What DSA meant to me

I would first like to congratulate all the participant of the DSA camp. I can't tell you how touched I am when I see all of you were on the dance floor, trying your best to put on a good show. Makes me remember how I was also like each of you for the past two camps, going through tiring drills, stressing about makeup and everything.

Well well, time really flies. This is the 4th year I am with DSA. Many people actually don't understand why I am so loyal to the club even after so long. I have not achieved anything remarkable nor I improved tremendously in my dancing. Well, DSA actually thought me something that what you achieve or what your results are are not that important. Most important is that you truly enjoyed yourself, enjoyed the process and of course you enjoy the company everybody has given you. I can say DSA has given me so much memorable experiences.

DSA is like my second family in school. They are the most crazy people I have ever met! However they are the most true to the heart people as well. Nobody judge you in DSA. Whether you are good or not, as long as you are committed, you are welcome to this big family. If you stay long enough, you will realize, they are one of the few people who will laugh, cry, get angry, "kau peh" together with you. They are also the people who will help you when you are in trouble, pull you up when you fall and most importantly, cheer for you even they are going on to the same dance floor with you.

During these 4 years, you might not achieve anything, just like me. You might also plan to stop dancing as you got bad result. But please do realize, dancing doesn't affect your studies. Yes, we need to practice hard during competitions and performances, but trust me dancing does not affect your studies. Maybe you just need better time planning, maybe your learning method is wrong. Furthermore, our club has already produce numerous first class holders and a few dean-listers! So, dancing doesn't affect your studies.

Soon, I will part with the DSA family. But,my friends are always going to be my friends. I hope DSA will be the place where you can find your second family away from you family. DSA will not be DSA without this family base.

Maybe this is not for me

It's been the 4th year already. But, I still see no signs of improvement. I hate progressing so slowly in things. And of course arguments between us during practice is not very good as well. I can imagine the steps, and what need to be done. I can describe too what needs to be done. But when it comes to actual dancing, I cannot apply what's running in my head to the moving muscles. And, I still can't solve the very serious problem in this, straightening my legs, and achieving grounded-ness in every step I take. I still cannot do spins properly, keep my posture upright. Sometimes, it is really frustrating. Frustrating because I never achieve something prominent in my life before. Piano, I'm only at the 7th Grade. Why don't I continue? Financial and time problem. Studies. I used to think I'm quite good until I came to Singapore. There are freaking a lot of brains that has way more capacity than I do. Furthermore, I can't really speak fluently. And now this, not going anywhere because I still feel like a beginner. Even some beginners can dance better than me! It's true that to improve at something, you must make certain sacrifices. To do this, it means time and some money. I would really love to pump in money if I have them. But this is quite impossible at the moment as at times, I will need to worry if I have enough to eat, to last me till my next pay, which is only a mere $200 odd. I would really love to spend more time too. But my grades are far too important for me. Maybe some people will say I am just giving excuses. But I always believe that you can only keep your interest when there is progression, a prominent one. And you have to have some good guidance as well. A teacher that is willing to teach and have patients. That's why, I secretly hope that someday, I will be able to touch the black and white keyboards again!

It's really been the 4th year already. I've did numerous performances and competitions. I really love them. Now watching the new batch of people coming in, I do feel happy for the club. I hope everybody will progress well. Friends who started with me are progressing really good too. Getting stronger and better everyday. I am really very proud for everyone:) But as for me, I don't see any point of continuing this seriously anymore. Sometimes, I just feel like letting go of everything as I just think maybe this is just not for me.

IVDC-Blackpool

Winter Gardens, Blackpool. If you are Dancesport dancer, this is THE place to be. Every year, right before the huge Blackpool Dance Festival, there's Blackpool Inter Varsity Dancesport Championship (IVDC), and Universities all around the UK will "shipped" their dancers into this small little town of Blackpool. Like any other competition, there will be two sections-the Latin (Cha-Cha-Cha, Rumba, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble) and the Standard Ballroom (Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, Quickstep).

Surrey BDLC to Blackpool with our mini bus and driver, Alex

Being in the Dancesport for 3 years, I had only competed in Singapore and Malaysia. IVDC brings dance competition to a whole new level and scale to me. Usually in Singapore, we only have at most 2 rounds before semi-finals but in IVDC, you can have up till 10 rounds before the semi-finals with each round having almost 10 heats! Can you imagine how large the competition scale is? Okay, I might be a bit "san ba" (out of the jungle) to some people, but this is the largest competition that I have ever participate in.

Inside Winter Gardens, walkway to Spanish Hall

Empress ballroom

Under the Surrey University Ballroom and Latin Dance Club, we paid 31 pounds each to Blackpool with meals and accommodation included. We checked in Blackpool at about 11 pm on 4th March and started the competition day on 5th March by 6 am. Yes, hair, make-up, breakfast takes up this much time. And at 8.30am, all of us walked to Winter Gardens, in the freezing cold weather. 

Cosy dining hall in Highland Bank's Hotel

Breakfast for the day-crunchy nut

Hearty breakfast before a busy day

Getting ready

Off we go to Winter Gardens-on foot

My first waltz-photo courtesy of Fred

Winter Gardens is such a magnificent and grand ballrooms. The first event starts at 9.30 am and lasted all the way to almost midnight. Boyfriend and I took part in the Intermediate Latin and Beginners Waltz. First time doing Waltz felt really good and for Latin, I thought we did well, better than expected.

Roarrie--Our mascot to cheer for us

While waiting...

Before the Latin segment

After all the individual events, all the schools have a team match. Every school will send in 2/3 teams of 4 to dance (Waltz, Cha-Cha-Cha, Quickstep or Jive) and each team will be marked in accordingly. We've only lasted for 2 rounds, but I still enjoy every bit of the process.

One of the best couple on the floor

New dance experience, new friends made. That's all I can conclude from this competition. Although we are always never at the top, but seeing other dancers dance just inspires me to work harder to be better. 

Surrey BDLC @ Blackpool

New found friends

Will this be my last time here?

Farewell Part 1: The DSA affair

23rd December 2010. So, the dance club that I've joined since Year one-DanceSport Academy (DSA) has take up a large chunk of my uni life. Most of my friends are dancers. And so I guess they are the people that I would really like to say so long, farewell to before I fly off. Therefore, I've planned a dinner, in Holland Village. Although there were only 8 of us, but I am sincerely very happy. Thank you Chek Lee, Duy, Hanh, Bao, Joyce, Chin Yun and of course Ethan for making yesterday's dinner so fun.

It started with Bakerzin Lunch with Chin Yun and Ethan. We had pastas! Some were nice, some were just so-so.

Seafood Pasta

Pork loin Pasta (Taste like sweet and sour pork)

Oglio Olio with crispy bacons and mushrooms

Brastwurst Pasta

Then we headed on to Orchard for some winter clothing window shopping and also to meet Joyce. Chin Yun suggested it but in the end, only Ethan and I bought it so winter wear. Haha anyway we gonna miss Chin Yun after this because she'll be flying off to the US on 31st December. Hmph..Joyce was still no where to be found.
To Chin Yun: Do take care of yourself in the US.

Chin Yun and I

We walked and walked and walked, from Orchard to Chinatown where we had our KOI bubble tea and also to meet Joyce. Oh I guess I'm gonna miss KOI when I'm in UK. And guess what, Chin Yun had her first KOI ever. After bubble tea and some shopping at Chinatown, we walked to Tanjong Pagar. Ethan managed to capture some interesting photos. But we still couldn't find Joyce. And we rested in Tanjong Pagar where we started to look at maps of Europe, UK and US. Such exciting thing to do when you are really travelling there, looking at places you are going to go, probably going. And it is also very exciting to be able to locate the places that you have heard before but never ever know where are they. I am sure that I will have so much fun.

So, we still couldn't meet up with Joyce. And we decided to head on to Buona Vista to meet everybody. Well, as expected, everybody was late. So the three of us waited, waited and waited when finally everybody arrived. And we walked to Holland Village, takes about 10 minutes to have our Mexican Dinner at El Patio. They have free Nachos.

Free flow of Nachos

Yes, free flow of Nachos if you can eat 10 buckets and still stuffed down their Buritos, Quesadillas or Fatija. The food are worth trying but they are quite pricey. This is what I had.

Tex-Mex Crispy something 

So we talked and laughed and cam-whored while munching away our Mexican delights. On that night, I actually picked up a few interview skills from everyone. I hope the next time I have an interview, I'll be able to nail that interview and get what I want.

Chek Lee and Joyce

Bao, Duy and Chin Yun

Hanh and Bao

Although not all friends that I wanted to meet were there that night, I thought the night ends well. But everybody was too tired to stay on and accompany Chek Lee for a drink, maybe due to long hours of shopping and may be due to energy drain from exams.

DSA has been a big part of me and will continue to. DSA is a one big family that I will miss and never forget when I go to England. I hope the juniors will continue to improve their dancing and that DSA will reach further milestones in competitions and performance during this half a year. So long farewell DSA.

Weekend Mania

Saturday:
Finally, my planned BBQ night has came. As usual, what I plan usually will not get much support from other people. This time round, there were only 4 of us. But as they say 4 is a good number. Indeed it was. In the end, everybody just spent 3 dollars for chicken, prawns, sausages, corns and "satays". Well not forgetting the balls and smores (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%27more). Thanks to Ethan, Joanne and Duy, we had a wonderful night, creating our own BBQ style. Not sitting, not standing, not in a proper BBQ pit, but in a bicycle porch using aluminium tray (because it was almost raining). After BBQ, we were off to monopoly Deal and some good chatting with dearest Elaine :D The night ended 3 am.

The four of us :D

Our food before BBQ :D

Burning Marshmallow:D

BBQ at the Bicycle parkway

Smore!!!

Sunday a.k.a. Dating Day
As the day's name suggest, off to JB spending quality time with boyfriend. We had a movie marathon. Never in my life I've tried that. Well not in front of a big screen accompanied by good sound systems. IPRON MAN II!!! For both movies, I've never watched their part I, yet I joined in boyfriend's madness:D Anyway both the show were cool and awesome (ignoring the fact that I fell asleep in the cinema for half an hour for Iron Man 2). Looking forward to a 3 movie marathon next, but I guess boyfriend will faint :P

Movie Tickets stub (Ipron Man 2)

Guai Leng Gou

Vietnam Chicken Rice (Not so Vietnamese afterall)

Tasteless steamboat

On the side note:
Shifting from Hall 8 to Hall 4. Well, only one comment: needs time to get used to the change. What change? Just imagine you just shifted from a luxurious hotel to a shabby old motel :D

Another side note:
I've found myself an internship with a chemical company. Thanks to my uncle of course. I will and must work hard so as not to disappoint my uncle :D