Featured Choreographer of the Month

Thank you World Dance Masters for featuring me as their Choreographer of the Month (July).

New Dance: FLY WITH ME

My apologies for the delay in posting the stepsheet and video for my latest dance FLY WITH ME.

The stepsheet can be viewed below or you can go to MY CHOREOGRAPHY and download from there.

Fly With Me (Lena's Song)

Practice session with CF (1U) members

Please note that the last 7&8 counts have been revised to a Coaster Step (instead of Back-Rock-Step as danced in the video)

Danced with the ladies from Kiwanis KL

Kiwanis Charity Line Dance Marathon - 31st July 2011

Come 31st July, Kiwanis Club of KL will be holding a line dance marathon as a fundraiser for KDSF-National Centre . The event will be held at LBS hall, SJK (C) Sg. Way from 9am to 7pm. Tickets are RM35 each. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact KDSF-NC at 03-7803 0179, Angie, Jennifer or Syimma or go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kiwanis-Charity-Marathon-Line-Dance-2011/190574237659312

The theme for this event is 'Come Down & Fly With Me'. A theme dance has been choreographed specially for this event and a mini workshop/teach will be held this Sunday (2pm) at the KDSF National Centre, PJ. Admission is free. Everyone is welcome :)

Wild West Babes - Splish Splash

My first sojourn into the world of competitive line dancing was with the Wild West Babes at the Bangi Equatorial Line Dance Competition, 2003

We had to perform 2 dances, back to back. The first dance was SPLISH SPLASH choreographed by Jo Thompson. Our coach and dance guru, Bronya Bishorek, choreographed the second dance to Wild Wild West by Will Smith (video not posted here)

Great memories :)

WILD WEST BABES

presenting

SPLISH SPLASH

The year after, our team entered the same competition with 2 dances:

The required dance: DOCTOR, DOCTOR by Masters In Line (variations were added)

Our own piece, choreographed by Bronya Bishorek: JAM UP & JELLY TIGHT

DOCTOR DOCTOR

JAM UP & JELLY TIGHT

Dance Videos

These were recorded at the recent Charity Line Dance event organised by Kiwanis Club of Kepong, 22nd May 2011.

MI AMOR

WHAT U WAITING FOR

XIANG SI HE PAN

JOGET HATI SENANG

"FLY WITH ME"

I first heard this song at a wellness workshop I attended. We were told to sit back, relax and clear our mind. During that stretch of time, I heard the words clearly and they resonated deeply within me. I was able to obtain the music from the speaker who's a close friend of my husband & I.

That was 2 years ago.

I'd wanted to choreograph to it the moment I got the song but it was so beautiful that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it justice. The current dance still doesn't do it justice, BUT, at least the purpose of the dance lends itself to a good cause.

I am speaking of the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation (Msia) . Last month, a representative requested for me to create a dance for them and also to suggest any possible song. 'Fly With Me' immediately sprang to mind. I sent it over and they love it too.

After many hours of self-deliberation, I decided to keep the steps as simple and as common to line dancing as possible, so that more line dancers can participate. Perhaps simple is best so that the mind is free to reflect on the beautiful song whilst dancing.

It's not a Beginner level dance, but it's not a complicated Intermediate one either. Lots of shuffles, a point here and a point there.... :)

Dance will probably be released at KDSF's Marathon Line Dance Charity Event on the 31st of July, 2011. Meanwhile I've posted the song and lyrics below.

Lyrics:

Fly with me and take the sky
Close your eyes and feel the wind
You and I we'll live to see
When we reach the sky you will find

Fly away, take my hand
Spread your wings, reach the sky
I can make you believe
Life is rich, rich within me
So fly away, hold my hand
Feel the wind, take the sky
Love will find, find a way
I believe in you
Fly with me
Fly with me

Night will fall and stars will shine
And the moon will smile to ease your mind
Questions why life's so strange
Watch me fly
I'll take you there to see

Fly away, take my hand
Spread your wings, reach the sky
I can make you believe
Life is rich, rich within me
So fly away, hold my hand
Feel the wind, take the sky
Love will find, find a way
I believe in you
Fly with me
Fly with me

So fly away, take my hand
Spread your wings, reach the sky
I can make you believe
Life is rich, rich within me
So fly away, hold my hand
Feel the wind, take the sky
Love will find, find a way
I believe in you
Fly with me
Fly with me
Fly with me
Fly with me
Fly with me

* * * * *

New Dance: ZHANG SHENG

This is my latest dance... a 32 count, 2 wall Easy Intermediate line dance choreographed to the song Zhang Sheng Xiang Qi.

The dance was previewed and taught at the Kiwanis mini workshop last Sunday to positive feedback.

A relatively stress-free dance with just one simple 4 count TAG.

Stepsheet has been submitted to Copperknob and Yipee.

Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation, PJ

Line dance friends living in the Klang Valley.....there will be a line dance sharing of sorts (or mini workshop if you will) this Sunday, April 10, at 2pm at the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation, located at:

Lot 13490 Jalan Jenjarum, Off SS23/1

Taman SEA, 47400 Petaling Jaya

Selangor, Malaysia

(Click here for map)

I have been invited to share my dance JOGET HATI SENANG and I've been told that Jennifer Choo Sue Chin has also agreed to be there to share her new dances too.

No fee is charged, and Mrs Hwang says everyone is welcome. :)

Zhang Sheng Xiang Qi (Applause)

Just completed a choreography to this beautiful Mandarin song. Will release it sometime in April 2011. It's Easy Intermediate, 32 counts, 2 walls. Enjoy the music!

Below is an attempt to translate the song to English. If anyone has a better translation, please do share.

APPLAUSE

Verse:

Standing alone on the stage

I hear the rise of the audience's applause

A deep feeling grows within my heart

No matter how much of my youth has passed

No matter how much I've changed

I still have your love

Just like my first time on stage,

Hearing your applause for the first time

My tears could not help but fall

After how many failures

After how much waiting

I have to tell myself to be patient

Chorus:

When the applause rings out loud

My heart then understands

Your love is with me

When the applause rings out loud

My heart then understands

the song unites your love and mine

(repeat Verse & Chorus)

JOGET HATI SENANG

As mentioned in the previous post, my students/friends & I got together yesterday to record my latest dance: JOGET HATI SENANG

We did several takes.....and I was prepared to head home for some post-recording editing. But fortune was smiling on me. No editing was necessary save for adding the Title, Credits and annotations. It's not completely perfect of course. There were some missteps here and there.....but that's normal for us...lol

I haven't yet decided if I'll be submitting the stepsheet to the normal line dance search websites. Will gauge response first.

Here's the video :).......please keep an open mind when viewing it as we're not professional Joget dancers and all but one of us (Zer) have never done the Joget before. Therefore we hope you will be kind to the imperfections.

I would like to record my deepest gratitude to the following:

The dancers.... for taking time out from their leisurely Sunday to help me with the recording, and also for being game enough to dance the choreography in our Malay traditional costume, the kebaya.

Special mention & thanks go out to Zerlina, who had called me in the morning to say she thinks she's got conjunctivitis. But like a true trouper, she turned up knowing that we would not be as complete without her in the team. Thanks Zer! You don't know how relieved I was to hear you could make it! :D

To Melanie for her moral support & for manning the camera and 'directing' us ;P

And to Yoshiko, for helping me secure the hall and being there throughout the recording.

Thank you ALL! I am blessed! :)

JOGET HATI SENANG (Adibah Noor)

Completed a Joget choreography to this song. I just love the Joget rhythm. Some part of me will be moving even if I don't feel like getting onto the dance floor. :D

I'm hoping to post the dance video after recording it tomorrow with a few of my students. Hopefully not too much editing is required. Meanwhile, I've posted the song here for anyone who would like to have a listen. A rough translation of the lyrics from Bahasa Malaysia to English is available below (after the video).

HAPPY HEART JOGET

(VERSE)

Young one, don't be consumed by the praises of others

Beware that pride comes before a fall

No matter what others may say

We must measure our clothes on our own body

We must measure our clothes on our own body

(meaning: know ourselves, our strengths and limitations)

It could be that my smile is not as charming

My body not as shapely

But let others say what they wish

Our lot is determined by and a gift from the Almighty

Our lot is determined by and a gift from the Almighty

(CHORUS)

Let them laugh (at me)

As long as they are happy

My heart will be light too

To see others happy (because of me)

I'm not asking for sympathy

Do not want any pity

My heart is light this way

I leave it to the Almighty

Repeat VERSE & CHORUS

I leave it to the Almighty

I leave it to the Almighty

Come on, let's do the Joget

the Happy Heart Joget

Forget the conflict in your soul

Accept my hand

Come with me and together

Build our self-confidence

That our heart will be light and happy from now on

********

CNY 2011

Some snapshots from my line dance classes. Everyone looks so festive in their CNY colours and attire :)

Taken a week before CNY week when most of the students were still around.

Many travel back to their hometown during the CNY holidays.

My students at Japan Club dressed to theme. We had a simple gathering during

class today. Those celebrating CNY brought cookies and drinks from home

to share with everyone. It was lots of fun!

Aren't they just adorable :)

It's 2011!