Chinese and Modern Dance

CHINESE AND MODERN DANCE

“To persevere till the end!”   “死也要拼出来 !”

Crescent’s Chinese and Modern Dance is a warm and loving family. Crescent dancers work towards a common goal of attaining excellence, and in the process, stronger bonds are forged as we strive to overcome various obstacles and challenges as a family.

Crescent Dance promotes dance as a form of art. A strong set of values is instilled in each and every Crescent dancer as we embark on our journey. In order to excel in what we are passionate about, Crescent dancers go the extra mile to prepare ourselves for more than what is required of us on stage. We stretch our limits to exceed expectations and realize that there is more to dancing than simply executing our actions with perfection, and we paint a story with our choreography.

“To persevere till the end” is the dance motto. With this, Crescent dancers always strive to do our best, be it in dance or in our schoolwork.

In recent years, we were honoured to be invited to take part in various national events, including the ASEAN Youth Games Opening Ceremony (2009), National Day Parade (2009), Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony (2010), ASEAN School Games (2012) and the Singapore Youth Festival (2019, 2021, 2023). These concerts received resounding applause from the audience.

Our various performances cover a wide range of dance genres such as Ballet, Hip Hop, Chinese Dance, as well as special genres of dance, including lion dance and dragon dance. Performances during school events, such as the Secondary 1 Orientation Campfire, Chinese New Year, Speech Day, National Day Celebrations as well as Teachers’ Day, provide us with extensive opportunities to showcase our talents and also to share the joy of dancing with the rest of the school population.

The Singapore Youth Festival is the pinnacle of all the dancers’ performances. As the Chinese saying goes, “台上十分钟，台下十年工” In preparation for a single performance, we practise for hours and dancing is a journey that requires much discipline and perseverance, physically and mentally.

The extraordinary journey that each Crescent dancer experiences with the Dance family is only made possible because we believe in caring for one another and soaring to greater heights as one.

Crescent Dance is led by our Chinese & Modern Dance Instructor, Ms Maycia Teh Ruyan.

Teachers-In-charge:

OIC:

• Ms Yap Ai Zhi

Other Teacher I/Cs:

• Ms Jessy Ang

Blurbs

“Dance has indeed made an impact on my secondary school life this year. As a secondary one, dance was a struggle for me at first, but the many times of encouragement from our seniors, especially during our National Day performance this year, has spurred me and my batch mates on to persevere throughout the toughest times. Furthermore, dance provides many sessions where we do bonding games with each other and train together. One phrase that has made the impression on me that dance was definitely the right CCA for me was ,“死也要拼出来”, meaning to strive till the end. This phrase never fails to spark persistence and perseverance in us, especially when we chant it together as a CCA before every performance. In hindsight, dance not only trains us in our dance techniques, but it also trains our character to become stronger, and to be ladies and leaders of tomorrow.” - Kyra Kong Kai En, 1S6

“This year’s campfire was an extraordinary and unforgettable experience for our batch. The thrill of performing together, coupled with the strong bond we’ve developed during practices, made the moment truly special. I love how dance unites us as batchmates, with the games we play during practices adding an element of fun to the hard work. Through dance, I’ve gained not only valuable techniques but also essential life lessons like teamwork, resilience, and discipline. These lessons extend far beyond the studio, shaping who I am both as a dancer and as a person.” - Desiree Tok, 2S1

“Dance has been an incredible journey filled with memorable moments, especially with my batchmates. From bonding games to rehearsals, we've grown closer through shared experiences and supporting each other through thick and thin. Our Teachers' Day performance, entirely choreographed by our sec 3 batch, was a proud highlight, showcasing our creativity and teamwork. Beyond the stage, dance has taught us valuable lessons like discipline and resilience, pushing us to improve both as dancers and individuals. The techniques we've mastered over the years have helped us grow, but the friendships and lessons are what truly make the experience special.” - Yang Xin Chen Dawn, 3G5

“Crescent dance is a place where we can learn how to not only care for ourselves, but also how to take care and be considerate of others. Our dance teachers never fail to help us grow, by teaching us the importance of many values, some of which include teamwork and discipline. Discipline is a greatly treasured value in dance, as discipline is what gets us through the toughest of dance practices, and the most tiring of dances. Teamwork enables us to learn to communicate clearly and collaborate with one another to improve our dance to the best that it can be. We will always be grateful for these lessons, as well as the beautiful memories we have made in Crescent Dance!” - Tang Ho Yan Isabelle on what she has learnt through Dance.

“Diversity is at the heart of Crescent Dance, as we explore an array of dance genres, from Chinese dance, urban street dance, and even lion dance! Dancers can also try their hand at self choreographing, where they are given artistic freedom which fosters their creativity. We perform for Chinese New Year, National Day, Campfire, Speech Day, National Day, and others, which provides all dancers with constant stage exposure. By the time dancers step down, they will be versatile dancers that are well-versed in an array of genres and enriched with invaluable experiences. In Crescent Dance, you don't just dance; you grow, evolve, and thrive as both a dancer and an individual.” - Keira Lee on the opportunities Dance has provided.

“Dance has impacted my life in every way possible. With the many dance genres that we are exposed to, I was able to expand my potential and gain inspiration from others around me. Dance has taught me values ranging from teamwork to perseverance and these values will continue to shape my Secondary school life as well as my career. During tough times, the strong bonds that we have formed help us overcome it together, hand in hand as a CCA. I am thankful to this CCA for allowing me to understand myself better and allowing me to be a better dancer and a better person. Through dance, I have gained a renewed perspective on life, forged strong friendships that I will hold on to and a loving community that will be in my heart even as we depart from the CCA.” - Quek En Ting on the positive impact that dance has brought about.

“Crescent Dance is a place of comfort. Here there is no judgement, as long as you dance with your heart, you dance with passion. There will be times when your limits are tested and fear is within you but with the encouraging dancers amongst you, the fear disappears. Teachers helping the dancers, seniors helping juniors, dance is all about “帮助自己帮助别人” you are assured that you can always find sometime to turn your when in need of help. Dance has provided me with countless of opportunities; leadership, growing as a person and overcoming my fears. Every dancer is a leader in their own way. Growing takes time, and after 3 years in dance i can tell you i have grown. As a person, as a leader. Dare to be daring, dare to try. Life’s short, take risks. We win together, we cry together and we learn together. I will never trade anything for my time in crescent dance because these memories are what shaped me to the person I am today. From the seniors who inspired and the juniors that aspire. There’s no other like crescent dance in my heart.” - Janelle Soh on her love for dance

PHOTOS