I've always been a chubby kid. Regardless of how much I exercised, starved myself and no matter how much I followed those damned fad diets, I always had curves.

Post Zumba madness

As an adult, the curves still remain. To be honest, I've made peace with them a long time ago. My entire family's been fleshy and there is no point fighting a fruitless battle. Hence my aim is to be healthy, but toned. Slimmer but not ripped. I love my curves...being too skinny is terrifies me and overly defined muscles are frankly, disgusting. Eating right is also part of the regime but I cheat sometimes too LOL, I'm only human!

I hate running but because I am doing Zumba, these are my first trainers in years

Being sidelined by injury recently didn't help. I was unable to do anything for two months...I'd like to dance for a long time and hence, I knew that taking a break was vital. Am finally out of rest period and this time around, I went with a more targeted regime of body conditioning, body movement and something called SMRT-Core, just to retrain my body. For cardio, I stuck to my staples of salsa and West Coast Swing and added Zumba. For someone who has been into latin dancing and also other forms of dance, Zumba is fun. It's nothing to go mad over but it's a nice alternative to aerobics.

For someone who is allergic to the gym, this new routine works me. I do classes either alone or with friends and it doesn't feel like I am torturing myself. Or make me feel like a hamster. Bottom line is, the regime will do three things: help me get into fighting shape, minimize injury and get back into that damned salsa costume.

Three weeks down and it seems that the healing process and the cardio build up is working rather well. The pain from the rib cartiledge injury has diminished to small aches that remind me that I'm no wonder woman. I also have more stamina to dance for longer periods. All is good. SMRT-Core surprised me because it is a combination of physical therapy as well as core building exercises that really works to strengthen my body and eliminate the injury.

Well, I'm going to try to stick to the routine for a while. The results thus far, have been pretty awesome.

Dancing always brings about new challenges.

For a dance team, it means having great group dynamics in addition to learning the steps. The steps should also be clean, coordinated and look flawless. God knows that looking flawless is never easy.

Every once in a while, I'll trawl online for videos that will teach me more. There are only so many classes a dancer can take. And yet, there is still so much to learn in terms of body movement and styling that we can do to improve the way we dance. Don't get me wrong, classes are great but to really practice what you've learnt, you have to do it on the social floor (yes, I nag but you and I know that this is true for any dancer.)

But enough yammering, right. Check this out:



These guys are from the Santo Rico dance company in New York. The one word that came to my mind as I was watching this was: confidence. It takes a lot of pizzaz to move like that! I love the choreography and the ladies' confidence and body movements! The transitions and musicality of the piece are pretty flawless, even though this has to be one of the longest pieces for a salsa team.

Costumes are a big part of any group. It shows great group cohesion and breathes life to the choreo. Sexy costumes are a way of showing off the curves of the woman in addition to showcase her exquisite moves. We all know how ridiculous the costumes can get but what will you do if you encounter..jeng jeng jeng...*stage whisper* the dreaded wardrobe malfunction?



You CARRY ON DANCING. If you weren't as sharp-eyed (or blind if you missed that little nugget), you'd probably not notice that small glitch. Holy crap, I'm amazed that she could still nail that performance with all its complicated choreo and tricks. Kudos! I hope to be as professional should anything happen.

Finally, this last video that I came across features one of the fastest couples on the salsa scene today. John Vazques and  Judy Aguila, salsa world champions. They have a distinct style that is both breathtaking and so damned hard to emulate. Oh and note: this video is NOT speeded up. They really do dance like that.



Well, that's it from me for this year then. Wishing you a happy one and a great 2012! And yes, this is the team :o)

Rejection, no matter how old you or jaded you claim to be, it still stings.

The irony of that is the people who are so afraid of rejection are the ones who hurt others the most.  It's like they are so afraid of letting people in that they'd push everyone away so that they never have to tackle anything that is beyond their comfort zones. No matter how gentle or soothing the words, no remains no.

Take it from me, if you are unsure about anything ask. If you do not want anything to happen, never initiate or encourage. And if you get questioned, answer as honestly as possible - face to face. Sure, there is no way of rejecting anyone gently or even easily but you can still respect the person by addressing them directly. The worst outcome? A few tears or the loss of one friendship. The best? They will still respect you as a person and will want to continue being friends.

For me, the worst is being rejected over email. How is anything supposed to happen with anyone if you can't even talk to each other? To a large extent, emails, and even the chat mechanisms like MSN, Yahoo or Skype facilitate personal communication but they are also very impersonal channels. After all, no one sees you giving the finger to the person you are chatting with unless both your cams are switched on, right?

So how do you cope with rejection? Despite the tears, the busted ego and self esteem, you have to carry on. But choose your routes wisely. One-night stands are a temporary reprieve and in the long run, show that you are unable to handle anything serious. Stringing along and dumping other candidates shows that you are just as stupid as the person who rejected you.

For me, the best route was to go out and reclaim my life. So I went out to do what I love best. Spice up my night with some salsa :o) To me, dancing with a partner who is equally willing to cut loose on the social floor adds just a little bit of magic. There is great chemistry, self-consciousness is a non-issue and you simply focus on the person in front of you. Bonus points as he was cute too *wiggles eyebrows*

It felt wonderful to have someone just appreciate me. The cool part is that while there was a great deal of flirting going-on, we left it at that. There was no need to take things further. It was simply fun to enjoy each other just for a while.

And who knows? We may meet again in the near future.

As you  know, I've been eternally grousing about how salsa dancers need not as svelte as ballet dancers and here's proof. Been watching a couple of videos from the World Salsa Championships and it's more of a testament to a dancer's skill than it is only to her body or weight.

Just look at these couple of videos:







Sure, the ladies are bigger but then again, they also move with a confidence and assurance that puts newer (and some slimmer) performers to shame. Plus, they can do whatever a smaller girl can, so I don't see why we should only focus on body types or highlight slimmer girls only. I get it that slimmer people present better silhouettes but just focusing solely on them presents the wrong picture. It makes people who are bigger sized more self conscious and less likely to want to learn to dance. That is the antitheses of salsa which celebrates the love of dance and movement for everyone.

Hey, most of us are not small sized so please take note!

Grousing aside, I did watch some other amazing couples such as Edier and Luisa. This couple placed 2nd in the Cabaret category. Cabaret is the category where the couples focus on dips and tricks in their performance in addition to dancing. This is probably the most physically demanding of the categories. 





and Anchi and Anne, whose performance I really enjoyed because they looked like they were having so much fun. In case you were wondering, they came in 2nd in the On2 category.





The On2 champions are Luis and Anya





And in the On1 category, Christina and Liz. On1 is still the style I dance in but it seems like the performance team I'm with will be migrating into On2 next year. I can't wait!



What's life without a little inspiration to keep you going? ;)

"To dance is to be out of yourself.  Larger, more beautiful, more powerful." Agnes De Mille

I'm a really bloomer as a dancer. Picking up salsa only in 2005 but boy, has that interest grown. It's been a mere five years but it still motivates me to get better, personally and technically.  It cheers me up on horrible work or personal days and yes, it is also a source of frustration when  I can't seem to pick up new things fast or well enough. Let's not even touch on injury, I've harped on that quite enough!

It's interesting how people sometimes come up to me to ask why I keep on doing it or what my inspiration is

The answer is pretty straightforward: I like a good challenge. I love the freedom it gives me and the confidence that I've gained in myself and also in my body. While being a professional dancer is not my ultimate aim, I want to excel in the dances that I've picked up. With salsa, I was actually inspired from watching the mambo scenes in Dirty Dancing. I've evolved from being an awkward newbie to someone who is now able to perform in large crowds. I'm comfortable with my body and with my movements and technically, my footwork has improved tremendously. Mistakes are common but people would be hard-pressed to notice if they are not familiar with the dance ;)

Most importantly, I picked up these dances for me. I was always the outspoken pudgy kid who loved sports but I wanted to do something that challenged me more. Dancing was it - why? Because, despite being outspoken, I was always a bit shy. And no doing anything in front of an audience! Are you crazy? I was afraid that I was too fat, too clumsy,  too awkward to do anything. Taking up the challenge to learn how to dance, gradually make peace with my body and widen my social circle boosted my self esteem and confidence. I learnt that you don't need a fixed partner to salsa, you dance with a bunch of other people in rotation. This helps you pick up different leading styles to make you (the lady) a better follow. 

Some people have mentioned that I came across as competitive in classes or at practice. How can I not be? Being a late bloomer, I'm almost always the oldest in the class. This means that there are always younger, more talented and driven students than I. Dancing is a whole lot of fun but both peers and teachers respect a student more if they are a bit more serious over one who acts the clown most of the time.  

Over time, I plucked up enough courage to perform. For me, performing showcases all the hard work that a performance team or couple has put into a 3 - 5 min choreography. In comparison,  professional dancers get a whole lot more stage time. But for people like me, it that 5 mins is almost all that you get and you have to make if count.

But where do I go from here? Despite some setbacks, I still think there is room for growth for me. Picking up ballet and belly dancing this year brings more challenges but at the same time, other interesting opportunities. The chance to do a something that scares me a full solo performance in belly dancing. I picked up ballet to build strength, improve technicality and add diversity to my dancing.  Performing is out of the question as I still have much to learn. For salsa, there are still lots of opportunities to perform, whether it is at salsa congresses, friend's weddings or even at corporate functions.

The big downside of performing salsa I feel is that people tend to equate being a good performer with being a good general dancer. Not true. Salsa performers must learn to incorporate one another essential element into their repertoire - social dancing. This means hitting a salsa club or social dance gigs at least once a fortnight to dance and let go. Get away from choreography. While performing is great, you will only be able to get better with more practice and what better way than on the social floor with either your friends or new people?

I admit sometimes these things frustrate me but at the end of the day, it is up to me to push myself. And that ultimately, I am responsible for my own progress.

Most importantly, we had a great load of fun at rehearsals! Peiling, I don't think any of us will get to do something this special again, so THANK YOU.

Actually it was more like six nights in Beijing where the Dance Unlimited team got a taste of what it was like to (1) dance in front of a really demanding audience (2) dance with international instructors almost every other night (3) get trampled upon, stepped on and almost lose our cool with the very people that we went to dance with.

Overall, the 4th China Salsa Congress was awesome primarily because we got to learn from some of the best and most fun international instructors around. It was also exhausting because the congress lasted for a total of four days, complete with workshops in the day and social dancing every night from the day we landed. Lunch was a grab and go thing where we caught about 30mins of time out to refuel.

Luckily for us, we got to perform on opening night, which was fantastic, because we got to just relax and enjoy the rest of the congress. What was damn nerve-wrecking was that we were performing to a full house and packed out crowds. I lucked out because I managed to hunt down someone to take the video for me...LOL. Was it better than our Jitterbugs performance? You tell me:

What I really loved were:

• International instructors such as Maykel Fontz (pronounced Michael. He bears a small resemblance to Kanye West) who brought such fantastic energy and passion to Rhumba and Afro Cuban. He spoke really little English but that didn’t hamper what he had to teach. Inspirational? For sure. Nuno & Vanda who brought cheekiness and fun to Salsa Hip Hop and a host of pther instructors that I really loved learning from.
• The Great Wall trip. Where we spawned a million cam whoring photos and tons more trying to jump around like a bunch of crazed kids. We even had some strange guy who snuck into our shot. Idiot. We also danced at the wall for the first time. So we were all in casual clothes and shoes but the experience itself was fantastic and the weather helped so much too.
• Social dancing. The guys in China are pretty good leads and there are many who can lead well. They are a little shy to ask for dances but overall, there are some really good On 1 and On 2 dancers here. The women on the other hand, leave much to be desired, they are good at trying to look sexy but when it comes to dancing, few are really good and they seem to move on a set of steps. Most importantly, I got over some fears and went to dance with some of the international instructors which was a great learning experience because following means taking the cue from the person that you are dancing with and injecting your personal style to the dance, not simply looking limp or lost.
• National Day. We landed on Oct 1, which is China’s National Day. OMG. The evening performances and the endless fireworks in Tiananmen Square were breathtaking. Take that NDP!

What I wasn’t as fond of were:

• Lack of dance etiquette. The home crowd seem to think that it is ok to film instructors during their workshops instead of learning. I suppose that is fine BUT do you have to jostle for space with the people who are there to learn? What is it with filming all the time? As all congress participants know, the instructors will give you time to film the routine that they are teaching at the end of the class...ha, maybe the organizers should have a session to tell people what to do so it won’t be as annoying.
• Dance space. The hotel was a great location but the home crowd just wanted to be in front all the time. Yes, you want to learn and so do we. But how the hell can you learn partner work if we’re standing shoulder to shoulder? Poor Jolene got kicked in the chest by some stupid woman who didn’t bother to even look around to see if she had space to execute her move.
• The crowds. Yup, we were stuck in China’s Golden week and it was crowded everywhere. Remember the cartoons where the ants come pouring out in droves? Well, now I can say that I’ve seen that for real. And I hope never to be caught in it again.
• Female instructors. What was surprising was that the international female instructors were not much into social dancing. They seemed a little too stand-offish, just having one odd dance or two than scampering off the floor. In comparison, their male dance partners and most of the male instructors were a lot better and spent a bulk of their time on the floor with the rest of the congress participants.

I’m really glad that I got to do the congress. Yes, a lot of blood sweat and tears went into the preparation but at the end of the day it was all worth it. We bonded as a team, we learnt from the world’s best and we got to experience social dancing in a different setting than Singapore’s Union Square.

Up next, the Singapore International Salsa Festival which happens from November 13 – 15, 2009 at the farthest tip of Singapore, Downtown East. Yes, I still hate that place and I’m hoping that it will be moved to a hotel one of these years so that participants wouldn’t have swelter in workshops. One can hope, right?

Our team made it's debut performance of La Pelona at the opening of the Jitterbugs Studio last weekend, complete with a new line up and new costumes :o) The main difference was...you guessed it...no ah pek gatals (dirty old men) this time round. Well, one can only hope lah.

Performing for the salsa crowd comes with its own set of things to consider, mainly, it's a more critical crowd. On the bright side, they are definitely more appreciative of the work that is put into the performance and they know it's not something that was put together on the fly.

Well done, all! And now, on to the China Salsa Congress where more people, workshops and parties await this weekend.

I really love salsa dancing and am always on the quest to improve. This video features Boston's amazing Hacha y Machete and I've had the pleasure of learning from its leading lady, Burju when she was in Singapore for the Singapore International Salsa Festival some time back.

Body movement has to be one of the hardest things to learn and it's amazing to see it being incorporated so flawlessly into the choreo. It's not simply stepping to the music like how a lot of people dance these days, it is about musicality and dancing with the music. This is how I want to move...and I know that there is a lot of work to be done still. But in the meantime, I'm going to let my body and feet move to the music and enjoy the journey.

Last week was all that I predicted and more. It was horrendous and almost like a Tim Burton movie brought to life. Complete with a cast of pale characters whose moods swung from moderately normal to screaming banshee as the minutes crawled.

On Saturday, I decided that I should make my annual foray to the Singapore International Salsa Festival (SiSF) at Downtown East. Held from October 24 – 26, the festival brings in the top global salsa instructors, regional performers, a renowned salsa band and top DJs. Maybe it’s the economy, the sheer distance to bloody Downtown East or just plain ol’ salsa fatigue or just me being tired but somehow, this year’s festival seemed lacking. Usually the night parties are totally rocking with many instructors and dancers just cutting loose and enjoying themselves but this time, there was a general sense of something missing.

I was speaking to two French girls who was coming to the festival for the first time and their grouse, was similar to mine. That is, local salseros were generally too shy to approach strangers to dance. Instead, they waste lots of time by standing around or dancing with their friends most of the time. Little does she know that this annoying thing happens all year round and at all salsa parties. This year, I didn’t manage to dance with many of the instructors and didn’t catch any of the performances but that’s ok. It’s been too tiring a week. I do have some other grouses that I hope the organizers will take note of:

1. Venue. How about a change of venue next year? Pasir Ris is way too far for people living in the West and even tourists who would love to pop by to enjoy the night festivities …how about looking at Sentosa or the East Coast and have a beach party instead?
2. Tickets. Please standardize those ticket prices…year one and two’s Sat night party cost $45 at the door and this year it’s $60? Hello, organizers…
3. Short workshops. How about having one or two instructors do a short workshop at the night parties? The crowds are so much bigger and there is potential to teach more fun dances like reggeton, basic cha cha or even merengue. At this year’s party, I noticed that lots of people were hardly able to cha cha but, doing it en masse to the band was great fun
4. Rueda. I think organizers should re-introduce rueda to the night parties – this is the fastest way of getting to know other dancers and of having the most fun on the dance floor with everybody participating.

The one big thing that the organizers got right was the band. I am a big fan of live music and I thoroughly enjoyed The Bronx Horns. Fronted by Mitch Frohman, the band played a tribute to Hector Lavoe for their first set and later on, came back with salsa classics from the likes of Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto and Tito Puente the really got the crowd up on their feet. We saw the return of sonero, Frankie Vazquez whose English is much improved since we last saw him a year ago.

Hey, if the tired SiSF gets a fresh breath of air, me and other salseros would be signing up for full-day passes instead of just dropping by for the night party. C’mon, organizers revamp the festival and you will definitely draw in bigger and better crowds. And we won’t have to sign that petition again…