playfully performed by Jessie Chua, Li Jia Qi, Eric Leow and Allan Yang. A piece composed specially for eight hands (“à huit mains”), the four friends tickled the ivories of the same piano, seated side-by-side. Allan stood up at several points to prance about with a horse head and to take an on-stage selfie with his fellow pianists. Eric and Jia Qi leant back to clap hands with one another in time to the sprightly, quick beat, behind Jessie’s back. Tricky, mischievous gestures were also involved, as they crisscrossed their arms to reach particular keys, but they galloped through the light-hearted notes effortlessly and with grace. About his piece, Eric opined, “I think it’s one of the liveliest pieces and I like how the melody is equally distributed around all the players so everyone can have their ‘moment of fame’.”
On-stage selfie!
By then, it was apparent that “Around the World on 88 Keys” was one-of-a-kind. The Piano Ensemble clearly had a sizeable number of tricks up their sleeves, outdoing themselves yet again when Deng Yimin and Joash Chin appeared on stage garbed in Pokemon onesies. The gleeful audience roared with laughter at this impeccable sartorial choice. Their piece, an uplifting “Pokemon Medley”, comprised of various familiar melodies taken straight out of the all-time favourite video game series. When enquired about this brilliant stroke of creativity, Joash remarked, “We thought it would be interesting to wear something that would suit the theme of the piece. There was a J2 class that dressed up in different animal costumes for a particular occasion, so we borrowed the onesies from them.”
Adorable Pokemon onesies
One might think that attempts to emulate songs in popular culture will leave no lasting impression on an audience comprised of classical music aficionados. The “Part of Your World- A Whole New World” mashup performed by Joshua Gei and Colette Tan (collectively dubbed ‘Jolette’ by an obnoxious audience member) was, however, an exception. Expressive and communicative, the beautiful melodies mirrored the Little Mermaid’s and Princess Jasmine’s passionate desires for change and discovery, transporting the audience back to their distant days of childhood to unearth lost hopes and treasured memories. Enchanted, the audience allowed themselves to be swept away by the tides of music, visiting magical shore after magical shore.
The final piece of the night, ‘Serpent’s Kiss’, by William Bolcom, was performed by Kevin Wang and Thia Zhang Wei. The music’s dark tones of ominous foreboding called to mind the initial hesitation and trepidation contained in a kiss. These were skilfully contrasted with jocular, passionate parts, which conveyed the serpent’s ardent eagerness. Towards the end, the acceleration of the music’s tempo, coupled with the performers’ stamps of their feet and hard raps on the piano clearly brought out the serpent’s intensifying desire. The satisfied audience responded with loud applause and cheering at the conclusion of this emotionally-packed piece.
Kevin rapping on the piano
When asked about the concert, chairperson Kevin responded, “The concert has been a culmination of every single ensemble member’s hardwork and dedication over the past few months. The performers who took on well-known pieces were not afraid to bring out original yet convincing interpretations.” Performer Jessie Chua spoke of how she came to terms with her own high expectations during the preparation period, and “just let go” during the concert. She remarked that “that way, you can say with a clear conscience that you have done your best to prepare and fully enjoy yourself while performing!”
As the marvellous adventure drew to a close, a note of lingering regret hung in the air. At the start, the audience had been posed an enigmatic riddle: “What goes around the world but stays in one corner?” The answer, a stamp, revealed at the end of it all, was perhaps an apt metaphor for the night’s musical odyssey. Even as we remained stationary in our own little cozy corners of the LT, the sublime music offered us glimpses of our diverse planet, from the rolling green hills of Armenia to the perfect fantasies of Japan, back to the familiar, easily identifiable tunes floating in the alleys of Singapore.
Photos by: Gabrielle Jeyaseelan (15S06A) and Hee Xin Wei (15S03I)
Raffles Street Dance’ s annual show never fails to draw big crowds.
The first arrivals had started to stream in slowly, and it wasn’t long before the entire hall was packed with an eager audience. As the thick curtains winched its way open, the excited chattering quietened to faint whispers of anticipation, before erupting once more into resounding cheers to welcome Raffles Street Dance on stage. An exchange of sallies between the emcees quickly set a light-hearted, somewhat humorous mood that would underscore the performance throughout.
Its premise was simple: four dance crews, four different dance styles, one really big battle of the dances (Did we also mention one spectacularly entertaining performance?).
“I’m extremely thrilled,” exclaimed Mark Wee (16S03S), “I’ve been looking forward to this for a really long time,” It wouldn’t be a long shot to say Mark’s comments reflected the high hopes of his peers and a broader atmosphere of excitement.
When the show commenced, RSD, true to their style, began their highly-anticipated lineup with a classic showing of fast-paced hip-hop complete with a generous share of locking and more. Their stage presence was later challenged by an equally energetic showing of street jazz, though they themselves soon had their spot in the limelight snatched away as affable funk dancers grabbed the audience’s laughter and attention easily. Combining various elements of milder styles with the abstractions and intense expressiveness of contemporary styles, RSD’s final group performed an emotionally-evocative lyrical dance to Bastille’s “Pompeii”, holding the audience in silent awe. There was more to come, with an even more eye-catching treat afterwards, when RSD’s full roster filled the stage to present a combined performance as the narrator described their journey to overcome disagreements as a united Street batch. Besides the remarkable dance routine, charming characters as well as a relatable storyline infused with a good amount of comic relief helped keep the entertainment factor going strong throughout a very magical quarter of an hour.
RSD’s crew takes the stage to roaring applause.
Showcase was nothing short of a successful showstopper, with positive responses all around. Members of the audience especially lauded the diversity of dance styles displayed, exciting choreography, neatly topped off with evidently well-practiced routines. Manika Hennedige (16S03P) applauded the performance to be “Quite crisp. Crisp to the maximum. The variety of dances was great; but it’d have been better if the performance was longer, and if the dancers by the side played a bigger role instead of just cheering.” Another audience member, Tan Rhe-Anne (16A01A), who had rushed over immediately after lessons just to catch the dancers at work, echoed the same sentiments, “I liked how they showcased different dance types, and the dancer archetypes were very amusing. Obviously [I was] left feeling very inadequate with my own fine motor skills and coordination, but still really enjoyed the performance!”
Well, you can’t call those motor skills fine, Rhe-Anne (Though RSD’s dancers most definitely can).
RSD’s dancers strike a quick pose.
Beyond providing great entertainment and laughter to tired students struggling by the term, Showcase was just as much a poignant iteration of RSD’s own core values and an affirmation of their camaraderie. Gwendolyn Oh (16A13A), a Year 5 street dancer, described the performance as something that “really brought our entire CCA together. In the lead up, we did meet with quite a few challenges, and that was really when our entire batch, our entire CCA had to step up as a collective unit, to rally each other on. The spirit was really unforgettable,” No doubt that very same spirit was accentuated through RSD’s dedication and whole-hearted dancing, something the audience could clearly discern every step of the way. “It was well-choreographed and very heartfelt,” commented Andrea Low (16A01A), “If anything, the only pity is that it wasn’t longer,”
By the end, we too weren’t entirely convinced a mere fifteen minutes was enough to do the dance crew’s incredible effort any sort of commensurate justice — the crowd was positively enthused by an amazing performance and clearly in demand for more. But what we can be definitely sure of is this: the dancers’ extraordinary display of harmony in movement and synergy at Showcase 2015 wasn’t their first, and most certainly wouldn’t be their last one as Raffles Street Dance continues to impress.
For Sale: One Chair Only was a collection of one chair plays (with one dialogue segment) put up under The Humanities Initiative (THI) as part of its efforts to raise awareness about Human Trafficking. Organised by Year 6 students of the Humanities Programme with support from Emancipasia and Hagar, its remarkable commitment both to the aesthetics of the piece as well as the worthy cause it advocated for were evident from start to finish. Notably, the performative pieces were followed with a presentation and question-and-answer segment by Dr Michael Hakim (executive director of Hagar) and Ms Ng Wei Chern (Head of Programmes for Hagar, head of the Trauma Recovery Programme for trafficking survivors in Singapore), a testament to the organisers’ efforts to educate as well as entertain.
The lights came up on a clean and minimalist set –a single stool set off against plain white flats –, starting the show with a monologue by Syafiqah Nabilah (15A01B). Beginning with a disquieting introduction to her character’s current plight, the monologue proceeded to bring us through a quick succession of events which showed off Syafiqah’s versatility. Disquietingly naive and innocent as she marvelled at the luxuries on her first flight, Syafiqah was also odiously manipulative as Susie (a cousin who convinces her character to ‘clean tables in Singapore’) and menacing as a Singaporean pimp. No wonder, then, that it was almost with a sense of bitter relief that the audience reached the end of her piece.
This was followed by a dialogue between a Singaporean employer of a construction company, played by Myko Balbuena (15A01B), and his exploited foreign worker, played by Sarthak Panwar (16S05A). At turns quietly taunting and explosively ferocious, Myko put up a strong performance matched by Sarthak who, crucially, was no pathetic victim to Myko’s tormentor. While predominantly fearful and uncertain, Sarthak’s performance was underlined with a strong sense of his character’s strength, courage and love for his family, rounding out the piece nicely.
Next up was a monologue by Rachel Koh (15A01A). Also exploited and pushed into prostitution, Rachel’s character was notably different from Sya’s on multiple points. Content-wise, it addressed the issue of her character’s struggle to re-adjust after having returned home and mounting sense of helplessness. This was reflected in the overall tone of the piece, which was significantly more concerned with the lasting psychological trauma she faced. Rachel’s performance was deeply compelling and elegantly controlled, lending voice both to the complexities of her character’s mental struggle as well as her raw anguish.
Finally, the performance closed with a monologue by Katrina Jacinto (15A13A) who played a domestic helper from the Philippines. Just as thought-provoking and heart-wrenching as the preceding pieces, this monologue was perhaps especially notable for its treatment of a subject many might perhaps never consider part of ‘human trafficking’. Indeed, the writers made a deliberate and respectable effort not to paint an exaggerated picture of the character’s plight; at the same time, the vulnerability of her situation was made clear to the audience, as was Katrina’s portrayal of the adverse effects it had on her character’s emotional well-being.
With a strong cast, dedicated organisers and talented directors, it is no wonder that For Sale: One Chair Only was a successful performance both in terms of production value as well as thematic depth. Crucially, it was not an easy performance to sit through and multiple audience members remarked that it was emotionally draining. Yet this was rightly so considering the nature of the subject matter as well as its presentation -with minimal characters and stark sets, the performers made it clear that there would be no relief offered from their characters’ stories. Overall, the production was commendable for its aesthetic value and maturity, as well as the sensitivity with which it explored larger issues through personal stories. In the words of producer Lee Yoonji (15A01B), “We see them not just as victims, but as people –with anguishes, desires and inhibitions –who have become reduced to nothing but expendable commodities. We laugh, cry and fear with them, and from this, turn our attention from individual tragedy to the global system that allows human trafficking to take place.” As a work of theatre, the performance was certainly worth it for its refined production value. As a work of advocacy, it was insightful in its treatment of the subject matter and certainly worthy of greater support.
For Sale: One Chair Playswill be having one more show on 3rd May at the Esplanade. Tickets can be purchased at tinyurl.com/onechairplays.
The EmancipAsia series is one that aims to raise awareness of human trafficking in Singapore, and call for reflections on the treatment on foreign workers in our nation. To read more articles from this series: click here.
