Zumba By the Park!!

My girlfriend, Charlotte organised an awesome Zumba Fitness event on the 14th of May 2011 at the Hort Park, Alexandra in Singapore. The 2.5hr event comprised of a full team of 9 Zumba instructors, 100 people, 30 dance tracks including an introductory Samba performance by Gali, a combined group dance battle and a final surprise birthday song with cake for some very special birthday celebrants. There was catered food, professional photography, a fashion contest, a lucky draw and sale of Zumbawear at the event too!  The event was a complete success!!! Great job Charlotte! 

My team consisted of Angela Grosse and Manthony Gerald and I think we rocked the stage that night too! It was extremely sweaty and everyone was coordinated with their deconstructed Zumbawear for each set. I presented 2 tracks of my own, was in action for a total of 11 tracks that evening either shadowing my team when I wasn't instructing or pushing the dance battle on the dance floor. The 9 instructors for the night were made up of Shannon, Zuri, Rhomeiny, Siew Siew, Angela G, Manthony Gerald, Vanessa, Gali and myself.

One of my favourite tracks "Baby come Back"... done for the evening...

Part of the dance battle below where we have as much crowd interaction with each side dance battling and grooving to the beat. Plus the final part where Charlotte & friends made a surprise entrance with a huge chocolate banana cake for birthday celebrants Shannon (pink pants), Gali (dark orange pants) and Siew Siew (light orange pants, 2nd from the right) for the evening.

One of my best Zumba instructors in training, Pek Gan also came to give her support. Pek's style is extremely high impact and is something truely to look out for if you need that cardio kick. :) If you ever see her name on a Zumba class schedule, do check her out!! You'll really love it. 

Group picture with some of the instructors that we managed to grab before everyone left to mingle and eat for the night. It was awesome!! More Zumba Fitness events to come!!

ZES Masterclasses - May/Jun/Jul 11

Zumba Fitness ZES (Zumba Education Specialist) Masterclasses over the past 3 months! Marta Formoso (ZES Spain) on the 31st of May. David Velez (ZES Singapore/China) on the 14th of June. Michael Thomas (ZES Australia/S.E.A) on the 17th of July. I've been busy busy busy with my classes and these 3 classes have been a wonderful highlight for inspiration over the past 3 months... 

Marta Formoso is an absolute firecracker! Her classes always shockingly high energy and there are always so much style techniques to learn from her each time we meet. Love it!!!  Marta gave 2 back to back masterclasses in May and I attended both. :)

Picture of Marta and me... and another picture together with the sexy ladies from the American club (love u chicas!!)

As always when we get together, its picture taking time and we tried some dark shadowy profile pictures by the glass window by the studio for fun... and a picture of Angela Aiken and me all hot & sweaty after 2 hours of Zumba...

Then there was Davids' Masterclass. He came back to Singapore again for a few days from China and held another masterclass on the 14th of June... theres another one coming up in September 2011 where he'll be back for a very short trip again... If you haven't already registered for it, its probably already fully booked by now. Alas, its good to catch up with him from time to time since he was the one who trained me from knowing absolutely ZILCH in dance to training me in my certifications for Zumba till who I progressed to be today...

With years of all his group X experience under his belt, his classes are always energy packed and the sense of familiarity is welcoming to me whenever he returns for a masterclass in Singapore... his style is so definitive so its hard to achieve that kind of style essence with any other instructor here in Singapore... who else can teach a cumbia and a bachata with such style like Senor Velez? I haven't seen one yet. Have you?

As you can tell, its always a sold out event. 

And my Zumba chicas, Angela (orange), Hang (blue) and Alida (Pink) will never miss a masterclass if we could help it... Viva La Zumba! Picture below of my friend & "mummy", Jenny who also has a daughter named Pamela so I'm now her adopted "Zumba baby", Grace who helps to organise events and coordinates classes at Zumba Scape, David just fresh off the airplane and another instructor girlfriend, Airin who also teaches freelance in Singapore. 

And then there was Michael Thomas's Xtravaganza Masterclass and Zumba ZIN 32/33 training on the 17th of July. Unfortunately we all realised too late that we didn't take a group shot for this training so we only have action shots for this day. It was still amazing as usual. All Zumba ZES are of the highest quality so any class with them are always an awesome experience.

I found this picture amusing because the perspective made it seem like I was a toy that Mike was carrying around the studio but we were in the midst of a dance move here. Grace caught me skipping into the studio with my "I'm so happy to be here pose" as we entered before class started.

And again, it was packed from wall to wall! Picture below of my fellow instructor girlfriends - Pek Gan, Charlotte and Yvonne while we rested outside in between ZIN training and the Xtravaganza class to begin... Taking the time to breathe... breathe... breathe...

And a final shot from ZIN training earlier that day with my girlfriend and fellow Zumba instructor, Angela Grosse... her style is very high energy,  tribal + hiphop and her smile is always on her face just like mine simply because we love what we do... :) You'll find classes with any one of the instructors you have seen here in this post all over Singapore and with each instructor, you'll find a different style but in the midst of it all, you'll find that we all have a passion for Zumba... we all love what we do and thats all that matters...

PEACE LOVE ZUMBA ZUMBA ZUMBA!!

Nestlé Health & You 2011 Exhibition

Take some time out today or tomorrow to check out the Nestle Health & You 2011 exhibition over at Suntec Convention Hall 402 from 10am to 8pm! 27th and 28th August only! Yes, go get changed, grab the kids and head down now.. shut down your computer and go go go! Now.. yes.. right now... and yeah, thats me with Koko (Koko Krunch Bear)...

Another great branding and marketing effort by a trusted household brand, Nestle which my family and I had the invited opportunity to preview with other media yesterday. Upon arriving, we were graciously greeted by the wonderful team Nestle people who was in the midst of conducting an entertaining interactive mass dance session which my youngest, Eirian happily participated in. Hosted by Michelle Chia and Bryan Wong.

Expect food demos, a wide range of product sampling, health topic discussions, interactive exhibits, toddlers gym, instant photography, games & prizes and an opportunity to purchase Nestle products in their walk through supermarket which offers great deals on your favorite products! Each $25 purchase in a single receipt allows you to participate in an instant spin the wheel game with attractive prizes.

Some 2 weeks back, the corporate communications team hand delivered a specially packed gift to my home that absolutely delighted everyone at home. Image on the left with the Milo balloons, we received packs of Milo, Mocha Coffee, Kitkats, a funky Kitkat pillow, Soup concentrate, a notebook, colour pencils that went together with a colouring contest kit, recipe cards, cans and a pack of cat food, cereal packs and the most impressive were the specially customised bowls that had both my daughters names individually printed on them plus a cup that says "Mum's Coffee" for me. 

Right image is the goody pack we received after we left the event. The first 100 participants each day who collects 6 stamps at the event with a completed Quest card (available in flyers distributed onsite) can receive a goody bag above worth $20. (goody bag items may vary). Love love love Nestle products!!!

There are many booths there to check out and explore, I have put some in here but you have got to go to the exhibition to check them all out! We were particularly intruiged by the Nutren range of products as we took some time to find out more of what it contained.. over 50% whey protein in their drink. This would make for an excellent recovery and build drink for those who work out as much as we do! It tasted great and my girls were raving lyrical over their Nutren Jr drink.. they love it too.. we'll definitely look into checking out more of this product... check it out when you're there! 

And of course, whats Nestle without Milo!! There was a milo truck and a milo exhibit where there were games and also a special event only Milo Orange Burst drink... pretty yummy for those who love fruity kind of chocolate combinations... and yes, generous samples are free... Milo up!!! *burp!*

And did you know that Pro-plan canine food and Fancy Feast feline food are under the Nestle brand too? We only recently realised that they were and had a great time snuggling up with the dog at the Pro-plan counter.. he was really tame and really cute too!

And of course, everyone knows Maggi. Now that they've endeavored to work on less sodium products which are a healthier choice for those who make such instant food their dietary staple, their products still remain tasty even with a change in recipe... definitely not something to eat all the time but everyone definitely craves occasionally so you can eat it now without so much guilt that you're piling on the salt. Curry noodle sample anyone? 

Yeah, eat well of course! Thats the purpose about finding out more about our food choices yea? Theres also a booth where they provide a free medical checkup to assess your cholesterol levels so the hubster CJ and I took the plunge and got our fingers pricked to check out our Fatty levels.. and apparently my total cholesterol (LDL/HDL) is on a borderline high... However, it doesn't indicate whether my healthier lipids are higher or the unhealthier ones are higher but its a good general guage just to see where you're standing cholesterol wise if you haven't done a cholesterol check before. 

Other booths like the instant photo KitKat booth where you can indulge in Kitkat bars and take a picture with your family for rememberance can be fun... other products for kids like Nan or Cerelac can be checked out there too! If you have babies and toddlers, go check out the deals there! 

Still even more food and drinks... Sjora fruit juices were absolutely wonderful, tropical pineapple and mango drinks had us walking back repeatedly for more... my girls indulged in the complimentary Chili crab sauce cups with mini mantou buns for several rounds... "spicy but gooood" says Eirian... while we held her juice to help her cool down when the heat started to warm her palate.

The entertaining line-dancers at the event all in full costume just before their debut dance and of course, Nestle has Nescafe Coffee.. and we tried so many different types, we left the exhibition hall buzzing in the head with all that coffee... LOVE COFFEE!! and of course, the booth had a fun instant print with props where we got to pose and were presented with our collage after... So fun... Good Job Nestle! So there you go, go get changed and go go go! Its on till tomorrow.. go vote and then head down to Suntec... its really quite an experience. :)

National Day Zumba Party!!

Please click above to enlarge to read for more details. RSVP Required. Please email me at honeymeow@gmail.com. Let me know how many attending by Wednesday 3rd August. Limited to 50 pax attending. Thanks! 


The specially tailored menu for the party will be as such... *yummy!!*
Assorted Open-Faced Sandwiches - Smoked Salmon w/ Capers & Roast Beef & Chicken Roll.
Appetizers & Salads - "Gado Gado" w/ Peanut Sauce, Salad Nicoise, Thai Seafood Salad w/ Glass Noodles and Charred Mixed Vegetables with Aged Balsamic.
Yummilicious Main Courses - "Sze Chuan" Style Wok-Fried Fish Fillet, Stir Fried Beef w/ Onion & Ginger, Balinese Grilled Chicken with Condiments, Wok Fried Mixed Vegetables, Steamed Jasmine Rice and Braised "Ee Fu" Noodles with Yellow Chives.
Desserts - Fresh Fruit Platter, Warm Bread & Butter Pudding w/Raisins & Vanilla sauce, Mini Fruit Tartlets, Honeydew Sago and Orange Cordial.

Sunflower Surprise!

On Saturday, 11th of June, a group of Zumba instructors and myself took part in a dance competition to feature Zumba as our presentation. More about that in another upcoming post but that day itself was crazy crazy with the many classes I ran earlier in the day and having all 10 instructors in my Zumba class rocking the dance floor before we all adjourned to the locker for a makeup-dressup frenzy. And in the course of all that chaos. I lost my ipod and didn't realise it. 

It was only the next day when I was prepping for another dance class where I realized that it was missing and had to use my daughter's ipod temporarily. It was a flurry of calls to everyone and to places where it could have been lost and I spent the day moping for my lost ipod who seemed like it could never be found. I suppose I was really depressed over the loss and something came via delivery to cheer me up! Imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang...

My girlfriend, Charlotte was being a darling and decided to send me a little ray of sunshine to pass me a smile and lift my spirits. It was such a lovely surprise! 

Excuse the non-makeup, I was trolling about the house whining about my lost ipod and then this came! Thank you Charlotte, it was very thoughtful and sweet to have thought of sending this to me. :) Even Misty - my kitteh thought the green foliage was tasty too! *munch munch munch*

Thank you for the flowers and thank you to those who offered to chip in to buy me another ipod!! Eventually 3 days later, it was recovered and is now safely back in my possession. Whats an aerobic instructor without her music right? Tools of trade for sure. (hugging my red ipod now with a big label w my contact number on it)

Hossan can Zumba!

Yes, Hossan Leong.  He surely can and really, really well too! He's an pretty good dancer! And comes by at my classes from time to time when his busy acting, hosting and DJ-ing schedule permits him.. and the ladies in the class love him to bits! Uber friendly and actually really shy n bashful in person! Oh and his birthday on the 6th of July just passed too! He's a cancerian like me... Confirm!! Double Confirm!! 

Bollywood Vs Danza!

When I finally get the chance to, you'll get very entertaining updates soon from the past couple of very very very busy months. I have over 12 image intensive posts that are lining up to be posted here so check back in constantly to see if there are updates! But for now, back over on the 6th of April... my gosh.. that was over 4 months ago since I've last updated my blog.. *whoa!!* I had the honor and experience to be part of my very own dance competition! 

One of my corporates who I teach dance to had decided to make good their lessons by culminating their efforts with a dance-off in a internally viewed audience judged performance show called "So you think you can't dance?!". 

It was a very entertaining duel between the Bollywood team and the Danza team which I was so very proud of being given the honor and opportunity to choreograph and instruct. 

A total of 4 dance sets, 2 Bollywood tracks by the other team and 2 tracks by the Danza team. We chose  the "Waka Waka" and "The Time" to present in the short segment. And Boy! Was I proud as hell when my teams hit the stage... full of smiling faces, fully rehearsed confident moves that were filled with energy.. I was one beaming proud "mama" indeed.... I could not stop smiling...  my heart was bursting with pride...

My "The Time" team above with their cool black n gold costume backstage and my "Waka Waka" team below with their colourful whimsical costumes as they get all dolled up and psyched for the stage performance... I thought they looked great! Each & every one of them... thank you for the effort!!

And a team of 3 judges, including myself to comment on the performances as they were rolled out made the afternoon even more exciting as we attempted to be our homegrown Simon, Randy & J-Lo judges and all I took the opportunity to root & rally the ladies as they listened & paced about nervously behind stage...

Somewhere towards the end of all the performances, the organiser gathered the audience up to stand and join in a dance number with the dance students and we all did some simple dance moves on stage for some crowd interaction and that was fun indeed... I was impressed at how elaborate they had made their contest, even if it was an internal challenge within their organization itself.. and I was so pleased to be part of it... and what was even more impressive was the table of trophies that everyone left with... everyone who participated was a winner and there were 2 special prizes too! 

Trophies for all the participants that day, Bollywood and Danza and 2 special trophies. One for Best Dressed and One for Best dancer from each class... when these prizes were given out, the cheers and hoots for the winners were priceless... 

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your instructor... keep happy, keep fit and stay healthy. Dance on!!! 

Celebrate with me!

Yeah, I know its a little early but I know alot of people are going away for the summer or going for company retreats during this time. If you can make it, come celebrate my birthday this July with me together with the rest of the Awesome people in my Zumba Fitness class and its a potluck again!! Anyone is welcome if you can make the time to come down and celebrate with me. I'll have the drinks, cutlery, a surprise or surprises and a cake. Please see details in the above image - click to enlarge and RSVP please with your confirmation, number of people attending and food item. Thank you!

Lolita New York (Test Trial)

My girlfriend Jo who runs Lolita New York at the Esplanade Xchange called me the other day and mentioned she has a new assistant in training for her lash extension services. Her name is Pinky and I took some time off to make my way down to lend my eyes for some lash extension practice work. I feel that it turned out pretty okay! This set is from the older J-curl range and the new B-curl range that I had tried on previously can be found HERE.

Go check that out for more details on when, where, how much you need to get this kind of look where it makes looking naturally pretty easy plus how to get a 20% discount on the various products and services she has available at her shop!! Lash extensions, beauty makeovers, silk proteins, mineral makeup & custom blend foundation, customised specialty soaps, shampoos and more!

Picture above with no mascara needed. Only glittery eyeshadow, eyeliner and lipgloss. Voila!! Easy face to put on on a daily basis without fumbling with too much makeup...

The look from below where you can see that lash extensions if done well with great quality products (Novalash) really do look like its naturally growing out of my lashline for a more "yeah I wish I wake up looking gorgeous like this all the time" kind of simplicity...  hhhhahahaha!~ but its really too easy.. and all you need is just about 90 minutes to lie in her comfortable treatment room while the lash technician works on your lashes (and fall asleep like I always do and snore yourself awake from time to time) and then you can wake up, walk out looking with eyes that u can flutter n wink with confidence..  check it out!

Zumba Fitness Launch at the AC!

Finally after close to a year instructing various classes at the American Club Singapore. We finally get licensed for ZUMBA FITNESS! and officially I get to start donning my Zumbawear with much pride n happiness.

We had an awesome launch party on the 6th of May and 40 other ladies *some not present in this group shot* rocked the Dance floor as Rhomeiny in Orange (my team teach partner for the morning & other Zumba Fitness instructor teaching at the AC). It was a crazy high energy rockin' booty shakin' morning with everyone who attended complete with discoball n spotlight that was specially installed for the launch party.

Rhomeiny is a pretty fantastic Zumba instructor! And it was an honour launching the program at the club together with him. We sizzled the dance floor with the crowd and everyone later adjourned for some complimentary protein juice shakes, cakes, strawberries with cream, viet rolls and vegetables n dips as we mingled in the aftermath of a great class..

So much was the energy output that morning that it had me flat out for the rest of the day! My legs were jelly and I had to reschedule classes and personal training clients while I took the time to rest and get my legs rubbed back to life at the foot reflexologist.... Hahahah!! BUT... it was all worth it as the launch went fantastic! More Zumba to come people!! Check out the Lifestyles schedule at that club if you are a member there for class timings with either Rhomeiny who is taking over my Friday morning slot or with me on Sunday or Monday afternoons. :) Unfortunately however, you can only attend if you are an AC member or if a member signs you in and helps you pay for your class. 

If you're keen on taking Zumba with me, click on that link you see on the left column here on my blog for more details on my publicly available class at the Raffles Town Club. Yep, that big Zumba circle thing on the top left... yep! That one.. click on it.. :) ZUMBA! ZUMBA!! ZUMBA!!!