As you can see, the event, hosted by SMU Cadera Latinas (the Latin Dance society of SMU), was held last Thursday @ Zouk. It was a fun-filled night whereby dancers from all over Singapore gather for some Latin and Salsa social.
Being one of the many performers for the event, I managed to experience first-hand the whole process of preparation and rehearsals right to the end of the event.
Preparation for the event started some time before the actual event. Things were still pretty relaxed back then. However, as the date drew nearer and nearer, with the choreography less than half complete, we started feeling the pressure. Steadily, the team made significant progress. But sadly, it wasn’t enough.
Soon, it was the technical run (11/01). Dance groups involved in the event gathered at SMU to have a run-through on their dances. And after which, feedback was given. After having seen the other performers showcase their moves, we did an assessment on ourselves. In the sense of STRUCTURAL PRINCIPLES, we ORGANISED our views and thoughts, questioning ourselves regarding our role in this event. Besides being just performers, we were actually a part of the whole event. There’s more to it! We were also representing our own Institute. The quality of our performance would not only reflect the quality of the whole Bailamos event, but also affect the reputation of our institute. With that in mind, we were determined to put up a good show. There was to be intensive training daily, all the way till the event.
The following week (18/1), there was a full dress rehearsal. Our performance was a lot better as compared to the previous time, though there was still room for improvement. But one thing remained; we felt distant from the organizers. (They were relatively cold towards us the previous week) Perhaps it’s the PERSISTENCE OF FIRST IMPRESSION, or maybe they were really unfriendly. In any case, it resulted in little communication between both sides.
On the day of the event, my team arrived at Zouk in the afternoon. We had a final rehearsal for blocking and lightings, followed by a curtain call practice. After all that was done, all performers got busy changing into costumes, doing their hair and putting on make-up. Before we knew it, the doors were open and the event had begun. The anxiety within me intensified as the seconds ticked by. We were the second group to perform!
SIM Salsa En Soul!
I encountered a minor hiccup during the course of performing, but thankfully it wasn’t too disastrous - I was unable to keep my back straight while executing the cartwheel stunt. This must have been due to the intensive trainings and many attempts (of the very same stunt) prior to the performance. Yet on the contrary, when I witnessed other performers committing errors/mistakes, I would blame it on his/her poor memory, skills, strength etc. This is a fine illustration of SELF-SERVING BIAS and the FUNDAMENTAL ATTRIBUTION ERROR. (Which I experienced)
Overall, the team did well. We cheered and celebrated at the end, toasting to all the efforts that we had put in, and also to the wonderful night we had.
Some other photos:
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