The waltz, swing, cha-cha and rumba have been around for eons, but we’ve recently seen a new dance trend: Exotic dance. There are a growing number of studios and classes offering exotic dance in town, including lap dance and pole dancing. And it’s not just for the extra adventurous—every day gals are using exotic dance not only to spice up their lives but also as a form of cardio exercise. We ditched our modesty at the door of an exotic dance class and found out what all the fuss is about.

What’s Up

Exotic dance is a form of dance that encourages the dancer to shed his or her inhibitions, and can be performed with or without props (like chairs and poles). The idea is to inspire confidence. Julina Halim, 31, instructor and business director at thebodytalks dance school says, “It’s about bringing out each individual’s personality. Movements are specially designed and choreographed to help a woman exude her confidence and style.”

In Singapore, the majority of the students who sign up for these classes are women and classes are structured with women in mind. According to Firhana Alsagoff, 31, director and instructor of dance studio Groove, exotic dance particularly encourages women to express their sensuality through the moves. “Exotic dance is different from other sensual dances like the tango, as the lady gets to be in control of her body; she’s the one who is in charge and takes the lead.”

But classes are not full of sexual deviants. Joy Leng, founder and artistic director of SensUal Joy Lifestyle Studio categorizes learners of exotic dance into three groups. “People choose to dance for different reasons. Some come to learn something for themselves, as a hobby, and to build self-confidence in performance. Others want to learn a trick or two for their partners, and lap dancing is very popular in these instances. The last group of learners pick up dance moves to show them off on the dance floor.”

Increasing Your Heartrate

Exotic dance is not only about exploring one’s sexuality. For many participants, it provides a great way to shed the kilos as well, as we found when we tried an MTV Exotic routine at SensUal Joy Lifestyle Studio. Working your booty not only gets the heart pumping, but stretches the muscles too. Salim elaborates, “In exotic dance, we start off with exercises that tone the core muscles to get the body warmed up. We then work on body isolation, which engages the smaller, inner muscles that we may not usually engage in our everyday movement. This includes the shoulders, rib cage, upper and lower abdomen and back. All the work you put in is great for increasing flexibility and toning."

For instance pole dancing can be a hard physical workout. Alsagoff explains, “Pole-work requires a high level of discipline. You will find that it’s more than a sensual dance, but a really difficult form of exercise.” “The pole works on the abdomen, chest, the biceps and triceps as you are using your own body weight as resistance,” Salim explains. “It takes a lot of strength and control to be able to execute the movements with grace. You must be able to hoist yourself up in the first place!”

Leng points out that people who do exotic dance typically get “weird looks” from others, who think that they are of a “certain inclination.” But many students chose exotic dance for reasons as routine as variety and a chance to tap into their creative potential. Lori Chew, 26, a business manager who takes lessons at Groove says, “People usually tend to associate exotic dance with something erotic and somewhat sleazy, but it really is something fun and I look at it as something positive and liberating.”

Her fellow classmate Lavin Goh, 39, senior business development manager, adds, “I wanted more diversity in my fitness program besides aerobics and strength building.” Events coordinator Anne Jakobsen, 42, who does a wide variety of sports from ball games to ballet and jazz ballet also states: “Exotic dance is no different because it presents physical and mental challenges. It is also about finding your sexual identity and adding more creativity to your sexual life.”

Boys Toys

Although exotic dance classes are mainly frequented by women at the moment, the men are beginning to take an interest as well. “We do get a fair number of phone calls from guys who are interested in taking classes. There has been much talk about offering exotic dance for men,” Alsagoff points out, “Perhaps we should remove the stereotype that the role to entertain or be sexy is not solely limited to women. Exotic dancing for men is definitely something worth considering.”

For the boys who are dying to get it on, couples classes are a good way to get into the groove and stop feeling shy. “Couples classes are offered to those who want to try something new, and they usually go through lap dance routines with us. They have a lot of fun, and there is usually a lot of laughter, but letting go is really the whole point,” says Leng.

So for a change to the mundane workout routine, to explore your hidden desires or just for a few laughs, exotic dance might be the perfect solution. Just leave your inhibitions at the door.

So You Think You Can Dance?

Not getting enough action? Want to impress your latest date? Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to a pole dance sequence—the “spinner”—to free your inner sex bomb.

Step 1: Grab pole at a spot above your head with your right hand. Take four steps around the pole, starting with the inner foot.

Step 2: On the fifth step (that should be on the inner foot), lift your left leg up parallel to the ground and point.

Step 3: Spring up and bring your left arm in and grab the pole with your left hand while hooking your left ankle around the pole simultaneously. Quickly kick your right leg up, parallel to the ground, bent away from the pole.

Step 4: You will start twisting down the pole. Be graceful!

Step 5: Land softly and remember to give your most sexy pout and find those bedroom eyes.

Now in Singapore after his Taiwan exhibition, he brings a series of figures and polariod images as a part of his exhibition. We talk to him about what he portrays in his works.

Your works look very anime driven. Where do you draw your influences from?
Influences come from real people; friends and family.

Your SUITMAN character was inspired by the alienation you felt as an Asian-American in New York and later in Tokyo due to culture differences. What does the suit mean and how does this symbol work?
SUITMAN is not inspired by alienation but through the experience of living outside my own culture. So I have perspectives of two cultures, and have extended these to SUITMAN. He makes the best of both cultures and builds his own world wherever he goes, which makes him at home everywhere.

Do you think you will be able to find someplace where you fit in?
It’s not actual physical place that we are looking for, but a state of mind. We (SUITMAN and I) have already found our place and are living it.

When audiences interact with your work by taking photographs of themselves SUITMAN style, there is a certain understanding and bonding between artist and audience. Does that undermine the theme of alienation in any way?
It’s not about alienation. SUITMAN conveys a message to everyone and that is to “be yourself.” It’s about celebrating individualism and finding yourself.

What sets you apart from other artists?
I don’t know… maybe I don’t consider myself an artist? I just like to have fun and am not affiliated with strong political statements or any cultural movements.

Tell us about your experiences exhibiting here in Asia, in Hong Kong and Taiwan before coming to Singapore. How have people reacted to your work?
We have received great responses in every city we have been in, including Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Paris, and New York. When we prepare for a show, we approach it as if we’re planning for a dinner party. We want people to come and enjoy and be part of the event.

Who would you like to work with someday?
Anyone who wants to be part of SUITMAN’s world.

As we delve into Singapore’s contemporary arts scene, we also take a look at the galleries which showcase interesting exhibitions from newer artists. These forward-looking favorites are warmly received by the art community for their dedication to spreading art knowledge and appreciation. If you’ve been passing these places by, it’s time to step inside and see what they’re up to.

Our local contemporary arts scene took a catalytic leap back in 1986 with the establishment of the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore (LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, 90 Goodman Rd., 6344-4300). Its Earl Lu Gallery (as it was called then) boasts more than 100,000 regular visitors per year and curates exhibitions from local, regional and international artists. Hop in for a peek at its current exhibition, The Second Dance Song: New Contemporaries, which runs till the end of October. Featuring Singapore’s emerging contemporary artists, the exhibition explores cultural re-appropriation and is one of the venues for the first ever Singapore Biennale.

Utterly Art (208 South Bridge Rd., 6226-2605), founded in 2001 by Kenneth Tan and Pwee Kheng Hock, provides about 1,200 square feet of exhibition space fot contemporary local and Southeast Asian artists. “We also provide information on the collectability and value of various regional artists for would-be collectors who are interested in art but are unsure of how to get started,” says Managing Partner Pwee Keng Hock. So bear that in mind when you hop over for Fish Fond—A Silent Violence by contemporary Filipino artist Fernando Escora, which runs from Sep 7-17 and Landscapes by Singaporean Jason Wee, which happens Sep 21-Oct 1.

In a similar vein, Director of Art Seasons (The Box, 5 Gemmill Lane, 6221-1800) Terry Lee, believes that Singapore has a very young art market, and support is necessary for younger artists to thrive here. He elaborates, “We try to have at least one Singaporean show every year, and we’ve been putting up the annual exhibition Made In Singapore (now showing), where we invite many young artists, many of whom have just graduated from the art academies, to display their work,” he adds. “We give them the space for all forms for visual art—painting, photography, video and special installations.”

Providing a platform for cultural expression, the SG Private Banking Gallery (2/F, 1 Sarkies Rd., 6737-8422) Alliance Française de Singapour attracts the general public, collectors and individuals involved in the arts. According to its Executive Director Pierre-Emmanuel Jacob, “[The gallery’s] goal is to function as a bridge for different artistic expressions from the various cultures not only from Asia, but internationally as well, to create dialogue among artists and their audiences.” Getting involved with all art genres, the gallery brings in everything and anything from paintings and sculptures to photography, installations and videos to performance art. This 11-year-old gallery continues to engage and exhibit the works of forward-thinking regional and local artists, including Malaysian-born painter Sandra Lee and Singaporean sculptor Tan Wee Lit, whose works along with French photographer Hermance Triay are lined up for the exhibition FABLE happening Sep 1-15.

As a leader in the growing demand for multi-cultural and contemporary Southeast Asian artworks in the region, TAKSU Singapore (#03-80, 43 Work Loft @ Chip Bee, Jalan Merah Saga, 6476-4788) encourages an exchange of ideas among artists in terms of styles, creativity and ideas. With galleries in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, the works displayed are always interesting, like painter Om Mee Ai’s work on geometric abstraction (Sep 7-21), and other artists like France’s Agathe de Bailliencourt and Malaysia’s Eric Chan.

Supporting every aspect of visual arts, BLOCK43 Studio Gallery (#03-80, 43 Work Loft @ Chip Bee, Jalan Merah Saga, 6471-1359) provides an alternative education program for children and adults, for a wide range of interests and skill levels. “We give support, and advice, on how to exhibit and survive, as a practicing artist,” explains Founder and artist James Holdsworth. “We work as an independent gallery, to provide an affordable exhibition space, and sponsor as many exhibitions as possible.” Past exhibitions held at BLOCK43 include Access Indonesia earlier this year, which showcased works from a variety of mediums and styles reflecting Indonesian traditions and changing cultures and Access Hanoi which showcased the hottest new Vietnamese artists.

Spanning nearly three months across 19 venues around town, the first ever Singapore Biennale is as wide-ranging as it is anticipated. With 95 artists and collectives from 38 countries participating, and with more than 195 different artworks in the line-up, this is a dream come true for many arts enthusiasts.

Choosing to hold so many diverse contemporary artworks in so many different locations in Singapore is a way for the Biennale team—comprising Artistic Director Fumio Nanjo, and his curators Eugene Tan, Roger McDonald and Sharmini Pereira—to bring art closer to Singaporeans. “This is the first time a biennale’s happening here, so we really wanted it to be different,” says Nanjo. “Spread across various venues, it should cater to regular Singaporeans who are not too familiar with contemporary art, as well as more seasoned travelers and visitors who have already been to many Biennales.”

Based on the theme of “Belief,” various religious venues, such as the Saint Joseph’s Church and Sri Krishnan Temple, alongside main venues City Hall and Tanglin Camp, have been identified as some of the major sites. I-S brings you a quick lowdown on what not to miss at the Biennale, highlights some of our favorite artists’ works and where you can find them.

The Main Event

City Hall

The bulk of the action is centered at City Hall, in the old Supreme Court building. “Loudspeaker” by Sri Lankan Muhanned Cader is a charcoal drawing installation reflecting Orwellian concerns of liberation and power, and is explored via a motif of the loudspeaker. These surreal images will stir your imagination with their abstract associations.

South Korean born Joonho Jeon presents two digital animations here too, “In God We Trust” and “The White House.” Juxtaposing strong visual images with words, he explores the issue of faith in an ironic tone using simple situations to magnify deeper meanings in contemporary society.

In her mixed media installation “secret, interiors: chrysalis (19-22),” talented local newcomer Donna Ong delves into the Judge’s Chambers to fashion personas and fantastical pieces of imagination. Delve into the creations of a scientist, a flying enthusiast and a budding musician.

Born in Argentina and now living in Milwaukee, Santiago Cucullu contributes “Airplane Blankets” to the City Hall exhibition space. This public art project highlights what matters in maintaining a delicate social fabric. The materials used, as well as his depiction of Chinese, Tamil and English phrases, work together to express the themes of fragmentation and cynicism.

In “Sulu Stories,” Malaysian Yee I-Lann’s photographs capture her negotiations with identity as a Malaysian in the Philippines. Images of the land, sea and sky add up to a bigger picture of the southwestern sea town, presenting its myths, people and politics in arresting visuals.

Tanglin Camp

Art can be presented anywhere and army camps are no exception, as is apparent in the numerous pieces of work lined up here. Keep an eye out for Vyacheslav Akhunov’s “Grain for Canary.” A founder of Uzbekistan’s contemporary arts scene and a rebel against Soviet art orthodoxy in the past, his multimedia installation forces audiences to face tussles between money and thought, flesh and soul, and the compromise of goodness over modern values.

Singapore-based French artist Agathe de Bailliencourt also takes over one of the rooms at Tanglin Camp to create the wall painting installation “Occupation Bleue.” Exploring an artist’s reaction and relation to the environment, this work boasts abstract and spontaneous designs and intrusive techniques.

Singaporeans George Chua, Alwyn Lim and Yuen Chee Wai put their diverse creative talents together to create their mixed media installation “The fog is rising.” Using sound and found objects, social and human relations are explored in this piece, highlighting the nature of interaction between artist and audience, while focusing on issues such as isolation and fear.

Indie Spirituality

Armenian Church of Saint Gregory

The electrical installation by Ashok Sukumaran is the only work presented at this national monument. “Everything is Contestable” gets you thinking about the complications involved in public lighting and electricity, and what better place to do it than here, the first building in Singapore to be furnished with electricity. You can control the lighting for the church via a switch at the gates and another switch across the street. Sounds like fun already.

Church of Saints Peter and Paul

Hiroshi Sugimoto’s “In Praise of Shadows” is a series of black and white lithographic prints. With a candle as the motif, Sugimoto traces the process of its flame from the time it is lit till it burns out. Get philosophical on temporality, moments of stillness, life and death when you check out this work.

Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple
Chinese artist Xu Bing combines linguistic creativity with art in “Prayer Carpet,” a woven carpet installation. Based on one of his renowned pieces, “Square Word Calligraphy,” Xu transforms words in the Roman alphabet into square, Chinese-like characters.

Maghain Aboth Synagogue

Get a glimpse of Spanish artist Jaume Plensa’s sculptural work “Even Shetia (Foundation Stone),” which features a three-meter high stone placed in front of the synagogue. Plensa has embedded a searchlight, pointing toward the night sky. The intense light projected suggests the spirituality and transcendence of faith.

Masjid Sultan

Influenced by her background in mathematics and science, Arabian Ebtisam Abdul Aziz explores the relation between art and science in her mixed media installation “Ten Triangles.” Precise in its application of color, line and shape, this work employs an arithmetic system in the way triangles are presented. This should be mind-boggling for both mathematicians and non-mathematicians.

Sri Krishnan Temple

N.S. Harsha raises the issue of sleep as a basic need and as the state in which each person lies in quiet solitude. Titled “Cosmic Orphans,” this painting installation covers the surface of the temple’s rooftop above the inner sanctum and the floor surrounding the tower. You will also encounter “Ladder to Heaven” by Yayoi Kusama here, a fiber-optic cable with mirrors, expressing an intense vision of heaven and passage into the next world.

The Rest of the Best

Sculpture Square

With elements of Pop Art, Minimalism and traditional Eastern and Western styles, Liu Jianhua’s presents broken Chinese celadon wares in “Dream,” and arranges the pieces into the shape of a space-shuttle. Comprising about 6,000 objects, viewers can recognize familiar shapes which were once whole pieces reminiscent of ambitious projects.

National Museum

Swedes Mats Bigert and Lars Bergstroem contribute The Last Supper, a documentary film depicting the tradition of giving condemned death-row convicts their last meal the night before doomsday. Brian Price, a former death-row chef in the US, reconstructs one of the 200 last suppers that was requested at Huntsville State Prison in Texas. Walk around to find “Tom Na H-iu” by Mariko Mori, an installation inspired by ancient primal visions related to nature. Made of special glass and containing a computer-controlled LED light source, the futuristic sculpture glows and changes color according to neutrinos that are detected in the air.

Singapore Management University

Come here for the paper architectural installation by architect Shigeru Ban. Aptly titled “Paper House,” the work functions as the information center for journalists gathered here for the Biennale. Constructed with paper tubes, this ephemeral architecture will last for three months before being recycled into a heap at the end.

National Library

For anyone who is interested in the nature, possibility and limits of knowledge, Wilfredo Prieto’s installation “Biblioteca Blanca (White Library)” will be a good one to catch. The artist constructs a library complete with tables and chairs besides shelves full of ivory covers.

Orchard Road

This interactive installation by Chinese artist Jin Shan, located near the Singapore Visitors Centre, sees a traditional pavilion as the main focus, in which familiar items such as toys and digi-gadgets will dangle from the roof top. Audiences are free to explore the inside of the pavilion and jump on a trampoline to grab any of the items. “In the Game Outside the Game” attempts to portray the materialistic nature of the modern world and the objects people desire.

Block 79, Indus Road

South Korean Nahkee Sung intrigues with “Passage,” a painting installation of abstract expressionistic works. Catch her free-hand diagrammatics which bear semblance to digital soundscapes.

VivoCity

Visitors to the new large-scale mall will bump into creative pieces lined up at just about any corner. A 10-meter tall rocket sculpture, “GoGo” by Marc Ruygrok, is located right in front of the shopping center. Another similarly huge sculpture, “Snowman” by German art group Inges Idee, is a 13-meter tall, thin and urbanized Frosty (he wears a blue bowler hat). Also check out “There” by Henk Visch on the third floor, a kinetic, motor-driven human figure which hangs from the bar and is made from fiberglass.

Now 27, the star of the recent Wim Wenders film Don’t Come Knocking adds “writer” and “director” to her portfolio, and is still as grounded as ever. This spunky actress was also a political activist in her younger years, having volunteered for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty and the anti-nuclear group Canadian Peace Alliance in between delivering sandwiches to street kids in winter and losing two back teeth in a riot. She takes some time off in between projects for an exclusive with I-S.

What is your current state of mind?
Happy!

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a writer and a political activist.

What is your biggest achievement?
My marriage (to film editor David Wharnsby).

What inspires you?
Lakes in the north of Ontario. People who stand up for what they believe in even when it’s very unpopular.

What personal trait do you appreciate the most in others?
Self-awareness.

Do you have a cause or do you support one?
Public funding for the arts, public healthcare, and an end to the occupation(s) in the Middle East.

Which living person do you admire most and would like to invite for dinner?
Renowned urban theorist Jane Jacobs.

What are you reading?
Beloved by Toni Morrisson. I don’t know if I like it though.

How do you spend your Sunday mornings?
Reading the paper, sitting on my porch and talking to my neighbors.

What is your idea of hell?
Finding that I have become a hypocrite.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Cooking shows.

How do you recharge?
Going up north in Ontario and swimming in the lakes.

What’s playing in your iPod/MP3/CD player?
Jason Collett, an amazing indie Canadian singer.

What do you collect?
Tea cups.

Where would you like to live?
Right where I live in downtown Toronto.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
Jeans.

What accessory sets you apart?
A small gold necklace that my brother gave me when I was 13. It has the symbols for love, charity and faith on it.

If you had to play a character in a movie, which movie and which character?
Orlando (played by Tilda Swinton) in Orlando.

What did you believe at 18 that you wish you still believed now?
This is a GREAT question. That people really knew themselves.

Downward dog, chaturanga, triangle pose—the names of different yoga poses are difficult enough to remember, let alone the differences between different types of yoga. Most of us find a teacher and class schedule we like and stick to it, without really knowing much about the form of yoga we are signing up for. I-S looks beyond yoga’s mysterious Sanskrit names, and finds out what’s unique about each form of yoga.

What is Hatha Yoga?

Here in Singapore, the form of yoga that most people are familiar with is hatha. Hatha is one of the four ancient branches of yoga, the other three being jnana, raja and bhakti. Each of these four branches is seen as a means to enlightenment—the original purpose of the practice of yoga. In very basic terms, jnana yoga emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge, raja yoga involves meditation techniques to strengthen the mind, and bhakti yoga deals with prayer. Hatha in Sanskrit means “sun-moon,” representing the union of body and mind in yoga, and is practiced for both physical and mental health.

A common misconception about hatha yoga is that people think it is different from other styles that are popular here, such as ashtanga, vinyasa, iyengar and Bikram. Many yoga studios misleadingly give workshops and classes these names as if they are different schools of yoga. In fact, hatha is the overarching category of yoga, and these other various yoga styles are subsets of hatha.

What about Bikram and Hot Yoga?

The number of yoga styles offered these days has also increased with the introduction of Bikram yoga and hot yoga, both also forms of hatha. Bikram yoga originated in the 1970s and was developed by Bikram Choudhury from Calcatta. Diane Lee, director of and instructor from Bikram Yoga, elaborates, “He had a deteriorating knee condition and was looking for a solution as doctors were suggesting he amputate. A yoga practitioner himself, he came up with a series of 26 postures under his teacher, Vishnu Gosh’s guidance. It was after he practised this series that his leg healed.”

An interesting point about Bikram Yoga is it is practiced in a room heated to 40 degrees Celsius. Each session lasts 90 minutes and the heat encourages cardiovascular activity which opens up the body with each posture, allowing a person to be more flexible when stretching. Lee also points out, “Some postures can be challenging, and the extreme physical demands require concentration, especially in a heated room. The body is allowed to perspire and detox in that manner. A practitioner will burn from 450 to 600 calories per session.” Bikram Yoga (#02-14 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6339-6639) is the only yoga studio in Singapore to be authorized by the Bikram Yoga College of India in the US.

Director and instructor Jeanne Chung from Yogaffinity (2/F, 157A Telok Ayer St., 6223-8254), a hot yoga studio, adds, “The heat in a hot yoga studio will definitely encourage detoxification. We heat our hot yoga studios here to 38 degrees Celsius, and the practice takes on a Zen quality as students are forced to focus on the poses and their states of mind, particularly when they execute balancing postures. The heat allows deeper stretching and counterbalances the airconditioning we’re so used to in this humidity.”

What are Iyengar and Viniyoga?

According to Don Peers, an instructor at COMO Shambhala Urban Escape (#06-05 Forum The Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Rd., 6735-2163), “Iyengar yoga is concerned with the proper alignment of the body. Props such as bricks, ropes and elastic bands will be used if necessary to hold the body in the correct posture. Students who are working on their flexibility will be able to attain a suitable variation with the help of those props.” The physical postures, or asanas, have different effects on meridian lines in the body. Together with the breath, or prana, each pose will align a person’s energy in a specific way as well as control the flow of energy in the body.

Peers also sheds light on viniyoga, a yoga therapy which rebuilds a person strength and muscles after an injury. “Props are also used in this case, and you move from pose to pose slowly. The focus here is on structural alignment.”

And Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga?

A vigorous and physically demanding style of yoga is ashtanga. Comprising different series of postures in increasing difficulty, it is very aerobic with 64 fixed postures in the primary series alone. Peers elaborates on this traditional yoga style: “It is a dynamic form of yoga which encourages perspiration and raises your heart rate to between 80 and 100 beats per minute. In a synchrony of movement and breath, the body moves through a flow of poses which require the practitioner to concentrate by focusing on ‘gaze points’ or drishtis. Ashtanga is essentially an internal practice for a subtler mind.”

Instructors Paula and Shyam from Pure Yoga (Tower A, #18-00 Ngee Ann City, 319 Orchard Rd., 6733-8863) agree. “An outstanding characteristic of ashtanga is its traditional sequencing. The various series, ranging from primary and intermediate to advanced, are taught according to the skills of the students. Also, the ujjayi breath, created at the back of the throat to mimic the sounds of sea waves, is used throughout the practice, as it allows postures to be held longer and aids in concentration and peace of mind. It also builds up internal heat, allowing the body to perspire and detox.”

Pure vinyasa yoga, however, does not consist of fixed postures, but a random set of postures put together by the instructor. These sessions also focus on the “flow” of movement, sometimes with jumps as practitioners move in and out of postures.

If you have come across the term “ashtanga vinyasa” and are confused, let us set things straight. This term simply refers to ashtanga yoga. The term “vinyasa” highlights the dynamic nature of ashtanga yoga. Paula and Shyam point out, “‘Vinyasa’ means ‘flow,’ and practitioners are required to coordinate poses with the breath in ashtanga, as you have to inhale or exhale accordingly as you move to the postures.”

Now that you know what your favorite form of yoga is about, you can be more aware of what exactly it is you are meant to be achieving, whether it’s perfect body alignment, cardiovascular strength or detoxification. If you’ve been sticking to one school of yoga, perhaps it’s time to explore the benefits of other types of yoga.

What’s your philosophy when it comes to music?
It must be from the heart, music is all about moving the soul.

Who can sing a cappella?
Those with a good ear and who understand voice, and are willing to learn and practice. A reasonable flair for dance and an awareness of stage are also beneficial.

Why do singers look like they have a potato in their mouth?
That’s the classical singing training. The mouth has to produce resonating sounds with proper vowels and pronunciation, and it’s also to train people to lift the uvula.

Describe a typical day in your life.
I’m free to do concert management in the mornings, and I teach performance techniques before three in the afternoon. Late afternoons are dedicated to training choirs in primary and secondary schools. I do yoga in the evening if I find the time.

What’s your favorite song?
M-Pact’s version of Caroling Caroling. It’s a Christmas song.

Which is the most interesting person or group that you have worked with?
I train Peranakan Voices, the choir wing of the Peranakan Association. The choir sings in Baba Malay, as the Peranakan language has to be featured in their repertoire. We’re composing original works for them right now.

What’s the weirdest thing someone has done during training?
It’s nothing too weird, but I’m particular about how someone presents himself or herself on stage. Holes in shirts and semi-transparent pants are not my cup of tea.

Can you sing upside down?
Sure. Underwater singing might also work, but then you get blurred bubbling sounds. And you might have trouble breathing.

Would you branch out to opera?
Maybe, although I might get kicked in the butt for it.

Who sets your musical standards?
Michelle Poh, a good friend of mine who’s a full-time singer and who also conducts school choirs. She’s a musician with ideals, pays attention to details, and has an avid dedication in what she does—which makes her an amazing musician and gifted teacher.

What sorts of lessons do you like your students to bring home with them?
I tell them that adults are not perfect people, and that I learn from them as much as they do from me.