SUNTEC DANCE 2009

THE costumes, performances and crowd favourites at the Suntec Dance 2009 grand finals on Sunday were diverse.

But most in the crowd at the Fountain of Wealth would agree that this year's participants were the best and strongest yet.

The dance competition has been held annually since 2000, and this year, there were more than 300 top-grade dancers at the audition.

The competition was so keen that open group category winners If You're Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands - who will be representing Suntec City Mall in the World Supremacy Battlegrounds 2009 in Melbourne - hardly expected to be crowned champions.

Leader Terence Then, 22, said: 'We were surprised to win because there were a lot of strong teams this year.'

Guest judge Marco Selorio, 32, founder of the World Supremacy competition, was impressed. He said: 'Singaporeans have really stepped up a notch. It goes to show that Suntec City's Suntec Dance competition has helped bring the dance scene in Singapore further.'

There will be about 500 dancers from 12 nations battling it out in Australia's arts and cultural capital. And judge Sheila Chong, 29, artistic director of Studio Wu, has high hopes for the Singapore team.

'They were creative, unique and tight in the competition. I'm sure they will do Singapore proud in Melbourne,' she said.

B-boy Joe, a member of renowned Korean break-dancing crew Last For One and a guest judge at the competition, said: 'There is a certain uniqueness Singaporean dancers have. If the judges in Australia appreciate that style, they will definitely win.'

Last For One kicked off Suntec Dance 2009 with a high-energy opening act which got the crowd pumped up for the night.

Next, in the junior solo category for those aged 12 and below, winner Ahmad Zameer Adnan, 11, turned up the Sunday Night Fever with John Travolta-inspired disco moves in flared white pants and an afro wig.

In the open solo, for those aged 13 and above, Elia Tadius, 22, showed curious robotic moves inspired by the movie Transformers and children's cartoons.

There was also a dance-off for members of the audience who were invited on stage.

- Kay Tan, newsroom intern

This article was first published in The New Paper.