Come 9 August do recognise these individuals and their peers for their efforts when you see them. They have sacrificed time and energy, week after week, to prepare for the nation’s 46th birthday and are a testament to The Singapore Spirit.

You won’t get to see them on stage come 9 August but behind every performer there are many groups of individuals that make the National Day Parade appear like clockwork. And they are part of the show support team.

Most people would not have heard of Nik and Nadia. It was by chance that I discovered them too.

It wasn’t difficult to put Nik and Nadia together. After printing out the template, I cut along the lines and glue the flaps together. And the work is complete!

Having performed in front of a “live” audience of more than 130,000 people (CR3 to CR6, plus yesterday’s Parade Preview), National Day Parade 2011 participants might feel they have got the show drilled to perfection.

They have good reason for such confidence, but should keep their minds focused on the big day on 9 August.

300711(Sat)

The lockdown of the roads near the Marina Bay Floating platform started at 1400 hours.

Her involvement in this year’s NDP will just be slightly more than the duration of the national anthem but the work is no less.

For C/LTA Nur Hafizah the perfect execution of her military drills is what she will be working towards in the lead up to August 9.

230711 (Sat)

This is the last National Education show for the National Day Parade (NDP) as next week will be the NDP Preview.

Today’s National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsal is special because it pushed the number of people who have watched the musical scripted for Singapore’s 46th birthday past the 100,000 mark.

Stage fright takes on a whole new meaning for dancers from the School of Dance who will dance their hearts out on Singapore’s 46th birthday, but nothing will stop the 46 young dancers from their curtain call come 9 August.

Can’t get your hands on one of the 25,000 National Day Parade 2011 spectator tickets?

Then head down to Marina Bay or Resorts World Sentosa to soak in celebrations as Singapore marks its 46th National Day on 9 August 2011. Ticketless spectators can still be part of the NDP action as they can catch the NDP action unfold around Marina Bay from vantage points such as the Merlion Park and promenade near the Esplanade.

You don’t need a ticket to this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) to catch a dazzling show item.

Just keep your eyes on Singapore’s city skyline for a laser show that will outline skyscrapers and trace out a new city skyline – if weather conditions are just right.

Fret not if you are not one of the lucky 27,000 spectators who will be seated at The Float@Marina Bay come 9 August – it can only accommodate 27,000 people as compared to other venues such at the Padang and the former 55,000 seater National Stadium.

I was priviliged to take a behind-the-scenes peek into one segment of the Dynamic Defence Display for this year’s National Day Parade – one that is not for the faint hearted. This requires the scaling of heights. In fact these guardsmen will be rapelling down some five storeys of The Cube.

Photos from Fifth Combined Rehearsal (CR5) or National Education Two (NE2) at the Floating Platform on 16 July 2011.

A smaller exhibition by the Home Team compared to last year. However, it is at a better location with regards to the human traffic at the Suntec Convention Centre lobby.

The mood is tense at gate G2. Some are eagerly waiting for their turn to perform while others zip through as they exit from the stage. Blasting music can be heard. It is far from being calm.

Some 50 students from Junyuan Secondary School and Bendeemer Secondary School dressed as Jellyfish and Merkids – wait patiently for their turn to go onstage. This is the scene at the Concourse of The Float@Marina Bay.

The National Day Parade (NDP) Fun Pack doesn’t pack itself.

Singapore Army soldiers from the 30th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers (30 SCE), have been given the job of packing, sorting and distributing tens of thousands of these sought-after NDP momentoes to parade spectators for NDP 2011.

090711(Sat)

Firstly, many thanks to the NDP 2011 Exco for the access to the participant area at the F1 Building.

This time round, the photos shows part of the human element of the NDP, from the uniform group and the performers.

This is the first National Education show NE1 where the performances are catered to the primary school students.

You might think that the stage for this year’s NDP looks ordinary. But if you go beyond the facade your perspective of the stage will change.

While netizens are caught in a “Bad Romance” between a certain NDP song and its lyrics, it is important to bear in mind the bigger picture – the nation’s birthday – and show solidarity, embrace the Singapore Spirit and deal with what lies ahead.

With combined rehearsals for this year’s National Day Parade (NDP) barely at the halfway mark, it is likely some NDP participants are beginning to feel burnt out to some degree – and we don’t mean just from the rays of the scorching afternoon sun.

Jazz singer Nathan Hartono will be up to something different at this year’s National Day Parade. For those that recall, he charmed spectators at the NDP 2008 with a jazz rendition of “Where I Belong”.

020711(Sat)

This is the third combined rehearsal for the NDP 2011.

This is the second combined rehearsal for the NDP 2011. The first rehearsal started at around 1300 hours in the hot blazing and high humidity Singapore weather. The marching contingents were mostly dressed in their half uniform. The second rehearsal started at around 1800 hours in cooler temperature.

You can probably guess where National Day Parade 2011 participant, Third Sergeant Joel Tan, will be spending the next few Saturdays.

Every Saturday from now till National Day on 9 August, Singapore’s warfighters will get a chance to practice cueing, coordinating and integrating moving parts from many organisations.

Had a very unexpected but lovely surprise today when T and I stumbled upon the National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsal while hanging out at our usual place at Marina Bay.

The first combined rehearsal for the National Day Parade (NDP) 2011. The police and military vehicles started to move out from the parking area near the F1 paddock at around 1830 hours. They will make their way to the Marina Bay floating platform for the Dynamic Defence Display (D3) then return back to the parking area again.

This is the RSAF third internal rehearsal for the National Day Parade (NDP) 2011 in the morning before the start of the combined rehearsal this Saturday which begins in the evening.

It’s a carnival atmosphere out here at the Marina Bay! Everyone is pretty much chilled out. We’re waiting around for our cue, which should be coming anytime now. I’m seriously squeezing in a post at this point.