MPs to perform hip hop dance moves at Chingay Parade next February
By May Wong, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 03 October 2006 1650 hrs
SINGAPORE: Members of Parliament from the post-65 generation will be performing hip hop dance moves at the Chingay Parade next year.
The parade will be held along Orchard Road on February 23 and 24.
The 12 post-65 MPs will perform with 300 hip hop dancers at the Chingay Parade.
"The whole process was very enjoyable because the Post-65 MPs, the P-65 team, are very close, so we had a lot of fun doing it. It's more because of the closeness that we have and learning a new dance skills that we're coming forward to also participate in the Chingay," said Teo Ser Luck, Parliamentary Secretary, Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry.
A few of them are not embarrassed to admit that hip hop is not their cup of tea.
"I have two left feet, I can't dance but I enjoyed myself. I showed my kids what I did, then they went "mum, loosen up a bit!" My kids can dance but I can't," said Jessica Tan, MP, East Coast GRC.
"That's part of the fun - to laugh at yourself, to have a sense of humour about everything and that's what we're trying to do as P-65 MPs, trying to connect with the youth and having fun with them, that's the main thing," said Chris de souza, MP, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.
"All of us are having fun. It's not important whether we perform well, we dance well or whether we look professional on tv or during the parade. Most importantly, we have to connect with the youths of today," said Lam Pin Min, MP, Ang Mo Kio GRC.
Aside from the MPs' performance, the Chingay Parade will feature colourful floats and various activities.
Stretching along Orchard Road from Liat Towers to Orchard Plaza, it's expected to attract some 200,000 people. - CNA /dt
Comments:
Hi friends,
I must admit to being bemused by the news about our MP's preparing to connect with our youths by doing hip-hop moves for the next Chingay Parade.
Before you get too excited, the Chingay Parade is not Singapore's version of a Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival Parade. Chingay is an annual parade associated with the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Whilst I do admire these post-65 MP's attempts to identify with the younger electorate, I do wonder how the often-cited "conservative Singaporeans" view all this.
Well, I just hope the MP's do not go too far....
OK, I would define " too far" as something like Black-eyed Peas' "My Humps".(Click link to sample Youtube's "My Humps"-It may just be your cup of tea.. Check it out!).
I really don't know about you, but try as I might, I just cannot picture these MP's gyrating their hips, making suggestive sensual moves. Can you?
I guess "one man's meat is another man's peas!"
Cheers,
Dr.Huang Shoou Chyuan
Link: Black-eyed Peas
9 comments:
This goes to show how serious they are about connecting to younger Singaporeans. Lot of resources must have been expended: energy and time of the P65 MPs spent practising, coverage by MSM, fitting them into the Chingay programme by the People's Association, material support from sponsors etc. But it remains to be seen how well recieved they will be.
Hi Doc,
Why limit to just Post-65? LHL should lead with his "Mee Siam Mai Hum". They are million dollar talent, i am sure they can beat the Black Eyed Peas. Can wait for February next year! Uniquely Singapore
Were they voted in to represent their constituents in the parliament, or were they voted in to dance in a parade?
I don't know what's sadder - the fact that they think they are going to impress people with their act, or the fact that some people will actually be impressed by their act.
Speaking as a post-65'er. I would rather they spend more time observing the life of ordinary folks, listening our issues and addressing these issues.
E.g. Working classes whose household income has not increased over the last 5 years and finding their income sources becoming more unstable, but whose cost of living has shot up.
http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2006/yax-620.htm
E.g. Income per capita has stagnanted for past 10years.
http://www.financeasia.com/article.aspx?CIaNID=37736
E.g. Jam packed public transport during the "real evening peak hours".
http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2006/yax-638.htm
Dancing to connect is just pure publicity and trying to bridge the disconnect cosmetically. But then, the PAPpies are known from their records to implement more cosmetic workarounds rather than to tackle actual issues.
Err...if you ask any "young" Singaporean about this "effort" to "connect" to them....see what reply you'll get!
I really don't think that this is the "connecting" the young singaporeans are talking about.
Again the PAP is going the very paternal/maternal route for toddlers and children. Eg to connect with my 4 year old son, I read him books he likes to read, I play games with him etc.
But I doubt the "young" they are targetting is that YOUNG!
As a parent you try lah. Your son go Zouk with his friends you go tag along, see what happens.
I thik with teens and young adults they just want you to hear their views and take them seriously. Perhaps take up their suggestions AND CREDIT them!
Not "I dance hip hop" so you 40 year old want to connect also dance hip hop!
Hi all,
yck: yes they do try don't they. Yes I agree that it remains to be seen how they will be received ( to put it mildly).
Anonymous 9.59: I wonder how they compare with the Black-eyed peas! hehe
Anon5.31:yes, I think they took PM's words of being "hip and happ'ning" really literally. I don't really expect my MP to really jump up and down to Nellie or Mizzy Elliot's music? What's next gangsta rap?
Post-65/ dr oz bloke:Yes they musn't forget that such publicity doesn't absolve them from looking to real issues and real problems facing real youths.
Yes sure. By dancing hip-hop it sure shows to the youths of S'pore that they are taken seriously! ( eyes-rolling! Ya sure!)
I can just hear all Singapore say after Chingay 2007 that our MP's are really serious people who share views of real S'poreans because they can do the "hip-hop"!
Dr.Huang
Seems all of us share the sentiment that they are somewhat misguided. I wonder if this could be attributed to mere coincidence or skewed readership of narrow-casting blogs. We shall see who is more out of touch with the ground.
BTW does anyone have any idea how the term Chingay came about? Some friends suggested that it has Hokkien origin as evident from the Hokkien reading of the Mandarin name 妆艺.
The Chingay Past site is not very helpful: "There is no historical record of how the word “Chingay” originated. But records show that as early as the 19th century, Chingay appeared in South East Asia, beginning in Penang. The word was coined from its phonetic Chinese equivalent, which means “a decorated float”."
not sure how serious they are in trying to connect with the people, especially the post 65. but the continuous ranting by the media ... newspaper, tv, radio is just a bit too much. even today, a bright sunny sunday, there are views written by columnist on them. simply overkill.
show me the result of how they tackle the unanswered issues raised during the ge and i will sit back and enjoy their dance.
For an oldie who started blogging to show my teenager son "Mom boleh", I must give some feedback to these clueless MPs.
There are some things you can, and some things you can't ...
While they are post-65ers, they aren't exactly young anymore. My son would be proud to discuss hip hop with me, even enjoy an MTV or 2 together but to try dancing hip hop at his school concert would definitely lead to disaster. He would prefer his mum to be "respectable" and not to be seen as the oldie bimbo or clown.
I think the same goes for these MPs.
PAP is sadly missing an "A" to be a good Papa.
Post a Comment