Everyone seems to belong to a gym these days. And the fitness centers here are impressively equipped with state-of-the-art machines, competent trainers, clean facilities and long opening hours, making it easy for married-to-the-job types to squeeze in a quick workout whenever possible. But when jumping from one machine to another starts to get a tad monotonous (and believe us, it will), make time to try these fun new fitness classes.

Zumba Toning

This dancercize is a specialized spin-off from the Zumba Fitness group exercise (you know, that one involving high-octane dancing to Latin music). Basically, it’s dancing with macara sticks to very loud, heartpumping music. “Zumba has been picking up very rapidly in the fitness industry and was recently made available in many clubs here,” says California Fitness Group X instructor Daniel Ang. “It’s become very popular because it provides what many Singaporeans like—variety, and a good overall workout.”

What it does for you: Besides burning calories, you’ll also be working your chest, back, core and lower biceps. “If you go for classes as regularly as thrice a week, you’ll feel lighter and will notice changes to those hard-to-reach areas like your ‘love handles’,” Ang suggests.

What it’s like: It feels like an aerobics class. It’s a non-stop session with a lot of stepping, knee-raising and arm-pumping action, and you get just a threeminute break to mop your dripping sweat up and grab a swig of water.

Difficulty: 2/5. The moves are easy to follow, so unless you’ve got two left feet (even then you might still catch up), you’ll hardly find it intense.

Effectiveness: 3/5. There’s a boot camp element to the class, but with up to 80 people in the studio, it’s impossible for the instructor to make sure everyone does it right. Pack some self-motivation into your gym bag.

Try it if: Singing out loud to “The Ketchup Song” while shaking maraca sticks in the air is your idea of fun. No previous dance experience is required and the class caters to all fitness levels.

Where to try: All California Fitness outlets, including 14F Republic Plaza, 9 Raffles Place, 6534-0900. Complimentary trial classes are available.

Kranking

It’s like a spinning class, only Krankcycle’s pedals are where the handlebars should be. Designed by the same guy who brought you the Spinning indoor bicycle, Johnny G was inspired after trying a handicapped athlete’s homemade hand-cycle. Physique 360 is the first to bring this upper body cardio workout to our shores. Managing Director Caroline Teo holds it dear to her heart—she’s been looking for ways her handicapped niece can work out in a fun, upbeat way.

What it does for you: Works out your arms, shoulders, chest, back and core. It’s great for cross-training as you can rest your lower body muscles while still working on cardio. It also burns more calories and increases your metabolic rate as your body composition improves.

What it’s like: It’s cycling with your arms— either forward or reverse with one or both arms. With adjustable resistance, you can choose the easy road or krank up a steep terrain. You can choose to sit or stand and mix it up with lunges, splits and squats.

Difficulty: 4/5. It’s a hell of a lot tougher than it looks. Not only does your heart have to work harder to pump the same amount of blood through your arms as your legs (smaller blood vessels in the former give greater resistance), you also have to get used to the fact that one arm is weaker than the other, and it may take a few lessons before they both feel as strong as the other. This one definitely takes patience.

Effectiveness: 4/5. Most participants feel the difference in the balance of strength of their arms within a few sessions.

Try it if: You want an intense upper body workout or if your legs are still sore after yesterday’s run.

Where to try: Physique 360, #01-03/06 Alocassia Apartments, 383 Bukit Timah Rd., 6636-1300.

How long have you been playing the role of Buddy Holly?
Well, the first time I put on the big glasses and strapped on my Fender Strat was 1989! I was very young and had gone to an open audition for the part of the drummer in the stage show Buddy, which went on to become a worldwide hit. The director of the show took a long look at me and said, “Never mind about the drummer. Go and get a big pair of glasses and a guitar and come back for tomorrow’s audition.” I did and six months later, I was starring in London’s West End. I spent three years in the West End and toured Canada, Australia and Europe. Not bad for a drummer! After that I put the guitar down and spent the next few years working on other projects in film, TV and stage productions but I missed the buzz of playing Buddy’s music so when this opportunity popped up, I thought I’d e foolish to let it pass me by.

What was the first thing you did to prepare yourself for this role?
I went out and bought every album and all the video footage I could find relating to Buddy. I spent two weeks locked away in my flat going over and over every chord, every hiccup and I found that I had a lot to learn. I had to get it right. If you’re playing somebody who’s lived, it’s a very different approach to playing a fictional character. Buddy was a perfectionist in a time when the equipment he was recording with was very basic by today’s standards. Everything had to be done in one take and if there were any mistakes, you had to do it all over again. He pushed the recording boundaries as far as he could and was relentless in his pursuit of the right sound for his music. I believe Buddy was the first artiste to experiment with ‘overdubbing’ on his vocals.

What aspects did you find most challenging in terms of portraying Holly’s character and charisma?
Getting the accent right was tricky. He had a soft Texan twang that just seemed to sound like he was smiling the whole time. The people I’ve met who spent time with him never had a bad word to say about him so trying to maintain his good-natured approach to life was essential. Although I’m older now, I still approach the portrayal of Buddy Holly with the same respect I had for him the first time around. He was a great performer, a prolific composer for someone so young, and a very gifted musician.

What are some of Holly’s songs that have touched your life?
I wouldn’t say there was any particular song but there have been many occasions where I’d be out and about walking past a shop or driving late at night and his music starts playing. When I hear his songs, it still puts a smile on my face. It feels like I’m meeting up with an old friend.

What would you say is Holly’s trademark?
It’s got to be the Fender Strat guitar he always played, and of course, the big glasses. The story goes that Buddy was being told by managers he wouldn’t make it as a pop idol if he kept wearing glasses on stage. It didn’t look cool or sexy. Buddy’s response was to go out and buy the biggest glasses he could find and make a statement. “I wear glasses, so what?” It didn’t do him any harm. Apparently, John Lennon began wearing his own spectacles on stage after seeing Buddy on a TV show.

With Lewis, you had to portray something entirely different from Holly’s choirboy image? What were the challenges you faced?
When I took the offer to portray him, I was very naïve. I didn’t know enough about his life or his music and I was starting to think I’d made a huge mistake. For starters, I didn’t even play the piano. I could thump out a few chords but when I started to listen to the complexity and sheer genius of his playing, coupled with a lifestyle that was the blueprint for rock ‘n’ roll living, it began to dawn on me that I was way out of my depth! It took months of practice to get all the pieces in the right place and I realized I was never going to be able to copy him note for note but I got close!

What do you admire about Lewis?
His complete self-belief and extraordinarily natural musical talent.

If you could meet only one of them, which one would it be?
If I had the chance to meet Holly, I’d have insisted on playing a couple of songs with him. There are still a couple of his tricks I’ve never quite nailed on the guitar. I had the opportunity of meeting Jerry Lee a few years ago but I felt like I was being circled by a very big, hungry shark! He is a force of nature and you can’t help but be a bit tongue-tied and in awe of him. He’s the last surviving member of the original innovators of rock ‘n’ roll and I think many people in the rock industry realize that whatever they do, they’ll never top him for personality or longevity.

You’ll be playing a dual role in Buddy vs The Killer. What are the challenges like?
Physically, it’s going to wreck me so I’ll grab as much rest and relaxation as I can get between shows. Mentally, I dread to think! I’m playing an age range of 19-55. It’s going to test me beyond anything I’ve ever tried to achieve onstage. I may fall flat on my face but I hate the idea of letting the opportunity pass me by for fear of failure. Both these men were supremely self-determined pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll music so I’ll hang onto their coat tails and give it everything I’ve got! Hidayah Salamat

Be sure to catch Buddy vs The Killer on May 5-8, 5pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm at Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Rd., 6337-1886. $100-120 from Sistic.
 

You may or may not agree that K-pop is taking the world by psychedelic storm but it's everywhere and it looks like it's here to stay—for the next five years at least. Bringing this teenybopper-like phenomenon to the DJ console for the first time in Singapore, is the 23-year-old Brazilian DJ Carlos Brandão or DJ Masa as he's better known. 

A self-confessed Boa fanboy, DJ Masa kicked off the night at Dbl O on Apr 22 with creative mashups derived from K-pop's greatest hits from the likes of DBSK, SNSD, Big Bang, 2NE1, Super Junior and of course Boa, to a crowd that was running on some kind of potent adrenaline we'd really like to get our hands on. 

For two full hours, the club was perpetually pumped with kids free-styling and screaming themselves hoarse in response to bits of their favorite songs coming on but what set this night apart from any other in Singapore was the handful of enthusiastic and talented dancers mimicking music video choreography on the podiums provided. 

"In all my years of spinning, I've never had this kind of response," revealed resident DJ, DJ Timo. 

DJ MASA, who is known in Latin America as a pioneer of the K-pop nightlife scene, was admirably in tune with the crowd, throwing his own bits of dance choreography into his interaction for good measure. 

He ended the set with the mashup that propeled his stardom into Asia, "K-pop in a G6" and GD & T.O.P's "High High," leaving the crowd, well, pretty darn high.

Interview with DJ Masa

How did you enjoy your set? 

I was really wet throughout but I gave it my all. I really wanted everyone to get into the vibe. I don't know if I was being a little weird. 

Why did you end up venturing into K-pop?

When I first started making Asian music mashups, I had a really a good response from the K-pop fandom, who was really supportive and started sharing my works online. K-pop is really international. I have followers all over the world. K-pop was what made me important and recognized. And I'm sticking to it because it's the next big thing. 

When did you begin showing interest in K-pop? 

In 2005. I'm a big Boa fan. She was just coming back for her Girls on Top album and I felt like I had to show myself as a fan and that's where it all started. 

How do you make sure you reach out to everyone, considering K-pop is split into many fandoms? 

I like to create mashups from all kinds of songs, so that each mix represents as many fandoms as possible. 

Diplo shared his work with GD & T.O.P for the track "High High." Who would you most want to collaborate with? 

SM Entertainment is my favorite agency in K-pop so I'd really like to work with their artists. I would definitely start from lesser known artistes and not necessarily Boa because really, she's a superstar. Dongho from U-Kiss and I tweet each other quite a bit and his agency knows about my work and supports me. I'm not earning anything from them but right now, it's okay for me because it's my gift back to K-pop. 

What else can we expect from DJ Masa this year? 

I have been having issues with my work and haven't been able to travel for too long but for the second half of the year I'd really like to come back to Asia and all the other places that have invited me to spin. I really want to come back to Singapore though. I got so emotional after the party from the response that I got. I've also got a new mega mashup coming up. 

Korean heartthrob Jang Keun Suk not only starred in some of the more popular Korean dramas like You’re Beautiful  and Marry Me, Mary. He also runs his own entertainment company Tree J and is now working on releasing his debut Japanese album, with his MV for single “Let Me Cry” already raking up views on Youtube.

Maybe that is why hundreds of fans from all walks of life (granddads, whole families and squealing women from neighboring countries were among the excitable crowd) flooded the airport, Ritz Carlton (where the star was staying with his parents and entourage), Marina Square and the University Cultural Centre when Keun Suk was here for a whirlwind of promotional events. The man is not only beautiful (even by Korean standards), he is also multi-talented … or is he?

At the press conference for his highly-anticipated Cri Show (Cri meaning “critical” according to Keun Suk, which also translates into “genius” and “gorgeous,” apparently), it was mentioned that the actresses in Korea, known for their exceptional beauty, are a little hesitant about working with Jang Keun Suk because they think he’s much too pretty for them.

“I don’t think so. Korea has a lot of beautiful women and it really depends on the characters that we are portraying,” Keun Suk replied in a mixture of English and Korean.

Keun Suk also revealed that if he could only pick one thing to do out of his many talents (the man’s also known for his techtonik free-styling skills, with various videos on Youtube to prove it) for the rest of his career, it would definitely be acting.

“Acting has always been my dream. Even as a child, I studied entertainment from the view of an actor. Right now, my dream is to just be a good actor recognized in Asia and the world,” he said.

Good choice, we think, because the highlights of his full-house showcase at the University Cultural Centre theater on Apr 23 revolved just around his acting segments, where Keun Suk portrayed the roles of Hwang Tae Kyung (You’re Beautiful) and Kang Mu Gyeol (Marry Me, Mary). Singing songs like “Take Care, My Bus,” “My Precious” and “Hello” from the Marry Me, Mary soundtrack, Keun Suk definitely got the crowd going, and despite not knowing the full Hangul lyrics of each song, everyone was duly entertained. Keun Suk also dressed up for his roles and answered questions about them, throwing out tidbits like crowd-favorite lines along the way.

While we are fans of his acting, his singing left much to be desired. We were not sure if it was a technical glitch or if it was part of the original plan for the production crew to play his studio-recorded version of “My Precious,” but just as he was getting into the intro, Keun Suk paused, revealing that he’d been lip synching for a good ten seconds, and spent two to three minutes waiting for the instrumental version to come on. Clearly agitated, Keun Suk attempted to have a conversation with the audience (who by the way, was impressively game and supportive) to cover up the awkwardness. And we also wondered whether it was the venue’s sound system that made it difficult for him to hear himself on the earpiece or if he’s still got a lot of work to do on his voice, but Keun Suk was pitchy and out of tune for the most part of his singing showcase.

We were looking forward to his Lounge H segment the most—a little preview of the famed dance parties Keun Suk holds in Korea with Big Brother Kurt. Despite being egged on by the audience to show off his dancing skills, Keun Suk continued to prance about on stage for the whole 20-minute segment, urging the crowd to stand up and dance (in the miniscule space we had) while he himself, didn’t.

Besides a movie trivia game, which saw fans answering questions on his dramas to win prizes that were otherwise unavailable for sale in Singapore, there was barely a fan service, considering many spent $100-200 to interact with the star.

Maybe we should stick to watching him on the silver screen, where his breathtaking beauty and evocative acting are best appreciated. 

Is this your day job?
I have never really worked in my life. If you consider beatboxing a job, then yes, it’s been my job for the past seven years. I’ve been practicing it for 10 years. As they say, it’s not called a job if you’re doing what you love.

What are the reactions you get from people when you tell them what you do?
They are amazed, and ask me to beatbox for them. I oblige and show them what beatboxing really is and tell them it’s not a clown act but manipulation of a musical instrument we all are born with—it’s called the mouth.

What does it take to become a good beatboxer?
You need to have unwavering passion and hard work. I believe in practice more than talent and it is said that if you practice for 10 years straight and effectively, you will be a master at what you do. When I started off, I didn’t have the rhythm in my head but I practiced until I got better at it. So just keep practicing with the fire burning non-stop.

Do you meet many poseurs? What do you say to them?
I didn’t say much to the ones I’ve met. I think you should never have too much pride in yourself because it may bring you down, especially when you lack knowledge.

Who are some of the nastiest beatboxers you’ve ever seen?
That would be many. Beardyman from the UK does really sick live looping acts and Eklips from France is great at beatboxing hip hop. He has an awesome raw flavor. Reeps One from the UK specializes in basslines and dubstep. Really, really sick!

How do you plan on expanding your talent?
I want to be a producer and one hell of a great one! In the near future though, I’d like to perform a one to two-hour set in a club, just doing my own songs.

Find out more about Dharni and his upcoming gigs on his Facebook fan page http://on.fb.me/dharning.

Jawbone’s always been ahead of the game when it comes to mobile devices that look and feel undeniably cool. Their latest offering, the Jambox wireless speaker, is made of stainless steel but encased in industrial-weight molded rubber that comes in four colors—Blue Wave, Black Diamond, Grey Hex and Red Dot. As if its futuristic, über sophisticated design and sturdy form wasn’t enough to lure us to the shops, this versatile speaker system’s other main draws include its audio alerts, which provide battery life and caller ID information without you having to touch a thing. All you have to do is connect the Jambox to your phone or computer with Bluetooth and you’re all set. The next time you’re out driving with a date, make a call using this baby— totally impressive.

$328 from Courts, including Courts Megastore, 50 Tampines North Dr. 2, 1800-222-6868.