I am starting to like BC40 more and more. Having watched the video yet again, I think this release is power-packed with heavy sounds. This release is NOT EASY. When I was doing it during the GFX workshop, I was super shagged out and I was half wondering if it was because I did too many classes. But now I realise the release by itself is tough!
Prior to the start, there was a clip showing the previous releases, some random ones from BC1 to BC20 from N&G days and as they showed little parts from BC21 to BC40 release by release, it brought back all those memories one by one. Those hours spent watching the releases, and seeing 'how far we've come'. It is almost unbelievable that I will have been doing BC for more than 5 years (as participant and instructor).
Some snippets of the new release
- Katy Perry's Hot n Cold for the lower warm up is catchy and fun.
- there was a shoutout for 'Singapore' by Hernan in T2.
- T3 music is wildly addictive and keeps on ringing in my head... sweetheart sweetheart...
- T4's timing is tricky (for instructors to cue)
- T6 is possibly the toughest ever T6. No way is this a recovery track.
- T7 the Muay Thai, u either love it or u hate it.
- The cooldown is just oh-so-beautiful.
And not forgetting one last thing. Dan & Rach asked clubs to video the BC40 launch and submit the entries. The best launch will get a prize... and the prize is D&R will fly all the way to the club to do a masterclass. How cool would that be!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
New Releases
During this trip to Auckland, I concentrated mainly on 4 programmes - BA, BB, BC and BJ. With the filmings and workshops all cramped into 2 days on Fri and Sat, it was physically impossible to attend all the classes. I chose to focus my energy and time on these 4 programmes because I like them better than the rest.
I reached Auckland only on Wed evening, so there was only 1 full day (Thu) to attend as many classes as I could and I obviously wanted to attend as many as possible before the official filmings, so I squeezed in 4.5 classes in one day. That nearly killed me cos I have not done classes for so long.
First up was Bodybalance and I was quite happy they did the rehearsal for BB46. Haven't really gotten into the feel of the music but one familiar song made it as the hamstring track. Leona Lewis' Run (cover of Snow Patrol's original) which was used in BB30 and it was also my examination track when I was trained in that release. 16 releases ago. Goodness, have I been trained in BB for 4 years already? The presenters were the same familiar faces - Jackie Mills, Dr Dave, Corey as well as Josef (who was a guest presenter in BC27 and BB32). The other track which stood out was Annie Lennox's classic 'Why' for the Hip Openers. Beautiful.
Right after was Bodyjam 50 rehearsal and the presenters were Gandalf, Rach (of BC), and Indonesian Fetty from our very own Asia Pacific! I remember the first time I saw her present at a quarterly workshop, I told everyone that I was very impressed with her, and I'm not surprised to see how far she's made it. I'm happy for her even though I didn't know her personally. I thought she did a good job too. I was pleasantly surprised cos I thought Gandalf would actually do the rehearsal only in the evening class rather than the afternoon class.
BJ50 has some Latin samba block (don't know what it's called) which I reckon is to coincide with the GFX Carnival 2009 theme which is Brazilian samba. Then there's the Cardio Funk (Shabam) block and Tribal House which just rocked. BTW... guess what, there's the evasive side kick in Bodyjam! I just couldn't miss the cheeky look Gandalf gave Rach when they did that part.
Next up was Bodypump international team-teach by some Australian instructors. I actually set up everything, but I pulled the plug after 2 tracks because I was really tired and my mind was partly on the afternoon/evening session where I would be going for 2 1/2 classes.
Went for lunch, casino, then back to the gym for 4:30pm BC. It was BC41 rehearsal for the final time. I was kinda glad I could still make it in time for the final rehearsal cos frankly it wasn't easy for me to take leave, let alone come earlier. Comments about BC41 - they're using quite a bit of new material - meaning latest hits on radio. Wonder if they had to pay a bomb for the licensing. There's Kelly Clarkson, Flo Rida, Beyonce, at least these are the songs I know, and there's even a remix of a famous Romanian song.
Well, it's two for the price of one - there's not been an ESK for the longest time, and now we get it twice (in 2 programmes) haha. I love the MT track, not those techno electro sounds but more of an alternative rock track which happens to be a genre I like. It's still too early to make a judgement call if I like the release or not because I've only done it once.
I stayed for half a class of Bodyjam but Gandalf and a team of several instructors. They did BJ49, in preparation for the workshop. While I liked the tracks, the class wasn't too enjoyable because it was in the small studio (just like BC earlier) and it was super cramped! Couldn't move much and couldn't see some of the footwork by the instructors. But it's alright cos I intended to do only half a class because I wanted to do BA.
So I went up to Studio One to do BA66 rehearsal with Lisa, Grant, Nathan and Bevan. The first 2 tracks are remixes of two US number one hits by Lady Gaga and Britney Spears, good start and when I got to the plyo track in T4, I nearly died with all the plyometric lunges and this being my 4th and 1/2 class. There was a remix of Miley Cyrus Fly On The Wall, really addictive. The running track is the same but different remix of BC's upper body warm up (that Romanian song), and it was extremely fun with the 'ha-ha' and hand waves. Cooldown - one of my favourites Jason Mraz's I'm Yours. After the class, I was totally exhausted.
Guess these little snippets are indication that LM is paying top dollar for music and recent hits, I reckon all these top hits don't come cheap. Well, I'm definitely enjoying it, but I do wish they don't recycle too much music if they are paying double for using the same song in a separate programme.
Anyway, to the filming proper, it was more or less the same feelings and thoughts which I experienced in the rehearsals, but there were a few interesting things to note.
BB - Out of the so many Singaporeans who went, only Joanna and I attended the filming.
BJ - Rach wore a little hat and looked hot. Dan actually did BJ and was quite near my standing spot. I was standing beside JW and hopefully out of video sight. Really got into the release and had a lot of fun. Was sweating profusely after that because they covered the windows with black cloth to block the lighting and the energy was so high inside the studio.
BA - Lisa mentioned that Grant had a huge part to play in the music/choreo of BA in this release, and will be part of the future of BA. Succession plan in place? But Grant's really good in BA anyway.
BC - Theme for this release - Backyard Brawl. Surprisingly, no guest presenter, but atmosphere was great. Couple of retakes due to technical fault. Everyone up for it.
After the filmings, it was the GFX workshops. In fact after Fri filmings, there was some sort of opening for the Brazilian themed Carnival which included a drag queen, some dance performance, Nike fashion show and LM clothing fashion show.
I was a little disappointed with the time management because the filmings had MASSIVE delays, yes it deserved CAPS, and it seems time after time they do not allocate sufficient time and there's always overruns.
The opening seemed to end abruptly and the next thing we knew it was BB45 workshop. I was still in my sweaty clothes right after BJ and wasn't in the right attire to attend BB. So I had to give that a miss.
Workshops for other programs were alright. For BC, the NZ instructors led us with BC40. My first take was it was a good release, but I still needed a few more tries to get the hang of it. The music didn't sink in instantly perhaps with the exception of a couple of tracks - Lower Body warm up 'Hot n Cold' and 'Tutti Frutti'. T4 was a blast for impact but the timing was extremely tricky. The immediate reaction of some of the Singaporeans was that they preferred BC40 to BC41. For myself, not so sure. I think I prefer BC41?
BJ49 was absolutely fantastic. It was the last prog to finish out the workshop and they turned off virtually all the lights so it really felt like it was at a dance club. Gandalf is really doing a great job with the direction for BJ. I actually like block choreography for BJ as compared to individual tracks.
After BJ, it was the ill-fated Carnival party which I didn't attend no thanks to my carelessness for forgetting my wristband, but it was overall very exciting. It was a blast! I am looking forward to going back again!
===========================================
Just adding this paragraph on BC40. After seeing the DVD for the new release, I must say that this release is actually quite good. I'm liking it more than my initial thoughts. Hopefully watching the videos a few more times will give me some new inspiration.
I reached Auckland only on Wed evening, so there was only 1 full day (Thu) to attend as many classes as I could and I obviously wanted to attend as many as possible before the official filmings, so I squeezed in 4.5 classes in one day. That nearly killed me cos I have not done classes for so long.
First up was Bodybalance and I was quite happy they did the rehearsal for BB46. Haven't really gotten into the feel of the music but one familiar song made it as the hamstring track. Leona Lewis' Run (cover of Snow Patrol's original) which was used in BB30 and it was also my examination track when I was trained in that release. 16 releases ago. Goodness, have I been trained in BB for 4 years already? The presenters were the same familiar faces - Jackie Mills, Dr Dave, Corey as well as Josef (who was a guest presenter in BC27 and BB32). The other track which stood out was Annie Lennox's classic 'Why' for the Hip Openers. Beautiful.
Right after was Bodyjam 50 rehearsal and the presenters were Gandalf, Rach (of BC), and Indonesian Fetty from our very own Asia Pacific! I remember the first time I saw her present at a quarterly workshop, I told everyone that I was very impressed with her, and I'm not surprised to see how far she's made it. I'm happy for her even though I didn't know her personally. I thought she did a good job too. I was pleasantly surprised cos I thought Gandalf would actually do the rehearsal only in the evening class rather than the afternoon class.
BJ50 has some Latin samba block (don't know what it's called) which I reckon is to coincide with the GFX Carnival 2009 theme which is Brazilian samba. Then there's the Cardio Funk (Shabam) block and Tribal House which just rocked. BTW... guess what, there's the evasive side kick in Bodyjam! I just couldn't miss the cheeky look Gandalf gave Rach when they did that part.
Next up was Bodypump international team-teach by some Australian instructors. I actually set up everything, but I pulled the plug after 2 tracks because I was really tired and my mind was partly on the afternoon/evening session where I would be going for 2 1/2 classes.
Went for lunch, casino, then back to the gym for 4:30pm BC. It was BC41 rehearsal for the final time. I was kinda glad I could still make it in time for the final rehearsal cos frankly it wasn't easy for me to take leave, let alone come earlier. Comments about BC41 - they're using quite a bit of new material - meaning latest hits on radio. Wonder if they had to pay a bomb for the licensing. There's Kelly Clarkson, Flo Rida, Beyonce, at least these are the songs I know, and there's even a remix of a famous Romanian song.
Well, it's two for the price of one - there's not been an ESK for the longest time, and now we get it twice (in 2 programmes) haha. I love the MT track, not those techno electro sounds but more of an alternative rock track which happens to be a genre I like. It's still too early to make a judgement call if I like the release or not because I've only done it once.
I stayed for half a class of Bodyjam but Gandalf and a team of several instructors. They did BJ49, in preparation for the workshop. While I liked the tracks, the class wasn't too enjoyable because it was in the small studio (just like BC earlier) and it was super cramped! Couldn't move much and couldn't see some of the footwork by the instructors. But it's alright cos I intended to do only half a class because I wanted to do BA.
So I went up to Studio One to do BA66 rehearsal with Lisa, Grant, Nathan and Bevan. The first 2 tracks are remixes of two US number one hits by Lady Gaga and Britney Spears, good start and when I got to the plyo track in T4, I nearly died with all the plyometric lunges and this being my 4th and 1/2 class. There was a remix of Miley Cyrus Fly On The Wall, really addictive. The running track is the same but different remix of BC's upper body warm up (that Romanian song), and it was extremely fun with the 'ha-ha' and hand waves. Cooldown - one of my favourites Jason Mraz's I'm Yours. After the class, I was totally exhausted.
Guess these little snippets are indication that LM is paying top dollar for music and recent hits, I reckon all these top hits don't come cheap. Well, I'm definitely enjoying it, but I do wish they don't recycle too much music if they are paying double for using the same song in a separate programme.
Anyway, to the filming proper, it was more or less the same feelings and thoughts which I experienced in the rehearsals, but there were a few interesting things to note.
BB - Out of the so many Singaporeans who went, only Joanna and I attended the filming.
BJ - Rach wore a little hat and looked hot. Dan actually did BJ and was quite near my standing spot. I was standing beside JW and hopefully out of video sight. Really got into the release and had a lot of fun. Was sweating profusely after that because they covered the windows with black cloth to block the lighting and the energy was so high inside the studio.
BA - Lisa mentioned that Grant had a huge part to play in the music/choreo of BA in this release, and will be part of the future of BA. Succession plan in place? But Grant's really good in BA anyway.
BC - Theme for this release - Backyard Brawl. Surprisingly, no guest presenter, but atmosphere was great. Couple of retakes due to technical fault. Everyone up for it.
After the filmings, it was the GFX workshops. In fact after Fri filmings, there was some sort of opening for the Brazilian themed Carnival which included a drag queen, some dance performance, Nike fashion show and LM clothing fashion show.
I was a little disappointed with the time management because the filmings had MASSIVE delays, yes it deserved CAPS, and it seems time after time they do not allocate sufficient time and there's always overruns.
The opening seemed to end abruptly and the next thing we knew it was BB45 workshop. I was still in my sweaty clothes right after BJ and wasn't in the right attire to attend BB. So I had to give that a miss.
Workshops for other programs were alright. For BC, the NZ instructors led us with BC40. My first take was it was a good release, but I still needed a few more tries to get the hang of it. The music didn't sink in instantly perhaps with the exception of a couple of tracks - Lower Body warm up 'Hot n Cold' and 'Tutti Frutti'. T4 was a blast for impact but the timing was extremely tricky. The immediate reaction of some of the Singaporeans was that they preferred BC40 to BC41. For myself, not so sure. I think I prefer BC41?
BJ49 was absolutely fantastic. It was the last prog to finish out the workshop and they turned off virtually all the lights so it really felt like it was at a dance club. Gandalf is really doing a great job with the direction for BJ. I actually like block choreography for BJ as compared to individual tracks.
After BJ, it was the ill-fated Carnival party which I didn't attend no thanks to my carelessness for forgetting my wristband, but it was overall very exciting. It was a blast! I am looking forward to going back again!
===========================================
Just adding this paragraph on BC40. After seeing the DVD for the new release, I must say that this release is actually quite good. I'm liking it more than my initial thoughts. Hopefully watching the videos a few more times will give me some new inspiration.
Back From Auckland
I'm back in Singapore! Landed this morning and I thought I better write something because I know once I get back to work, this entry won't come or it will only come 2 weeks later. It has been a good week in Auckland, I enjoyed myself there immensely (gym, casino, lotsa rest) and it's time to come home and face reality again.
While I was in Auckland, I did write many entries as drafts, preparing to post them here, but the more I read through them again, the more I thought I better leave these unadulterated entries out. Too much of my personal feelings and emotions attached to these entries.
Truth is, in this short period, there were many thoughts and reflections going through my head, I was thinking of many things and as they came, I just wrote them into my laptop.
This time round, there are much less pictures than before (if I intend to upload any in the first place). Few reasons - stricter controls by the filming staff this time, bad timing schedules which left everyone in a rush and with no time for pics and of cos laziness, there were several times I just left my camera in my bag. It would be unfair to say that I have lost enthusiasm because I still love attending filmings otherwise I wouldn't go all the way there again.
As I'm writing this, my thoughts are starting to drift as well. I think I'll leave the fitness part of my trip in a separate entry, so people who are only interested in the releases can read that, and they don't have to read all these gibberish here.
This time round, there was a little Singaporean contingent there. Total number of people from Singapore amounted to double digits. I'm not going to say who was there, just do some sleuthing around the internet and you will see pictures galore. And right before BC41 filming started, Rach even made a joke... "Singapore must be empty by now"
Given that this trip is not solely for filming but for my own vacation, I shall make some comments on the flight and hotel.
Flight - Took business class flight on SQ to Auckland, it was fantastic. The plane was quite empty in fact, only 6 of us in entire business cabin and lotsa more empty seats at the back, looks like economy is affecting travel? But the return flight was full! And I travelled economy on that so it paled in comparison after the wonderful flight experience there. On the way there, everything went so smoothly, I had a good sleep, I was one of the first to leave the plane, cleared immigration early, and my baggage came out almost instantly and I was on the cab to the hotel in no time at all.
Hotel - The hotel (Sky City) was a big disappointment. There was no broadband cable or remote control for the TV, and when I requested for them to be delivered to my room, the staff was exceptionally grumpy. When I called room service at 2am, no one picked up despite the fact it's 24 hrs. And I didn't call once, but three times in 5-10mins interval. Was absolutely famished and a hungry man is an angry man. The reason why I chose Sky City was because it's where the casino is at. My last 2 trips there I stayed at svc apartments replete with washing machines/dryers (especially important if you go gym alot), microwave oven, large fridge, etc, but somehow I didn't fancy walking all the way back after my late night casino trips with lotsa cash in my pocket. Heard from locals crime rates have picked up so I didn't feel secure.
Casino - I could write a long entry detailing my adventures in the casino, but I would bore you guys to death. Let's just say that I made this trip free again. I am quite happy to keep on visiting Auckland again because I seem to have some decent luck here. Unlike Macau... And also I attribute my winnings to discipline. Once I win and hit my desired target, I stop and consolidate my position. I know the winning streak is not going to go forever. And I stick to my own personal rules, never bring all my cash or a single ATM card to the casino, and quit the table once I lose 3 times in a row. So far the strategy has worked so I'm not going to stop.
Cost of living - Given that I was here twice last year, prices haven't really changed that much, given the recession I would have thought prices would fall but no they haven't. A taxi ride from airport to city costs me NZD70 (ridiculously expensive) but I got it back from the casino anyway. Meals about NZD10-15 per meal. The only thing is cos the portions are huge, I am ok to survive on 2 meals a day.
Les Mills gym - Sometimes I wonder if the locals realise how lucky they are because so much money is being pumped in into the gym on a global scale. Each time I come, I see more and more money being spent in the gym. The marketing images, posters, banners, they don't come cheap and you only have to admire how they could have made such a vast leap if they didn't have the funding. Just look at the recent DVD packs and anyone could tell the difference.
But what hasn't changed is the professionalism of many of the instructors I see. They take pride in their teaching and they keep their body fit. Exemplary role models and it's easy to see that this is the epicentre of fitness revolution. It was my pleasure to attend classes from their local instructors who were presenters in some of the releases).
I attended quite a few. Eg, BC from Grant (BA presenter but his BC technique was awesome), BA from Mark Sinclair (that man is a little scary and looks like he's capable of fitness torture), BJ twice with Chris (BJ presenter) and I enjoyed all the classes I attended.
I especially like Chris' BJ because I like his style, there's usually not much Latin/Samba music which I don't really appreciate, but more house/club music. Somehow the tracks that he played are all those that I liked! The highlight was doing the UF-Oh block on the first class and the Contemporary Rock on the second class. I love the Contemporary Rock block but no BJ instructor in Singapore seems to like that. They always keep doing the old stuff - pre Gandalf - which I don't exactly appreciate.
International fanatics - There was quite a sizeable Japanese contingent over there this time round, not surprising given the NZDJPY is at such a low now which means the japanese can stretch their yen much further. Got acquainted with a few Japanese who were not instructors but because they like the LM programs so much, they make an effort to go all the way there. Kudos to them.
Besides that, this filming is a little more packed than the last one because it coincides with the GFX, which is their quarterly workshop, which means we got to attend the new releases as well. So it's two for the price of one, BC41 filming and BC40 workshop and the list goes on...
And talking about two for the price of one, we also have the ESK back in BC41... and it's in BJ50 too! Will talk about that in the next entry.
Carnival - In conjunction with the GFX and filmings, there was a Carnival party going on. I made a huge boo-boo, after all the filming classes, I went back to my hotel deposited my bags and returned to the gym without my wristband. Wasn't allowed entry unless I pay the $30 entrance fee or I go back to the hotel to retrieve my wristband. So I just cut my losses and went back to the hotel where I had fun in the casino instead.
There you have it for now, I'm going to stop here and rest for a while before I post another entry about the releases. I'll add on more if I can remember.
While I was in Auckland, I did write many entries as drafts, preparing to post them here, but the more I read through them again, the more I thought I better leave these unadulterated entries out. Too much of my personal feelings and emotions attached to these entries.
Truth is, in this short period, there were many thoughts and reflections going through my head, I was thinking of many things and as they came, I just wrote them into my laptop.
This time round, there are much less pictures than before (if I intend to upload any in the first place). Few reasons - stricter controls by the filming staff this time, bad timing schedules which left everyone in a rush and with no time for pics and of cos laziness, there were several times I just left my camera in my bag. It would be unfair to say that I have lost enthusiasm because I still love attending filmings otherwise I wouldn't go all the way there again.
As I'm writing this, my thoughts are starting to drift as well. I think I'll leave the fitness part of my trip in a separate entry, so people who are only interested in the releases can read that, and they don't have to read all these gibberish here.
This time round, there was a little Singaporean contingent there. Total number of people from Singapore amounted to double digits. I'm not going to say who was there, just do some sleuthing around the internet and you will see pictures galore. And right before BC41 filming started, Rach even made a joke... "Singapore must be empty by now"
Given that this trip is not solely for filming but for my own vacation, I shall make some comments on the flight and hotel.
Flight - Took business class flight on SQ to Auckland, it was fantastic. The plane was quite empty in fact, only 6 of us in entire business cabin and lotsa more empty seats at the back, looks like economy is affecting travel? But the return flight was full! And I travelled economy on that so it paled in comparison after the wonderful flight experience there. On the way there, everything went so smoothly, I had a good sleep, I was one of the first to leave the plane, cleared immigration early, and my baggage came out almost instantly and I was on the cab to the hotel in no time at all.
Hotel - The hotel (Sky City) was a big disappointment. There was no broadband cable or remote control for the TV, and when I requested for them to be delivered to my room, the staff was exceptionally grumpy. When I called room service at 2am, no one picked up despite the fact it's 24 hrs. And I didn't call once, but three times in 5-10mins interval. Was absolutely famished and a hungry man is an angry man. The reason why I chose Sky City was because it's where the casino is at. My last 2 trips there I stayed at svc apartments replete with washing machines/dryers (especially important if you go gym alot), microwave oven, large fridge, etc, but somehow I didn't fancy walking all the way back after my late night casino trips with lotsa cash in my pocket. Heard from locals crime rates have picked up so I didn't feel secure.
Casino - I could write a long entry detailing my adventures in the casino, but I would bore you guys to death. Let's just say that I made this trip free again. I am quite happy to keep on visiting Auckland again because I seem to have some decent luck here. Unlike Macau... And also I attribute my winnings to discipline. Once I win and hit my desired target, I stop and consolidate my position. I know the winning streak is not going to go forever. And I stick to my own personal rules, never bring all my cash or a single ATM card to the casino, and quit the table once I lose 3 times in a row. So far the strategy has worked so I'm not going to stop.
Cost of living - Given that I was here twice last year, prices haven't really changed that much, given the recession I would have thought prices would fall but no they haven't. A taxi ride from airport to city costs me NZD70 (ridiculously expensive) but I got it back from the casino anyway. Meals about NZD10-15 per meal. The only thing is cos the portions are huge, I am ok to survive on 2 meals a day.
Les Mills gym - Sometimes I wonder if the locals realise how lucky they are because so much money is being pumped in into the gym on a global scale. Each time I come, I see more and more money being spent in the gym. The marketing images, posters, banners, they don't come cheap and you only have to admire how they could have made such a vast leap if they didn't have the funding. Just look at the recent DVD packs and anyone could tell the difference.
But what hasn't changed is the professionalism of many of the instructors I see. They take pride in their teaching and they keep their body fit. Exemplary role models and it's easy to see that this is the epicentre of fitness revolution. It was my pleasure to attend classes from their local instructors who were presenters in some of the releases).
I attended quite a few. Eg, BC from Grant (BA presenter but his BC technique was awesome), BA from Mark Sinclair (that man is a little scary and looks like he's capable of fitness torture), BJ twice with Chris (BJ presenter) and I enjoyed all the classes I attended.
I especially like Chris' BJ because I like his style, there's usually not much Latin/Samba music which I don't really appreciate, but more house/club music. Somehow the tracks that he played are all those that I liked! The highlight was doing the UF-Oh block on the first class and the Contemporary Rock on the second class. I love the Contemporary Rock block but no BJ instructor in Singapore seems to like that. They always keep doing the old stuff - pre Gandalf - which I don't exactly appreciate.
International fanatics - There was quite a sizeable Japanese contingent over there this time round, not surprising given the NZDJPY is at such a low now which means the japanese can stretch their yen much further. Got acquainted with a few Japanese who were not instructors but because they like the LM programs so much, they make an effort to go all the way there. Kudos to them.
Besides that, this filming is a little more packed than the last one because it coincides with the GFX, which is their quarterly workshop, which means we got to attend the new releases as well. So it's two for the price of one, BC41 filming and BC40 workshop and the list goes on...
And talking about two for the price of one, we also have the ESK back in BC41... and it's in BJ50 too! Will talk about that in the next entry.
Carnival - In conjunction with the GFX and filmings, there was a Carnival party going on. I made a huge boo-boo, after all the filming classes, I went back to my hotel deposited my bags and returned to the gym without my wristband. Wasn't allowed entry unless I pay the $30 entrance fee or I go back to the hotel to retrieve my wristband. So I just cut my losses and went back to the hotel where I had fun in the casino instead.
There you have it for now, I'm going to stop here and rest for a while before I post another entry about the releases. I'll add on more if I can remember.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
7 Days
Here I am again. No I haven't forgotten about this blog, it's just that I've been so busy that I haven't had time to write anything or post anything worthy of an update even though there's been lotsa things happening. What's new right... ZJ is either busy at work or stressed. True. True.
I've been following the comments on the previous post fervently, but sad to say, I have not indicated interest to conduct any special PH class on Labour Day... This is because one week from now, I'll be on a flight to Auckland! I am so looking forward to it and eagerly anticipating. Just one more week. Four more working days.
It could have been so different. Monday, my boss asked me into his office and asked if I could cancel my leave. I was momentarily stunned. It's not that I haven't done my work, there's always work to be done every single day, and we do find covers while we are away, but it's just that the team needs all the extra manpower right now.
There was a moment when I really wanted to be gung-ho and offer to cancel my leave but I reckoned that all the administrative hassle and the severe disappointment of missing this trip would be too much to bear.
While I do make the occasional grumble about working hours and stress, truth is to a certain extent I do like what I am doing now, and also at my age, I want to make as much moolah as possible so I can go for early retirement. And right now I do need a lot of moolah to be able to pursue my passion of LM and travel, so the best thing to do is to travel for LM purposes right? I honestly don't think I can be doing what I am doing now at the age of 40. I would be super drained by then. But times are really bad, and all our jobs are at peril now, so it would be most prudent not to play punk and stick out like a sore thumb.
And speaking of work, I realise I do have a great bunch of colleagues and I do treasure them. In fact coming back from a vacation from Bangkok over the Good Friday weekend really did us good. 11 of us spent a fantastic time there. We really recharged ourselves well - a couple of nice seafood dinners, meals at high class Thai restaurants for about S$40, massages, shopping, etc.
It was great, so much so that I wanted to go for the quarterly workshop in BKK in May again. Luckily I did not follow up on that, because the workshop date clashes with Mega Combat and also, I'll be doing the workshop/new releases in NZ anyway. A big DUH to myself for forgetting all these! Thanks to JW and WL for reminding me.
Now talking about workshops, I just received some 'spoilers' from an instructor in Australia who attended the Sydney FILEX workshop over the weekend. I AM SO DAMN JEALOUS! I got some snippets on BC and BB... and I can't wait.
Then there's my Europe trip in June. My mum is worried because they haven't filled the numbers for the trip departure to be confirmed. She's worried that we don't have ample time to make alternative arrangements and I've got to settle that before I depart for Auckland. Actually, I'm kinda neutral even if we don't go this time round. After BKK, I do feel recharged so I don't really need this NZ trip to recharge (but I still wanna go nevertheless), and I'm sure after I come back from NZ, I don't really need to go for a holiday so soon. What more, I'm paying for my whole family, so I'll probably get a refund for this trip hehehe... I'm looking at some shares to buy.
I just think there's so many things to do and so little time. I haven't even started preparing to pack for NZ yet. 7 days to clear everything.
I've been following the comments on the previous post fervently, but sad to say, I have not indicated interest to conduct any special PH class on Labour Day... This is because one week from now, I'll be on a flight to Auckland! I am so looking forward to it and eagerly anticipating. Just one more week. Four more working days.
It could have been so different. Monday, my boss asked me into his office and asked if I could cancel my leave. I was momentarily stunned. It's not that I haven't done my work, there's always work to be done every single day, and we do find covers while we are away, but it's just that the team needs all the extra manpower right now.
There was a moment when I really wanted to be gung-ho and offer to cancel my leave but I reckoned that all the administrative hassle and the severe disappointment of missing this trip would be too much to bear.
While I do make the occasional grumble about working hours and stress, truth is to a certain extent I do like what I am doing now, and also at my age, I want to make as much moolah as possible so I can go for early retirement. And right now I do need a lot of moolah to be able to pursue my passion of LM and travel, so the best thing to do is to travel for LM purposes right? I honestly don't think I can be doing what I am doing now at the age of 40. I would be super drained by then. But times are really bad, and all our jobs are at peril now, so it would be most prudent not to play punk and stick out like a sore thumb.
And speaking of work, I realise I do have a great bunch of colleagues and I do treasure them. In fact coming back from a vacation from Bangkok over the Good Friday weekend really did us good. 11 of us spent a fantastic time there. We really recharged ourselves well - a couple of nice seafood dinners, meals at high class Thai restaurants for about S$40, massages, shopping, etc.
It was great, so much so that I wanted to go for the quarterly workshop in BKK in May again. Luckily I did not follow up on that, because the workshop date clashes with Mega Combat and also, I'll be doing the workshop/new releases in NZ anyway. A big DUH to myself for forgetting all these! Thanks to JW and WL for reminding me.
Now talking about workshops, I just received some 'spoilers' from an instructor in Australia who attended the Sydney FILEX workshop over the weekend. I AM SO DAMN JEALOUS! I got some snippets on BC and BB... and I can't wait.
Then there's my Europe trip in June. My mum is worried because they haven't filled the numbers for the trip departure to be confirmed. She's worried that we don't have ample time to make alternative arrangements and I've got to settle that before I depart for Auckland. Actually, I'm kinda neutral even if we don't go this time round. After BKK, I do feel recharged so I don't really need this NZ trip to recharge (but I still wanna go nevertheless), and I'm sure after I come back from NZ, I don't really need to go for a holiday so soon. What more, I'm paying for my whole family, so I'll probably get a refund for this trip hehehe... I'm looking at some shares to buy.
I just think there's so many things to do and so little time. I haven't even started preparing to pack for NZ yet. 7 days to clear everything.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Good Friday
Thanks to everyone who came along and made the 2 hour class full of energy and fun. I enjoyed myself tremendously.
Enjoy your long weekend!
Enjoy your long weekend!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
I Wish
I finally got my breather today, thanks to a 2-day course which I was slated to attend. It was nice not to look at markets for a while, nice not to do any work or touch my PC and looking at the list of to-dos.
A few of us team-mates are suffering from exhaustion and burnout. My colleague B always says that we need to get out every 2-3months to refocus. And this time we really need this little getaway to recharge. I've already made my intention clear... No shopping for me, but I will be joining for group meals.
Thanks to the course, which ended at 5pm, I finally had the chance to re-live what it feels like to 'knock off' at 5pm. I deposited my barang barang at STC gym and instead of hitting the machines straight, I actually took a walk around the shopping area, not to buy anything, but just to absorb the mood... feels shiok.
Went back to the gym to attend 1830 Bodyjam by Rhomeiny and then 1930 Step II by Jonathan. I was extremely exhausted after the back-to-back classes. Wonder if age has caught up with me. Didn't used to feel tired after 2 classes last time.
Somehow I think my body has become too conditioned with BC already. Even when I conduct a class or two over the weekends, I don't feel this sort of tiredness. I really do need to attend some other classes to inject some variety in my exercise and to shock my system for a while.
I really do think it's a vicious cycle. I'm tired and lethargic from work, so I don't exercise. When I don't exercise, my fitness drops and I start feeling more lethargic. Truth is, I really do need to allocate some time for a jog or start hitting some weights. But it really is very difficult to carry myself to the gym at about 8-9pm. That's when you see fellow gym-goers all showered up and ready to have dinner.
Today's course was one of those management courses... where they talk about effective lifestyle habits, and needless to say, time management is one of them. I really think I need to manage my time better. There are too many things to do, and too little time.
I have so little time for myself to sort out my thoughts.
A few of us team-mates are suffering from exhaustion and burnout. My colleague B always says that we need to get out every 2-3months to refocus. And this time we really need this little getaway to recharge. I've already made my intention clear... No shopping for me, but I will be joining for group meals.
Thanks to the course, which ended at 5pm, I finally had the chance to re-live what it feels like to 'knock off' at 5pm. I deposited my barang barang at STC gym and instead of hitting the machines straight, I actually took a walk around the shopping area, not to buy anything, but just to absorb the mood... feels shiok.
Went back to the gym to attend 1830 Bodyjam by Rhomeiny and then 1930 Step II by Jonathan. I was extremely exhausted after the back-to-back classes. Wonder if age has caught up with me. Didn't used to feel tired after 2 classes last time.
Somehow I think my body has become too conditioned with BC already. Even when I conduct a class or two over the weekends, I don't feel this sort of tiredness. I really do need to attend some other classes to inject some variety in my exercise and to shock my system for a while.
I really do think it's a vicious cycle. I'm tired and lethargic from work, so I don't exercise. When I don't exercise, my fitness drops and I start feeling more lethargic. Truth is, I really do need to allocate some time for a jog or start hitting some weights. But it really is very difficult to carry myself to the gym at about 8-9pm. That's when you see fellow gym-goers all showered up and ready to have dinner.
Today's course was one of those management courses... where they talk about effective lifestyle habits, and needless to say, time management is one of them. I really think I need to manage my time better. There are too many things to do, and too little time.
I have so little time for myself to sort out my thoughts.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
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?
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?
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