Flips and Fouettes

I didn't get into SYF.

Okay, I admit I am rather disappointed, but maybe its a good wakeup call. I mean all through upper secondary it has always been me giving the audition and not the other way round. I guess its about time to shed some of that cheer capt arrogance and for once, to assess my dancing ability without all the frills and fancies that tend to distract the audience from the real thing. The distractions being the stunts that come from four years in artistic gymnastics.

Opinions may vary, but from experience I know that most people would choose to watch a back somer over a graceful balletic pose anyday. Face it, flips are more exciting than plies and grand jetes and whatever not. They challenge the limits of the human body and thats what makes them so interesting to watch, it is rare that anyone who watches a gravity-defying triple twist would remain unimpressed, just as it is improbable that someone who listens to a GOOD opera singer be totally unmoved by the amazing capacity of the singer's thoraic cavity. (I did study bio. :)) Of course, one may argue that the extreme grace of the ballet dancer could also leave one similarly awed, yet lets be realistic, how many prima ballerinas are there in Singapore, as compared to the number of people who can do flips and somers? It takes more than the common dancer to inspire the audience (and even then the audience must know how to appreciate the art) yet a simple backwalkover can illict the immediate admiration of any man-on-the-street, with significantly less effort. There is something about gym that brings about a spontaneous, almost instinctive response within people that is regardless of age, gender, tastes and educational level. You don't need to be a gymnast to know when a person is testing human limits, neither do you need any background in order to appreciate the beauty of a back layout.

And so I plead guilty. Guilty of capitalising on this aspect of human nature, guilty of pandering to the masses during the choreography of cheerleading dances, guilty of the many bruised knees and shoulders that result from this risky venture. And most of all, guilty of deliberately confusing the word 'dance' with 'stunt' and in so doing undeservingly assume the coveted role of captain.

The punishment? Two years of inconsequential existence in Hwa Chong's MAD.