Thursday July 31, 2008
Best foot forward
By SHAMALA VELU
Finalists Black, Sim, CC and Hong of So You Think You Can Dance are all set to outdo each other on the dance floor tomorrow.
The dance floor was squeaky clean and all set for the performances of the top four of the reality show So You Think You Can Dance.
The previous night, two dancers had been eliminated – long-time favourites Jojo and Sly. Standing tall now are Ng Kar Fei (Black), Hoi Cheng Sim (Sim), Ong Tze Hong (Hong) and Yong Ling Shi (CC), who are all set to do their best at the finals tomorrow.
While they appeared a little nervous during the media briefing, it was a different story altogether when the lights dimmed and each was asked to give a 10-minute performance. It was clear the dancers could communicate in the language they knew best – dance!
Ready to rock: (From left) Hong, Sim, CC and Black. Here’s a brief description of their dance styles:
KL-born freelance dancer Black, 25:
BLACK exuded charm and vitality the moment he stepped onto the dance floor. Wearing an outfit that resembled Michael Jackson’s signature jacket and black hat, Black danced to Jackson’s Pretty Young Thing.
Black, who has been the judges’ favourite throughout this season, said he was surprised that he could learn many different dance genres.
“I didn’t think I would get this far. I’m looking forward to the finals as I have not encountered any difficulties thus far,” he said.
Black had apparently grabbed the attention of viewers in the early stages when he did some high-jump kicking in midair. He’s known to do some half-turns and back kicks and is the one to watch in the finals.
His strength: Hip hop
His weakness: Ballroom dancing
Dance instructor Hong, 27, from KL:
HONG has the ability to bring out the best in any song with his sensuous moves. He danced to the melodious Sempurna by Indonesian band Andra & The BackBone, and captivated the audience with this contemporary style.
“I started dancing when I was 11. My goal now is to learn as many dance techniques as possible,” said the part-time dance instructor, who is also a Business IT student at APIIT.
His strength: Hip hop and jazz
His weakness: Ballroom dancing
Student CC, 21, from KL:
CC LOVES Latin dancing and certainly knows how to entertain the audience with her energetic dance moves. “I like to express my feelings through dance,” said the 21-year-old dancer who has since garnered many fans. CC put up a great performance, dancing to Gloria Estefan’s upbeat Conga.
“I’m surprised I’ve come this far. It has certainly been a good experience. It’s not just all about dancing and performing, I have also become stronger emotionally and mentally,” said the communications student of HELP University College in Kuala Lumpur.
“I love to explore and try a variety of dance techniques. In fact, it was season one of So You Think You Can Dance that inspired me to audition for the show.”
Her strength: Latin and ballet
Her weakness: Versatility
Professional dancer KL-born Sim, 27:
SIM has been one of the best female dancers in this season’s show.
She is the only contestant who has remained in the top four position throughout.
Sim, who has been dancing professionally for the past eight years, said that it was good performances that kept her motivated. “I joined the show because I know I can handle the challenges. So far, I’ve improved in other genres such as Malay contemporary dance and hip hop.”
Sim was perhaps the most graceful dancer, making sure she used the entire dance floor to project the feelings contained in the song, Feels Like Tonight by Chris Daughtry.
Her strength: Modern dance
Her weakness: Traditional dance
According to senior producer Tengku Firhad Bustaman, more professional dancers attended this season’s auditions.
“One reason is they were more prepared and knew what to expect from the show.”
He pointed out that the second season was also more popular than the first because of the fusion of different choregraphy styles with the music used. “The choregrapher would combine hip hop with Malay contemporary music. What you get is originality which kept viewers asking for more.”
The three permanent judges will be back for the grand finale. They are stage director and choreographer Pat Ibrahim, Odissi classical dancer and cultural icon Ramli Ibrahim and dance teacher and choreographer Judimar Hernandez from Venezuela.
The winner will walk away with RM50,000 and a scholarship from 8TV.
Catch The Road to Finals on 8TV today at 9.30pm. The grand finals will be held tomorrow at 8.30pm at Ruums, Life Centre in Kuala Lumpur and it will be aired live on 8TV.
To vote for your favourite contestant, send your SMS votes to 33399 and type: VOTE
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