Malaysian Detour - 15 Seconds of Fame
I know this blog is for my experiences as a professional dancer, and since dancing has stopped momentarily due to my slight shift in profession to be a carer, I wasn't planning on blogging anytime soon. However,
Here's an update: I'm still waiting on my German visa, so I decided it was better to wait in Malaysia and look after my mother instead of doing nothing in Perth. It's not all fun and games, but I'm enjoying my time with my family and a few of my friends that I have seen.
Here's the reason for this post, and it's thanks to my dunggu friend Shannon who set me up. She's working for a small production company in KL, and they were doing a TV segment called Step It Up and she asked me to be one of the instructors and teach these two talk show hosts to do some contemporary dance for local television, which would end with a performance for a small audience. They had no dance background, so I knew it was going to be an interesting experience.
Anyway, a meeting was set up and I talked to the producers and they gave me instructions on what they wanted (but also chose to withhold some). I agreed to do it for a tiny fee, as I don't think they were planning on paying me (I wouldn't have done it for free!) I'm not a big fan of being on television, especially for not very much in return, but I knew Shannon really needed my help and I couldn't say 'no' to her adorable face.
I spent a greater part of my Sunday working out what I was going to do. Eventually, the music was selected and I had more or less choreographed a short 2-minute piece for them. I also worked out what I was going to do for a warm-up and what not.
The callsheet said that we were to be at the yoga studio at 10am. Shannon and I arrived 15 minutes before. Not surprisingly, everyone was late. The two hosts strolled in about 10.20am. I had a chat to them about the interview as they were both pretty clueless as to what contemporary dance is all about. The thing with Malaysian television is that there are a lot of things that you can't say, do or wear. No sleeveless tops, no buttock-peeping shorts (which is pretty understandable I guess), and you can't talk about sex, or nakedness or, wait for it, yoga. Apparently Muslims aren't allowed to do yoga because it's a very Buddhist thing, and there was a huge scandal about it recently. I thought it was funny that we were shooting in a yoga studio!
Me: So can I say 'yoga' on television?
J: No.
Me: What about Ashtanga?
J: No.
It was not until 11.45 that we actually did the first shot, which didn't include me. Then the cameras had to be shifted into the stuffy yoga studio where the two hosts would introduce and interview me. That went pretty smoothly. Then I took them through the yoga warm-up, which I altered into 'stretching exercises' for censorship purposes, when one of the hosts cried out in pain. I asked if he was okay, as he mentioned 5 minutes before we started shooting that he had a recurring football injury and it was starting to play up. He said we could keep going. Hesitatingly, I did. A few seconds later, another cry. This time I told him that if it hurt that much he should not be doing this exercise let alone a segment on contemporary dance. I had planned to do a bit of rolling around, and I doubt that his knee was up to it. I know what it's like to dance injured and it's not easy even for a dancer.
So that was that. They called it a day. I only asked them to give me half of what they were going to give me, because I didn't do anything at all. All I did was one sun salutation, but of course I can't say that on TV.
At least I got to have lunch with Shan.
Here's an update: I'm still waiting on my German visa, so I decided it was better to wait in Malaysia and look after my mother instead of doing nothing in Perth. It's not all fun and games, but I'm enjoying my time with my family and a few of my friends that I have seen.
Here's the reason for this post, and it's thanks to my dunggu friend Shannon who set me up. She's working for a small production company in KL, and they were doing a TV segment called Step It Up and she asked me to be one of the instructors and teach these two talk show hosts to do some contemporary dance for local television, which would end with a performance for a small audience. They had no dance background, so I knew it was going to be an interesting experience.
Anyway, a meeting was set up and I talked to the producers and they gave me instructions on what they wanted (but also chose to withhold some). I agreed to do it for a tiny fee, as I don't think they were planning on paying me (I wouldn't have done it for free!) I'm not a big fan of being on television, especially for not very much in return, but I knew Shannon really needed my help and I couldn't say 'no' to her adorable face.
I spent a greater part of my Sunday working out what I was going to do. Eventually, the music was selected and I had more or less choreographed a short 2-minute piece for them. I also worked out what I was going to do for a warm-up and what not.
The callsheet said that we were to be at the yoga studio at 10am. Shannon and I arrived 15 minutes before. Not surprisingly, everyone was late. The two hosts strolled in about 10.20am. I had a chat to them about the interview as they were both pretty clueless as to what contemporary dance is all about. The thing with Malaysian television is that there are a lot of things that you can't say, do or wear. No sleeveless tops, no buttock-peeping shorts (which is pretty understandable I guess), and you can't talk about sex, or nakedness or, wait for it, yoga. Apparently Muslims aren't allowed to do yoga because it's a very Buddhist thing, and there was a huge scandal about it recently. I thought it was funny that we were shooting in a yoga studio!
Me: So can I say 'yoga' on television?
J: No.
Me: What about Ashtanga?
J: No.
It was not until 11.45 that we actually did the first shot, which didn't include me. Then the cameras had to be shifted into the stuffy yoga studio where the two hosts would introduce and interview me. That went pretty smoothly. Then I took them through the yoga warm-up, which I altered into 'stretching exercises' for censorship purposes, when one of the hosts cried out in pain. I asked if he was okay, as he mentioned 5 minutes before we started shooting that he had a recurring football injury and it was starting to play up. He said we could keep going. Hesitatingly, I did. A few seconds later, another cry. This time I told him that if it hurt that much he should not be doing this exercise let alone a segment on contemporary dance. I had planned to do a bit of rolling around, and I doubt that his knee was up to it. I know what it's like to dance injured and it's not easy even for a dancer.
So that was that. They called it a day. I only asked them to give me half of what they were going to give me, because I didn't do anything at all. All I did was one sun salutation, but of course I can't say that on TV.
At least I got to have lunch with Shan.
Comments
Amy
i knew about the "explicit" content that couldn't be said but never would i thought of yoga.
lol!!!
u're in m'sia?!! till when? i'm comin back soon too. we sud hang out wif the stellas :P