Article by Timothy Wan, Goh Jun Ming, Lucy Lauron
Storyblog by Euclea Tan, Verlyn Ku, Natalie Lem, Andrew Sutjipto
These have been trying times - from the Circuit Breaker back in April, to the strict social distancing measures that have since become commonplace. We constantly worry for the health and safety of our friends and family, while also being unable to see each other face-to-face.
While technology has allowed most of us to continue our social interactions - through means like Zoom calls, Telegram chats and the occasional game of skribbl.io - it’s still difficult to shake the feeling we remain alone and isolated in our homes, especially for those living alone. This is what this year’s Batch Project (BP) Dance project aims to address.
With the upcoming release of their encouragement video in August, we hope to explore the background of BP Dance, what it means to the dancers and how it can help us tide over this difficult period together.
Covid-19, Loneliness and Why it Sucks
This pandemic has taken its toll on different people in different ways. We asked some of the dancers how they, or people they knew, had been affected by the situation.
Some lamented the “cabin fever” that set in during the circuit breaker: feelings of loneliness, monotony, and lack of significant social interaction were common. Many were disappointed at having to cancel plans, especially after completing their A Levels. “I felt extremely lonely because we weren’t allowed to meet up with our friends physically,” wrote one student.
“I think we’re all gonna struggle to find a routine/sense of rhythm,” wrote Ryan, one of the freshman dancers, “our usual support networks have been cut, be it friends or religion.”
It is important to recognise that while safe distancing measures are necessary to prevent the further spread of the virus, these same measures also deny many people of the social support that they need.
“I think we’re all gonna struggle to find a routine/sense of rhythm,” wrote Ryan, one of the freshman dancers, “our usual support networks have been cut, be it friends or religion.”
The struggle is a pertinent one: providers of mental health support services, like the Singapore Counselling Centre (SCC), have seen an increase in clients seeking assistance since the outbreak began.
Meanwhile, others reflected on the toll taken on society as a whole: “I've read that [Circuit Breaker] is emotionally distressing for many adults, especially people whose employment are affected due to the economic downturn,” wrote Jie Ying, one of the BP seniors involved.
She added that groups such as lower income families, seniors lacking in financial support and migrant workers have been more adversely affected than most. According to the Ministry of Manpower, total employment contracted by over 25,000 in the first quarter alone; the sharpest drop since the SARS outbreak in 2003. As the number of community cases fluctuate, fears of family members falling ill and concerns over medical expenses remain prevalent in the minds of many.
These issues are serious and require major efforts from both the state and society to effectively combat it. For our part as students, we aim to find ways in which we can help our community in the small ways that we can through this Batch Project.
What is BP Dance?
How then, does BP Dance hope to help? Batch Project 2020 (BP) aims to foster bonds between the freshmen while giving back to the community. This year, the project is focusing on raising awareness about the struggles of individuals and families from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and BP Dance hopes to do so through two projects: the Dance and Donate Challenge and a dance compilation video.
During Scholaris, the freshmen learned a short dance to the song “Good Time” by Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City for the Dance and Donate Challenge! Using the hashtag, #USPayItForward, you can upload your dance to your Instagram story and even tag your friends to take part in the challenge too! You can also make donations to the cause via links shared through Telegram.
The dance compilation video features the freshmen dancing to various genres of dance, all taught by their seniors through online Zoom classes. It aims to inspire and uplift those who are currently struggling with the current pandemic as well as the general populace through dance.
How Dance Helps You and Those Around Us
Besides the physical benefits of improved aerobic fitness and muscle tone and strength, the intangible benefits of improving one’s emotional well-being is exigent. When we interviewed the dancers for BP Dance, a common sentiment they expressed was the spiritual vitality they felt through dance.
Other than learning the dance routine, sessions also consisted of warm-ups and physical training exercises to energetic music, led by the seniors. Beyond the sessions itself, the BP Dancers also bonded over games nights when they were available and chatted (before the 11pm cut-off, of course). Despite the fact that lessons were held online, they were still able to connect with each other and have fun! As one freshman dancer, Aaron, expressed, “[It was] a pity [that] we can’t all get together and dance physically."
The BP Dancers intend to share the passion and joy they felt through dancing with those who face loneliness because of the current pandemic. Studies have shown that simply watching dance movements can invoke memories and emotions to those watching it in relation to the emotion being portrayed. Likewise, the BP Dance hopes to make their viewers’ day brighter, even if just a little bit!
Yen Yi, the BP Dance director, expressed her hope that “Others will get to know the joy of dancing too and anyone can experience it no matter how skillful you are!”
The Dance Video
As the dance team continues work on their pieces, we decided to ask some members how they felt about the project as it gradually comes together:
“I'm really excited for people to see our dance, because a lot of hard work has gone into making it and because it was such a fun journey,” said Rhea, one of the BP Dance seniors.
“Dance has always been an integral part of BP and I think one part of us really wanted to continue with traditions and more importantly we saw how dance can be a great way to express oneself and even keep fit, and these benefits just make it so much more important in times like Covid-19.”
Many of the dancers expressed similar views, as everyone was able to enjoy the process together and gain a greater appreciation for the different styles of dance. Some even hoped that the videos would help motivate others staying at home to take up physical activities and remain active.
Since this year will be the first time the dances are posted online instead of being performed live, there is a level of uncertainty over how it will be received. One dancer expressed that some underprivileged individuals may not have reliable access to electronic devices or the internet to watch the videos, which may limit its reach to our target audience. However, the team remains optimistic despite the obstacles.
“Nothing beats a live performance with live reactions, so I honestly can’t be sure that this year’s dance video will have the same impact,” wrote Tasha, another dance senior.
“However, I believe it is possible. Given that we plan to share the video publicly, it may even reach a wider audience than last year's performance, and hopefully that means we will touch the hearts of more people who may need it.”
In conjunction with efforts from teams like BP’s Groundwork - which, among many other things, helps teach senior citizens how to use basic technologies like Whatsapp - we can remain hopeful that the dance videos will be accessible enough for everyone to enjoy.
Yen Yi astutely summarises the goals of BP’s Dance Team: “I think this year Dance still fits as an important aspect of BP as it still pulls freshmen together despite our sessions being moved online. The final goal of a compilation video also serves as encouragement to everyone as we aim to make it a video with messages to help everyone who is having it hard in this pandemic.”
You can look forward to the Dance Team’s videos as they aim to be released around the start of the coming semester! In the meantime, we hope that everyone can stay healthy and active during this period, and help to look out for one another so that we don’t feel alone. Take care and stay tuned!
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone; if you feel stressed, don’t be afraid to seek help. If you need someone to talk to, here are some groups you can contact:
Singapore Counselling Centre (SCC)
Hotline/Whatsapp: +65 6339 5411
National Care Hotline
Hotline: 6202-6868 / 1800-202-6868
Website: https://www.ccs.org.sg/care-hotline/
AWARE Counselling
Women’s Helpline: 1800-777-5555
References
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