SALSA DANCE

I think salsa has taught me the lesson of responsibility. In break dance, you basically dance solo without having to think of anyone but yourself. But salsa ...” paused Alam as if he had gone into a deep reverie, “... salsa makes you think of the other person”.

Otherwise, the Muar, Johore, native who is the second of eight siblings, would most likely be found hanging out with fellow breakdancer and best friend, Ezhan Azman, 22.

“There is this place in Muar called Tanjung Emas, a favourite area for kite flying with the locals. There is a park and a river there with lots of trees and at a certain spot, you can see the whole town of Muar. This is where the both of us like to go and practice our dance moves,” revealed Alam of his “dating spot” with Ezhan.

And speaking of Muar would make him think of his family too.

“Coming from a family of eight makes us a noisy bunch indeed. Come meal-times, it looks like we are having a house party. Since I am based in Kuala Lumpur now, I do miss them very much and there are times when I would call my parents at 4am because I was feeling homesick,” said Alam.

Meanwhile, for the time being before fame truly catches up with him, you may also find Alam showing off his nifty moves in Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL, at the square in front of Maybank. This is a favourite spot for breakdancers and many are seen to congregate here on weekend nights to see who’s the best of the lot.

And without question, all that dancing will inadvertently make Alam look for food!

“I love fried drumsticks and I get them from KFC. Otherwise, I don’t mind a hot bowl of ‘sup gearbox’ (beef marrow soup). But what I really miss is my mum’s cooking. She makes great asam pedas dishes with ikan keli, ikan pari and ikan patin,” said Alam who was clearly drooling.

Lastly, Alam confessed that sleeping in on Sundays is also one of his favourite things to do. He has been known to wake up at 11am, only to go back to sleep again three hours later!

“I don’t see anything wrong with that as long as there is no work. At times like these, even a ringing phone will not wake me up as the ring tones will just be part of my dreams,” concluded Alam and while one may be mistaken but it does look like he is stilfing a yawn.

But sleep is the nurturer of life and here’s hoping that Alam will wake up to a fresh start to entertain us as the nation’s favourite dancer!

Hip-hop master coming to city

If you don’t think you’re hip enough to hip-hop, amble on over to the Watertown Fairgrounds YMCA for upcoming workshops. There, master hip-hop instructor Pat-y-o (real name: Patrick Otero) will guide you through the right moves during classes on Nov. 1 and 2. Hip-hop dancing is closely associated with rap music and with the style and fashions of black inner-city residents. Pat-y-o has 14 years of experience in directing, judging and stage-managing with Starbound National Dance Competition and more than 30 years of experience in dance overall. Besides his work in television, movies and sporting events, he is a co-instructor featured in the videos “Off Da Hook” and “Hip-Hop You Don’t Stop.” In August, he headlined the hip-hop master class for Dance Teacher/Dance Spirit Dance Convention in Manhattan. Shereen Daly, owner of In Motion School of Dance in Watertown, attended the conference and asked Pat-y-o if he could come to Watertown. He agreed, and the Fairgrounds YMCA decided to host the workshops. Tammie J. Miller, Fairgrounds YMCA director, said the hip-hop workshops fit in with the YMCA because the agency offers other dance classes. She added it’s also a way for the YMCA to promote the arts and to bring dancers and instructors at the area’s dance studios together. Mrs. Daly said the recent popularity of reality shows with dance themes on network television should create lots of interest for the hip-hop classes. Pat-y-o will offer one workshop a day to junior groups, ages 7-12, and to senior groups, ages 13 and up. “We’re hoping this is going to reach out to not only the dance studios, but to the schools,” said Mrs. Daly. According to answers.com, hip-hop dance originated in New York City among young Hispanic and black men during the late 1960s as part of the hip-hop culture of rap, scratch music and graffiti art. The technique essentially embraces the break-dance and body-popping dance styles.