Schools got their groovy up in dance showdown at Dance4Fun, a friendly inter-faculty dance competition organised yearly to mark the end of orientation week. We heard competition's tough this year and here're the winners if you missed this event:

3rd: School of Design and Environment

2nd: School of Humanities

1st: Engineering with Business Management (EBM) course

I managed to catch up with choreographers from EBM - Long Siang and Max, who's team spent just eight days practising their winning number!

Q: It took just eight days? Wow!

Long Siang & Max: We tried a new approach to nailing the choreography this year. As dancers, you gotta get the basics down. So we pushed everyone to their limits and trained everyone like dance professionals. We're both from the Hip Hop Club so having some dance background helps!

Q: How did you guys think the other schools did?

M: This year’s competition was really tough and the other schools were very strong. Each school had their own strengths and it was very hard to judge. The School of Engineering hardly gets to be top three so this was totally unexpected for us. We did our best and it definitely paid off! It feels awesome!

Also, check out the moves the other schools brought to the competition:

Text: Bryan Woo
Photos: Sara Jane

I couldn't think of a title for this post, so I scrolled through my iTunes to look for some well-needed inspiration.

Then this song "Do It Now, Remember It Later" by the band Sleeping With Sirens started to play, and it goes: "now that I'm older I've seen all the things that I want and I'm ready to make my move". Those words there pretty much summed up the way I felt when I wrote this post about my adventures here in Ngee Ann.

And sharing with you here - the most memorable moments that I'll always remember:

My first camp at NP!

I was cast as an extra in the indie short film " Band of Mischief" by final-year Film, Sound & Video students. This film later went on to claim several awards in film festivals.

Scarefest 2010, a Halloween movement organized by stage production CCA - Stage52. It was my first Halloween and I dressed up as Pocahontas. Some of us spent hours making our characters as convincing as possible, it was effort well spent as I had so much fun!

Parading around the school in our costumes.

My CCA - New Revolving Age (NRA), hiphop dance club. This was our first performance as Freshman.

Overseas Leadership Camp in Malacca. It was a really fun trip as there was so much to see in Malacca. The hidden streets were the most enjoyable discoveries.

In 2011, I joined the Freshmen Camp 2011/12 as one of the crew members.

My first opportunity of being a Student Leader for the School of Media Studies' Freshmen Bonding Camp. You're looking at us proudly singing our 'National Anthem'.

Yes, I can do a split! Warming up for Dance4Fund, an inter-faculty dance competition.

At Camp Eleven, with the fellow Muslim girls, for our morning exercise! 

Another Stage52 Movement. This time it's a theatrical one and I was a dancer in a cabaret musical called The Guilty Ones. A big thank you to our Aunty Make Up Artist for doing our makeup! 

This is us.

Another year of the Freshmen Orientation Camp.

Here, with the people of NRA, after participating in a flash mob for nEbO's 4th birthday at Downtown East, Pasir Ris. It was quite an experience to be dancing in public to the hit song Party Rock by LMFAO. 

My coursemates.

The NRA's Freshmen Camp with an interesting theme - "Bubble Tea". It came about because almost everyone brings Bubble Tea to dance class!

Again, I had the opportunity of being a Group Leader for my group. They're an adorable bunch of dancers.

A 30-minute fish spa for US$1 in Cambodia. This tickles! I remember dipping my feet into the giant tank, laughing and crying when the fishes came nibbling at my feet (and this supposedly removes dead skin). My skin did feel smoother afterwards, so it wasn't too bad! Thank you fishies!

Star-jumping in Cambodia's Angkor Wat. For US$20, you get to visit this World Heritage Site.

Together with some NRA dancers that supported and performed for The Carnival Act, the closing event for Arts Fiesta 2011, a movement by Ngee Ann, in conjuction with the President's Challenge 2011. In total, we raised about $140,000! Good job everyone!

Yet again, another opportunity to become a Student Leader for Red Camp 8.

Learning new hiphop dance steps.

With good friend, Mardiana. We go a long way back in terms of our friendship! I first met her in a Freshmen Orientation Camp, and we've been really good friends since. I'm very thankful to have met her.

Well friends, thank you so much for reading this. Unfortunately, this would be my last post and I hope you've enjoyed reading my entries. And I'm ending off with a quote from the movie "Up":

Adventure is out there, so chase your dreams. I'm on my way chasing mine. 

You've probably seen him as a driver for our daily morning shuttle buses to Ngee Ann Poly. The question though: who exactly is this Michael Jackson look-alike? 

When I first got an invite to his Facebook fanpage (set up by our lovely students), I was intrigued by his striking similarity to the real King of Pop.

The Facebook Fanpage

Shanjey Nair, 41, a part time Service Representative for SMRT Buses, is a true MJ fanatic. I met up with him recently to and trust me, it was all worth it as the man we met truly emulated MJ down to a tee. 

He came along with his daughter, carrying outfits he had wanted to share with us. If you think the resemblance to MJ is uncanny in the photos, you'll have to meet him in real life. He donned a black outfit that bore "CTE" in yellow on red shoulder pads, and a red armband with a yellow star.

CTE= Children of The Earth

Star symbol, symbolising MJ's message of saving children around the world

Shanjey grew up listening to MJ's music since he was 10 and knows the lyrics to every single MJ song. Though in the process, this MJ fanatic's dress sense has faced with opposition from his family, religious restrictions, and subjected to the public's ruthless scrutiny.

Passersby would stop and ask for a photo of him, but Shanjey has had his fair share of naysayers who would make fun of him. He once recalled somebody doing a feminine parody of MJ which made him upset.

Shanjey, explaining which MJ look he has adapted.

To maintain his Motown MJ hairdo, he keeps his own hair trimming devices at home, to save costs. 

Check out the two outfits that he's brought along:

This outfit replicated the one MJ made famous during the "This Is It" tour.

 The crystals on it? Austria-imported Swarovski crystals!

My friend who tagged along, was the first person Shanjey's ever allowed to wear his outfits! Feeling honoured, she went on to strike a MJ pose!

"This is how you do it"

This outfit, is a blue version of the CTE outfit he wore.

And of course, an MJ look isn't complete without the famous sequined socks. 

MJ's outfit with a buckle sans belt - a detail Shanjey took into account when creating this outfit!

A statuette of MJ that Shanjey has at home.

Shanjey's daughter, KMJ Kasturi, has also caught on to the MJ fever. She recently bagged the champion title at Okto's One Minute of Fame with her awesome MJ impersonation. It all started a few days after MJ's passing when KMJ asked to learn MJ's dance moves because she could not bear to see her father feeling so down.

Shanjey was really glad that he did his part to ensure a part of MJ's legacy continued with his daughter.

Shanjey did everything he could to perfect KMJ's performance. In order to staying true to MJ's performances, he even bought sound editing software and edited songs to the way it was performed during MJ's live concerts. They were perfected with apt explosions and special effects. And doing all of it with no prior knowledge of sound editing!

And as KMJ's manager, he made sure designs of costumes she wore were exact. "These designs were Michael Jackson's and we have no right to change it". He ended up spending $600 on the outfit that she wore for the competition that he sometimes had doubts of winning beause they were up against contestants who're performing solid and current dance routines or songs. 

Check out the 45 degree gravity lean. WOW!

With the support of 20 - 28 of her friends and family among the audience, her performance of Smooth Criminal clinched her the first prize! Since then, they've been invited to perform at shows and have become quite famous in the local media. They were once invited to perform with Aznil Nawawi, a Malaysian celebrity well known for his quirky and entertaining talkshow, Macam Macam Aznil. 

Aznil and KMJ, the mini MJ extraordinaire. 

Picking out a pair of shoes for an MJ outfit

Shanjey decided to make our last few moments together memorable by showing us some of his dance moves:

Check out the silver Tornado Stripe at the sides of his pants.

Dance, dance, dance. 

Just like a real superstar, Shanjey has his own fanbase as well. 

In the true spirit of MJ, Shanjey does his part to make the world a better place too. Every year, MJ fans in Singapore would gather to perform as part of fund raising initiatives for the Singapore Children's Society and cancer patients in Singapore. He would bring his daughter with him to town sometimes for his performances.

Shanjey gave both Ika and me a surprise with souvenirs! We're frankly humbled by his generosity. :')

MJ may have been dancing with the angels in heaven for a few years now but his spirit still lives back on Earth. I'd like to express my sincerest gratitude to Shanjey, who took time to share his passion with us!

ADIOS! 

Photo credits: Chua Hanbin

It is one thing to spend your life behind your computer and television screens watching a peculiar yet brilliant star's rise to fame, and a completely different thing to experience the brilliance live in concert. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I am one of Lady Gaga's devoted Little Monsters(her affectionate name for her loyal fans). 

After Singtel announced that Lady Gaga will be in town for her Born This Way showcase, my heart bursted at the seems, nervous and excited all the same. Nervous, due to the very fact that only 2000 people will be admitted into the showcase and that the tickets had to be earned, and will not be available for sales.  I have already missed her during her first two visits here and in the course of waiting, she has gone on a completely new level of recognition. Thus, my conquest to earn Gaga karma points began, participating in everything Lady Gaga related, in hoping that the universe would kindly reward me with tickets to the showcase. True enough, I won myself two tickets through Singtel's Little Monsters Go Gaga competition. 

Photo credit: SuperAdrianMe.Com

A still from my 1 minute Judas dance performance. Check out my D.I.Y Poker Face mask. 

The day finally came on the 7th of July, along with some of my close friends from Ngee Ann, we made our way to Marina Bay Sands Convention Hall, only to find that there are already so many people ahead of us. 

Here are some photos of us, while waiting for our entry into that coveted space for 2000. 

I adopted her hairstyle from during her 'The Fame' era coupled with the eye makeup from the Judas music video.

Joey and Matthias, both students from the School of Film & Media Studies, all decked out in eyeliner and black lipstick.

On the left is Chua Hanbin. He is a Year 2 student in the Diploma in Business in Information Technology. He was our photographer for that night. 

Channeling our inner superstars right before we were allowed into the hall. 

Our hearts became one with the other Little Monsters even before the showcase began. While waiting patiently, the fans decided to chant her songs to hype themselves up. After about half an hour of waiting, the doors were open and we were allowed into the Expo Hall. We had to wait some more, while Micheal Jackson songs were being played. That half an hour wait was probably one of my most nerve wrecking moments ever.

We got excited at the mere movements of the curtain, sights of vaguely feminine shadows as well as the occasional appearances by a middle aged Caucasian man. I bet the man(most probably the Stage Manager) felt like a complete superstar during his brief appearances. There was finally progress when The Muttons came out to hype the crowd further and in a matter of moments, the curtain dropped to reveal a woman's silhouette in a red lantern. This was no ordinary shadow, it was Lady Gaga's! 

The crowd roared in exhilaration. I, was gasping for air. She looked so beautiful in person! 

She started off with Born This Way, before before taking us back to the past with her first single, Just Dance. She sounded different live (in a very good way!), making her own melodious modifications to the way the songs were originally sung. She maintained interaction with the audience by integrating simple hand movements into her choreography as well as frequently asking them to jump with her. 

Little Monsters, with their signature "Paws Up". Could you spot me? I was four rows away from the stage!

After going for an outfit change after performing Alejandro, she came back in a dress, heading straight to her piano. She pressed a few keys, and chatted with the audience, sharing with them her insecurity. "People always say nice things to me, but I have only been around for 2 and a half years". She continued her succession of notes, before belting out one of her latest singles, Hair. 

Lady Gaga, tearing up, halfway through the second bridge of the song. 

It felt so surreal to be able to see Lady Gaga shed tears on stage. Hair, is an anthem about being free to express who you are. She was very touched by the fact that even though the single was out only three weeks ago, we had all learnt the words to it and meant every word of it. "Thank you for learning all the words in just three weeks, you crazy kids". 

She moved on with You and I, before performing her hit singles like Telephone, Bad Romance and of course, her latest, Edge of Glory. She headed out to backstage one more time before hitting us with her most controversial single, Judas. 

Judas was the crowd's favourite! I could feel the floor shaking underneath me, no kidding. 

She was elevated into the air at the end of Judas, leaving us wanting even more. 

It was only after everyone on stage got into a line and gave a bow, that the harsh reality of it all being a showcase hit us. The Little Monsters, however, waited, even until the stage hands came out to clear the set. Though she performed 10 songs, she left the show ending on a climax. The only thing left to do was to leave the place and start waiting for the Born This Way Ball in 2012. She promised her Singaporean fans that Singapore will be one of her stops for her World Tour next year. Before I go off, here are some photos from the after party. 

A photo of us, featuring Khairul Ikhwan, one of the Little Monsters, recently featured in Stomp and The New Paper for his brave outfits.

Joey, taking a rest after standing one and a half hours in eight inch heels!

A lucky Little Monster, who had her card touched by Lady Gaga. 

Matthias, trying out the wig. 

Joey, with prominent Little Monsters. On her left, Lauren Brodinette, well known for her Born This Way jacket. On her right, Luke Idham, the multi talented performer. 

Behind the crazy costumes and controversial songs, Lady Gaga inspires many, especially her little monsters. I hope this inspires you, "Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put on some sunglasses, because you were born this way!"- Lady Gaga.

All the best for your future endeavours and always, always remain true to who you are. 

A diamond in the rough. This aptly describes Lourence Steven before National Service came along and transformed his life.

“I had always been an average student who had never aimed high or achieved much, but my army experience changed my whole attitude. Having to spend days in the mountainous terrain of Taiwan and the forest of Brunei really pushed me to the limit and made me realise that I could do so much more when put to the test. So, after finishing NS, I set a very clear goal for myself - get a good diploma in the next few years,” he recalled.

Lourence, who is now 25, went to a junior college before he enlisted for NS. He decided to give himself a second chance at getting a degree via the diploma route.

Today, Lourence can happily enjoy the fruits of his labour and bask in the limelight. Besides graduating as the gold medallist for the Mechanical Engineering course, he has also bagged the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Award and Ngee Ann Polytechnic Outstanding Achievement Award.

Check out his interview with Razortv here!

Catch Derrick Hoh in concert on Wednesday, 9 Feb 2011, 6pm at NP!

We have 25 pairs of VIP passes to be given away and all you have to do is to tell us why you want to see him in concert.

Email us your most creative answer to npfriends@np.edu.sg in this format:

Name:
Mobile number:
Current School:
Education level: Sec.
Stream: Express/Normal

 
This contest is opened to secondary school and ITE students only and the contest closes on Sunday, 6 Feb 2011.

He seems to be everywhere, but do you know who he is? I had the privilege of getting in touch with this year's coverboy- Timotheus Yong (affectionately called Timo by his friends), year one International Business student. The Bukit Batok Secondary alumni scored a commendable 9 points for his L1R4 (Poly admission criteria) raw score. After deducting his CCA points, he gained entry to his number one choice via JAE. 

He greets you with a warm smile as you enter NP.

He graces the cover page of the 2010 NP course brochure for O level students. 

You can see him 'hanging out' by the Convention Centre. 

Timotheus in his younger days- when he was the Drum Major for his school's Concert Band. 

The affable coverboy made International Business (IBZ) his first choice because it 'allows him to embark on educational and interesting overseas exposure and immersion programmes that will help widen his horizons and his perspective of the world'. The added bonus is that he gets to travel with his friends during overseas trips and "get to know them on a more personal level". Being someone super sociable also has its benefits, Timo quips. He would want to "make as many friends as possible because its important to widen your social network". Being able to socialise is imperative, especially in IBZ. With a course intake of only 40 students, networks have to be built outside of class and more so, overseas. 

Timo with his course mates at Ha Long Bay, Vietnam 

And socialise is precisely what he has done! Apart from his studies, Timo finds the time off to be part of some of the school's societies. He is actively involved in the School of Business and Accountancy (BA)'s Envoys and Communications team. He is also part of NP Ambassadors, which is an organisation responsible for planning and executing events such as RED Camp, school talks and the biggest one of all - Open House! So do look out for him should you be dropping by. :)

Timo and the entire Ambassadorial team! Can you spot him?

Although he revealed that there is no specific module in his current semester that he favours, (since most of the modules that students take in year one are uniform throughout the school of Business and Accountancy) Timotheus is looking forward to his six month internship in year three. Being an IBZ student increases his chances of getting the opportunity to live, work and learn abroad for up to half a year! Despite the fact that all IBZ students get the chance to travel in all three years of their course of study, this overseas internship is an opportunity to die for. 

Timotheus (second from right) with his friends in an International school in Vietnam.

During his last study trip to Vietnam, Timo grew a lot closer to his course mates, and that made the process of working with them much easier. He also had first hand experience of Vietnamese culture which is another aspect of his course that he loves, as he shared with me that "My favourite aspect of my course would be the traveling with my coursemates and exploring new territories to learn new cultures". 

Timo (second row, first from left) and his friends in a cave at Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. 

Why NP then? I asked, "It has a well-established business school with recognised diplomas that might give me an added advantage in terms of employment in the future" he said. While he doesn't have a clear idea of what he would like to do in the future, his options range from being an entrepreneur to teaching, and even becoming a pilot! But before that, Timo would like to pursue a degree. He shared, "I'll definitely want to earn my place in a university. I believe that graduates with a Diploma and a Degree are more sought after by employees."

For those considering following his footsteps, have no fear, because IBZ graduates stand a high chance of securing a place in a university, be it local or overseas. Universities like those in the United Kingdom and Australia may grant IBZ Diploma holders up to a year off. 

On board a swan boat in Vietnam...

When asked about his new found fame, Timo responded "I am certainly thankful to Ngee Ann for picking me out of the entire student populuation. After all, Ngee Ann has a good number of good-looking people!"

Posing gamely with a course brochure in hand, Timotheus Yong! 

Apart from the occasional teasing which he laughs off, being the posterboy for NP has boosted Timo's confidence; but he is quick to add that he 'doesn't let it get to him too much'. He is one boy who sure knows how to keep his feet on the ground! 

Timotheus during the interview. :)

If you want to see more of Timo, do drop by the Board Games Room in the school library! He works there during his free time to earn some extra cash. ;)  

And if you want to learn more about NP's International Business course, or any course of your choice, come on down for our Open House from the 6th to 8th of January. To find out more about our Open House and to try your luck at winning some cool prizes, drop by our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter! 

That's it from me for now. I hope to see you an Open House. In the meantime, I wish you an incredible New Year! 

 Clarissa

Any kid on the street can tell you that lying is wrong. But what happens if it is a small little white lie to protect your best friend's feelings?

In Easy A, Olive Penderghast (played by Emma Stone from Superbad and Zombieland) is a regular girl who flies way under the social radar of her high school. But it all changed when she lied about having a saucy weekend with a college freshman just to escape from a camping trip with her best friend's (played by Alyson Michalka from pop duo Aly & AJ) family. An arch nemesis in the form of a fervently religious Christian named Marianne (played by Amanda Bynes from Hairspray and Sydney White) overhears the whole exchange and well...let's just say that rumor mills in high schools are viciously efficient. Especially when you equip bored teenagers with smartphones and social media sites. 

This movie may seem like your typical high school rom-com, having fulfilled all the requirements:

But what makes this movie stand out after a particularly bleak summer movie line-up is the sharp wit laced within a simple plot. Expect plenty of sarcasm and defiance coming from Olive, who fully embraced her new social status as the school's tramp and proudly wears an emblazoned A on all her outfits, inspired by Hester Prynne from The Scarlett Letter. Couple that with a stellar supporting cast including veterans like Lisa Kudrow (F.R.I.E.N.D.S), Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live) and Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April), and you have the winning formula for a good 92-minute long romantic comedy. 

Fans of the late John Hughes will also appreciate the little tribute that this movie pays to the iconic director, with references made to some of his most notable works such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club.

A scene from Easy A

The ending scene of The Breakfast Club. Looks familiar? 

Easy A will open in Singapore on Nov 25, so if you happen to end lessons earlier on that day, why not head down to the nearest cinema to catch it? 

Director: Will Gluck

Writer: Bert V. Royal

Cast: Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church

Running time: 92 minutes

Rating: NC-16 (for sexual content and language)

It's that time of the year again, when O'level students spend three full days in NP, journeying along

RED CAMP!

More than 1800 campers will immerse themselves in the exciting life of an NP student. They will learn more about the 49 courses through an exciting line-up of activities, as well as take part in a CCA Fiesta to get a glimpse of the hundred over CCAs that we has to offer!

Campers will be split up into 5 tribes, Spartans (that's my tribe!), Ninjas, Apaches, Vikings and Centurions. Wanna know more? Read up on them here!

Here are some snippets of what have been taking place! Can you guess what we have been doing?

Making the signs for the personalised tours

Paint brushes bearing the battle scars of the epic fight between paint and cloth

Can you guess which tribe this belongs to? Here's a hint: It's yellow and has big, black round eyes.

What is that mass of green paint and newspaper? What about that colourful piece of board? Hmmmm...

Just to get you excited, here is the teaser video!

See you at RED Camp! :D

You may have noticed that there's been an influx of entries about food, food and even more FOOOOOOD! So, how could I miss out on all the fun?

I was given the privilege to sample some yummy-licious goodies at the newly named Romulus Cafe down at our very own Alumni Clubhouse!

There it is! Right by the pool at Alumni Clubhouse. 

So, I was there with my best friend, Kristen! :) 

Now, on to the food. Romulus' speciality dish is their thin crusted pizzas, so we decided to order the pizza set (which comes with your choice of pizza and a drink!). 

Doesn't this pepperoni pizza look gooooood? 

Being a GIANT veggie lover (I can see some of your flinching in your seats right now!), I had to order the Caesar Salad!

The lettuce was fresh and crunchy and the dressing was just enough to add flavour, but not too much to mask the taste of the greens. The bacon bits also added an extra crunch to the dish. 

It was accompanied by a refreshing and light tasting Raspberry Italian Soda! 

And then, it was time for dessert! 

Fragrant, crispy Belgian waffle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzled with maple syrup.

The ultra cosy and quiet ambience at Romulus is a good place for discussion over a light meal. The portions are just right, unless you give in to the temptation and order all their signature dishes, such as the sausage pretzel.....

The comfy chairs by the side and bright lighting make it a conducive place for studying.

Even if you're not hungry, you can cool off on a warm afternoon with a icy cold cup of Italian Soda! 

Bottles and bottles of syrup waiting to be made into your refreshments! 

If you're looking for something light and a teeny bit sinful, you can try their cheesecake! 

Doesn't looking at it just make you salivate?

Romulus Cafe is open from 9am to 10pm from Mondays to Saturdays. So if you're looking for a place for late, after school discussions where you can eat and do work, this would be the place to go to! They are also open from 9am to 5pm on Sundays to cater to those hard working folks over the weekend.

Don't forget to present your NP student cards to enjoy an exclusive 10% discount! :)