During the time of the Circuit Breaker when movement was restricted and when most could not see their friends or even their family members and when the nation was fighting to contain a pandemic, ‘hope’’ became more than a verb: it became a value, an emotion, a state of being.
Here, you will find a generosity of spirit is displayed by the students who chose this theme. The students were hopeful not only for themselves but for those around them: they hoped for the well being of the front line staff who were battling the pandemic, they hoped for the safety of their friends and of those around them and they hoped for a time when all could be together again.
Hope Gallery
This Hope Gallery features two rooms: nine pieces of caricature and four pieces of manga works in the first room and 11 pieces of doodles in the other. These demonstrate the different hopes of the youths. The works were created by over 90 students from 16 schools.
Hip Hop Dance :
I Don’t Care
Ang Mo Kio Hip Hop Dance Crew
Music: ‘I Don’t Care’ by Ed Sheeran ft. Justin Bieber
About Ang Mo Kio Dance Crew: Aidil, Aril, Fatanah, Haikal, Hidaya, Irfan, Poorini, Sahira, Shazia, and Sufri
The pupils from Ang Mo Kio Primary School who participated in #Engage2.0 are from different levels, ranging from Primary 1 to Primary 6, and they also include both girls and boys. All of them have no prior hip hop dance lessons and experiences but from their feedback and performances, they have enjoyed the dance sessions and the peer interaction very much. Says Shahirah: “I hope that our video encourages people to stay clean so that we can stop the virus from spreading!” Says Sufri: “I hope our video will make people stay home so that they don’t get the virus and stop the domino effect by social distancing. I want people to remember to do the right thing so we can all play outside again!”
Hip Hop Dance :
Mashup of Intention and Fight Song
Originals Crew from Whitley Secondary School
Music: Mashup of Intention by Justin Bieber and Fight Song by Rachel Platten
About Originals Crew: ‘Asyirah, Charlotte, Nadhirah, Renee, Qaisarah, and Sekay
“We are a bunch of TikTokers who experience fun and happiness through dance. This is a shout-out to the frontliners who have worked hard to keep everyone safe. Our intention is to bring joy and make you smile. We hope that this will become your fight song as we battle on together.”
K-pop Dance : Save Me
Star Team
Music: Save Me by BTS
About Star Team: Standley Ashvin, Zhi Xuan, and Hong Yu
“We love dancing and we want to use our dance to bring out a meaningful message that everyone should stay hopeful especially during this pandemic period. There are times when we will feel upset and lost but don’t forget that you have friends and family around you to give you a helping hand! Reach toward the light and you will be fine!”
Vocals : Flashlight
A Vocalist from Yuhua Secondary School
Music: Flashlight by Jessie J
About the soloist from Yuhua Secondary School: My Yen
Seizing the opportunity to improve herself during the Circuit Breaker, My Yen signed up for #ENGAGE 2.0 to work on her vocals. When asked about her experience with #Engage2.0, My Yen said: “I had a lot of fun at the workshop. The instructor was engaging and I learnt many new techniques that I did not know previously. If possible, I would like to join another similar workshop!”
Says My Yen: “I chose to perform the song “Flashlight” because it symbolizes hope. The lyrics resonate with me as they bring to mind the difficult times I went through when my mother passed away. During those darkest moments, my friends and teachers became my “flashlight” as they helped me to move on from all the bad experiences, cheered me up and guided me towards a future I could look forward to. I am aware that there are many others like me who are going through tough times during the Covid-19 pandemic, and I would like to encourage them by singing this song of hope for them.”