Attending Classes

I always find it amusing when I attend other instructors' classes and members start asking me questions like 'how come you're here?', 'i didn't know you come for class', 'i didn't know you do this class', etc. Do people usually presume that instructors don't attend other instructors classes? No true leh.

This afternoon, I attended Jo's class at STC and had a few such questions. Hey, I love attending classes too! Only those really really old birds would know that I was a regular for Jo's class a few years back before I became an instructor. Used to either do Min Chao's BB downstairs or Martin's Multi-Step before BC (previously 4:15pm timeslot). Been through the period when Esther took over the class for a while before Jo came back.

Back in those days, I had as much fun as everyone else and was shouting as much from my regular spot beside the window overlooking the gym. Nowadays I don't shout because I try to preserve my voice for my own classes. When I was in uni all the way to my first job when I was clocking 5:30pm days, I had the luxury of time to attend many classes every week. A typical week would consist of 6 BC, 3-4 BP, 3 BB and 1 freestyle step class. No cycle cos I tried a few classes but it didn't quite work for me. I'm sure some of you hardcore fanatics can absolutely relate to the schedule that I just mentioned.

After I became an instructor, I was conducting 5 classes a week, and instructing is definitely more tiring than just doing, so I cut down on many of the classes except for 1 or 2 BB a week, which ultimately got reduced to a big fat zero. What really disappointed me was the BB classes being removed from the schedule as more and more yoga classes were added on. (Sorry, but yoga doesn't do it for me, not the way BB does). A well-respected yoga instructor once told me that Singaporeans mindset of yoga is so wrong - they are obsessed with achieving certain poses when it's about training the mind. I really get in touch with my thoughts in BB, which is why I love it so much.

Due to my work schedule now, I'm on 2 classes a week (going to be 3 from this month onwards) after giving up my weekday classes, but its definitely a far cry from what I was used to doing. Judging from that, one shouldn't be too surprised to see me at the studio attending other classes! I definitely need those extra workouts.

There is a huge difference between attending classes and conducting classes. As an instructor, it's not about me, but about the crowd. I have to do it for the class, I have to bring up the energy, I have to talk and give verbal cues and pre-cues. As a participant, it's all about me. It's my own workout to achieve. I complete each set of choreo as they come along, and you will never see me performing pre-cues because I will respect the instructor who is conducting the class.

Even in the good old days, I never stuck to one instructor. I like to expose myself to different styles, presentations and interpretations (this for me is the most important because I realise all instructors interpret tracks differently). And going for different instructors meant that I get to experience different tracks because there are some instructors who prefer to stick with the same playlist for the entire week. And instructors typically will have their favs and no-nos, so if you stick to the same one, you'll miss out on a lot.

The only time when instructors' interpretation of the track is the same is when they undergo the same training, where the trainer delivers his/her interpretation and it gets carried across. Once we are cleared, we're on our own. We get our DVDs, we learn the music and moves ourselves and we add in certain performances on our own. This makes each track unique under a different instructor. And we have to adapt what we say to a local context. I don't think many people will understand what I'm trying to say if I copy wholesale from the DVD and say phrases such as 'like grasshopper on rice paper, leave no footprints!'.

Out of the 5-6 BC classes that I attended, there were different personalities and styles brought across from the various instructors - CUTESY, TECHNICAL, FUN, TOUGH, RELAXED. The different styles I was exposed to made me understand why some instructors don't do certain tracks - it's because some tracks just don't fit their style! Just like there are songs which doesn't fit my style and will be recycled less... not telling which ones though...

During today classes, Jo did a few of her trademarks. One of which being BC07's Jump (the jump jab cross with the wild swing of the arms). Her personality is totally suited for this track, and honestly I think she presents this the best our of everyone. I would say she 'owns' this track. I love doing the track, I did it in a couple of my classes but it's just not me. I just can't bring out the 'fun' essence in this track as much as Jo does.

Then there was 'Field of Dreams' from BC23. This was the first ever BC track that I fell totally in love with. I do like many BC tracks, but this was the first one which really made me look forward to doing it in each class. I just simply could not get tired of this track. Just doing this track brought back many memories when I would shout 'ENERGY' together with my little Combat gang, but unfortunately the gang has disintegrated as some of us have moved on (from PF/TF) and I have made the transition to teaching. When I am teaching that track, it's a totally different feeling altogether so I do love all these memories. Very Cancerian of me.

Just recently, I had dinner with J, one of my ex-Combat gang and we just talked about the good old days. There was so much to savour and so many good memories. They linger deep within because these are memories of fun and laughter. A few years ago, who would have thought that I would venture here and take this path, 'chasing the dream' and doing crazy things on stage and going all the way to NZ for filmings? All for a part-time hobby?