Combined Rehearsal 5 - NE Show 2

"I think it's a marvellous, absolutely, utterly beautiful show!"
- Bryan Chong, 11, Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)

Very often, we think of National Day as a time to reflect on how far we have come as a nation, overcoming all odds to evolve from once fishing village to now cosmopolitan city. But other than celebrating our past achievements, National Day is also a time when we look ahead to our nation's future and realise the potential within to achieve greater heights! In tonight's 2nd NE Show, we look ahead to our nation's future by featuring Singapore's next generation – the youths of our Parade!

For many of us watching the Parade on TV, and even for spectators at the Float, marching for National Day Parade looks easy and effortless. However, contrary to what it appears to be, many of the students marching would tell you, "It's tough work!" Since April this year, these students have blazed the sun and sacrificed their weekends to train alongside our active military contingents, in order to achieve the uniform marching we eventually see on 9 August.

Dominique Low, 17 from The Singapore Scout Association shared with us, "Timing and precision is everything, but even so, our instructors have never once scolded us and are all very caring." Zhao Xuan, 14 from the Girls Guide added, "Although we have to juggle school work with trainings, it's all worth it when you see the smiles of the audience!" Emily Chai and Joycelyn Foo, 14 feel the same way too. "Although we're guaranteed sore legs after every rehearsal, we still think it is worth it!"

Returning yearly is also the MOE Combined Schools Choir. Being the first time in NDP that the Combined Schools Choir has become mobile, this year's choir does more than just sing, but also dance! "In the past, all the students had to do was just stand at a fixed spot, but this year, other than singing, there are choreographies and formations we have to do!" remarked Zhang Mei Ting, 15 from Yusof Ishak Secondary.

Bedok North Secondary has a particularly large role to play in this year's Parade. Other than opening the show with Mayflower Secondary using blue streaks of cloth as sea waves, they will be dancing in the Chapter 7 "Heart Land" mass display as well as holding large paper aeroplane models in the Parade Finale. "It is tiring but fun because we get to make new friends," replied Nadzilah, 13. "And we also get to be on TV!" added Faiqah, 13 excitedly. Nadzir, 13 related to us one funny mishap that happened during their rehearsals. "One of my friends got so excited, he got himself tangled up in the blue cloth we were using!"

Unlike most of us, Nadzilah, Faiqah and Nadzir represent the first batch and a new generation of students who have never experienced NDP at either the old National Stadium or Padang. Nur Izyan, 13 told us "Even our P5 NE Show was at the Floating Platform!"

Other than our secondary school participants, there were also other youths who are involved in this year's NDP!

Entitled "The First Wave", Chapter 4 of the Parade is a vibrant and colourful piece that celebrates our society's multi-ethnicity. Traditional Malay, Indian and Chinese instruments form this chapter's music, which are seamlessly woven into each other. In the Malay segment, the Malay art of Dikir Barat, a form of call and response singing, is presented to the audience. "We have been practising for about 3 months, so being able to perform together as a team; that has been the most wonderful experience!" remarked Mohammad Firdaus, 16 from Lam Soon Community Club. For the Indian segment, our performers from Bhaskar's Arts Academy will be challenging new heights when they mount the 9-storey grids. Overall-in-charge, Maragatham Sivalimgam, 31, commented, "Prior to the Parade, our girls have been psychologically preparing ourselves, but when we finally get up the grid, no amount of thought can prepare you for that!"

Full-time servicemen from the 20th Singapore Artillery Battalion join forces with Martial House in Chapter 6 in an item named "Against all Odds" to deliver a breathtaking martial arts display. As one of the servicemen involved, Jared, 21, felt that the greatest challenge was to synchronise the combat movements of everyone. "It took us quite some time to get used to our unique costumes, especially the cuboid heads!"

Did you know that our Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong's first involvement in NDP was in 1967 as a 16-year-old tuba player representing the Combined Schools' brass band? Perhaps with that, we can begin to see the youth with a new perspective – that the future leaders of Singapore could very well be amongst our youth participating in NDP 09!

At tonight's NE Show 2, we are once again reminded of Singapore's young with even more Primary 5 students joining us at the Float. Children nowadays have gotten so much more tech-savvy, you can be sure the moment something happens on stage, all the Primary 5 students would already have gotten out their cameras and handphones to record it down! So expect a flood of videos and pictures from NDP to hit the various new media platforms after every show!

After the Parade, we managed to talk to some Primary 5 students to find out what they felt about this year's NDP!

Loud bangs from 21-gun Presidential Salute and feu-de-joie obviously did not bode well with some of the students. "It's scary!" remarked Alison Govindasamy, 11 from Raffles Girls' Primary School. "But I like the fireworks!"

Her sentiments are echoed by that of many students we talked to, making fireworks our students' all-time-favourite part of NDP.

Tonight's NDP also inspired new goals and ambitions in some students! "I would like to be an NDP host!" remarked Darren Cheng, 11. "To be part of the choir!" said Natalie Aw, 11. 

As we head towards National Day on 9 August, remember to come on down to the Esplanade Promenade next Saturday to catch a glimpse of this year's NDP at our next NE Show!

Here are some photos from tonight's NE show.