S'pore tap dance act makes Asia's Got Talent final
The first Asia's Got Talent winner might just be the Singaporean act Dance Thrilogy.
The all-girl tap dance group were revealed as a finalist in the reality talent show yesterday, joining eight other acts from Mongolia, China, Japan, Thailand and Philippines.
The grand final episode, filmed at the Marina Bay Sands' Sands Theatre, was aired yesterday at 8.05pm on AXN (StarHub Ch 511).
The 11-member Dance Thrilogy's synchronised, energetic routine to We're In The Money from the musical 42nd Street impressed the judges.
Spice Girls' Mel C aka Melanie Chisholm, 41, praised their "flawless" dance while Indonesian singer Anggun, 41, said the troupe had inspired her seven-year-old daughter to want to take up tap dancing.
The Dance Thrilogy girls, who are students aged between nine and 13, have been performing together for two years. Most of them, who are also trained in ballet and jazz, have been dancing since they were mere toddlers.
The group has won many local and regional dance competitions, including one in Australia.
For Haig Girls' School student Chean Jing Qian, 11, even a fall could not dampen her spirit to perform yesterday.
"I slipped on the floor earlier during rehearsal, but I got back up and continued dancing," she told The New Paper.
"I felt pain during the performance, but I didn't give up. I wanted to persevere and not let the group down just because of something so small."
The students, many of whom had to miss exams to be in the competition, faced time constraints in preparing for the final. There were also last-minute changes to the choreography, which they had to learn quickly.
Despite tough competition, especially from Filipino shadow play act El Gamma Penumbra and Mongolian folk-rock musical ensemble Khusugtun, Dance Thrilogy are hoping to come out tops in the competition.
If they win, Haig Girls' School student Angeline Koh, 10, knows what she will do with her share of the prize.
DONATE
"I will donate 75 per cent to charity and half of the remainder to our school, Dance Thrilogy, so we can dance in a bigger space," said Angeline.
Public voting started at 10pm yesterday and it will decide the winner of US$100,000 (S$133,000) and the chance to perform at Marina Bay Sands. The winner will be announced next Thursday.
The public can vote for their favourite groups via Facebook, SMS and the Asia's Got Talent mobile app.
Voting closes at 11.59pm on May 11.
Ending the dance on bended knee
ROMANTIC: Gao Lin proposed to his girlfriend Liu Xin after their moving performance yesterday.
For Chinese acrobatic dance duo Gao Lin and Liu Xin, the Asia's Got Talent competition might be ending.
But a new chapter in their romantic life has only just begun.
The pair, who have been dating for the past four years, set the mood for what was to come with a moving and romantic performance. Judge and Taiwanese-American actor-singer Van Ness Wu said he "nearly cried".
To Katy Perry's ballad Unconditionally, Gao Lin lifted, embraced and danced with his girlfriend against an all-white-wedding-meets-Swan Lake setting.
Moments after their powerful performance, in a surprise twist, Gao Lin, 27, got down on one knee to propose to a teary Liu Xin, 23.
Of course, she said "yes" to cheers and applause from the audience and judges.
When judge and Canadian Grammy-winning music producer David Foster requested to see "a proper kiss", the pair locked lips before the audience.
Liu Xin later told The New Paper: "I never thought he would propose on such a big stage in front of everybody. He is usually not good with words, so it really took me by surprise."
Gao Lin said: "During the judges' audition, I said I would marry her if we walked till the end of the competition together.
"To me, this is our happy ending to the competition."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now