Workshop on 04/01/2012

I could think of nothing but the eagerness to arrive in the Dance studio for the FIRST drama workshop of the year. Spending two drama-less months has been tough to endure!!! It was so great to be back, with Mr Connor beginning with warm-ups filled with laughter. The best warm-up was when we had to transfer facial expressions around the circle. It was absolutely hilarious to try and imitate each other’s expressions! The acting task at the end was “Councillor”, where each groups had to create a situation where a group of people meet a councillor. Once again, the performances of everyone simply left me in complete awe. Each piece, whether performed comically, or seriously – was done to utter perfection. Just when you thought you knew exactly what each member could bring to a performance, they prove you wrong.

Doesn’t time fly? It seems like yesterday that we walked in for the trial workshop, not knowing almost everyone in the club. It’s been almost a year since we met, and now we’re probably the closest-knit club in the school. We continue to have the time of lives – BBQ at East Coast, Wizard of Oz at ACJC, marching in a line at Orchard Road AND watching WICKED. Looking back at 2011, I’ve realised just how much fun and support I draw from the wonderful friends I have in ACSIS.

-Danyal

Workshop on 19/10/11

Hi everyone, Joanna here. Sorry I posted this so late, but I wanted them in chronological order so I had to wait for the previous one to come in (ahem) (: enjoy O’keefe’s reflections!

(I miss workshops)

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Hi homies, hope yer having a great weekend! Hope you guys are ready (or not) for the release of scripts on Monday. All the best for everyone and hope we all pass our exams with style so that we need not attend focus camp and enjoy our deserved break ( or not).

Anyways, it was so uncool that our workshop had to coincide with the first EE Focus Day ( don’t you like EE?). I was pretty drained playing hide and seek with my EE mentor and as I entered the Dance Studio, I was hoping that something good would happen to me. Indeed, that ‘something good’ really happened as I had fun!

I liked the idea of the warm-up exercise where we would all die as we stare at one another. It was epic witnessing each one of us dying while making some weird sounds (Y). Anyways, after the warm-up, we were all paired up in groups of two ( except Sanaa, Grace and Chloe) and given a script for us to work on in an hour. Honestly, I was not sure that I would be able to perform the given script well but I was quite satisfied (and hopefully Chi Dat too) when Mr. Connor and friends gave positive feedback . I super like all the skids which other ACSIS members performed, especially Prashanth-Sarah’s skid and Paul-Kenneth’s skid. It was epic watching a freak getting freaked out by a freakier freak and it was sexciting watching the theme of homoeroticism slowly sexposed towards the end of Paul-Kenneth’s skid. Of course, the Joanna-Nick, Sanaa-Grace-Chloe, Dean-Zong, and Rohan-Tim skids were mindblowingly awesome too!

19th October 2011 was the day we all had our last workshop as Year 5’s and even though we might not consciously recall this day in the future, I just want you guys to know that this memory will always exist, in that little space at the corners of our hearts.

Have a wonderful day people! Saranghae-yo <3

Workshop on 14/10/11

HEI GAIZE HOW’S LIFE HOPE IT’S TREATING YOU WELL ^^

(omgosh this late submission of this blogpost has some kinda parallel with, you know, school’s last minute thang, where today is the ultimate last day of handing in your weeks-overdue works because it’s the last day of school or something otherwise your grade will be zero//yupyup I am seeing the awesome acsis peeps later to spy on the acjc drama club and if zouanna still doesn’t have this in her email inbox….i don’t even want to think of the consequences hahahahah so here you go!)

once again soz haha there’s a reason why I don’t have a blog! Unlike everyone else’s uber long posts I shall make this one short and sweet like a sugar coated candyman.

it’s le holidays for the year 5s and ib exam’s over (YAY YOU SENIORS!) now oh no why oh why guys fellow yr 5 acsis-ians can you imagine we’re actually gonna be seniors next year? EXCITE.

Mmmm and since dean has written about what we did suring the workshop, can I not reiterate it? Oh well I guess it’s a no, fine. Soooooo after a long dreary boring boring boring tok focus day for the yr 5s, we had our (supposedly) last drama session of the year(but mr connor decided to have another one the following week) aaaaand almost everyone was there for the workshop (great job everyone!!) Mr connor entered the drama room and asked us to stand up and be light until we reach zero gravity and be uber heavy like maximum gravity ever, followed by some pair work blindfolding activity where one person leads the blindfolded pair around the drama room using the power of the fingertip haha and everyone survived without painful bumps or blue black bruises at the end of the warm up(yippee!) Quite an interesting warm up exercise.

The first proper activity we had was something similar to the last part of the warm up-one had to pair up with another person(let’s call them A and B), A had to walk through a path filled with obstacles and B had to guide A’s way through. At first I was like “huh that’s a piece of cake mannnn no kick”….until mr connor made the obstacles seemed impossible to pass through-and the fact that all A can say to guide B through are ‘go’ ’stop’ ‘left’ and ‘right’ did not make it any easier! But awesome as we always are, we managed to pull through by playing around with the four words, like Sanaa’s “go-go” which signals her partner to walk backward, etc.

And then the last activity was the usual performance skit with the theme of a situation where the lights go out – yup this was what the previous exercises prepared us for. And I was in dean’s group so read dean’s post to know what our group(NO ACTUALLY IT WAS MOSTLY YE MEEZ ZOUANNA) did teehee.

After the workshop we went to KAP for a mini club outing(THANKS DEAN FOR INTITIATING IT! And we should totally go there after EVERY workshop!!!) long story short: we had so much fun! Drama club me gusta <3

Hmm this post is actually longer than I wanted it to be. Oh well. <3 to all of you J

Aminah ^^

Workshop on 14/10/11

Hello everyone, how’s life? Being the pure innocent model student I am, this may be hard to believe but this is actually my first blog post, mind-blowing isn’t it? Anyway I hope reading this is worth your time because it is really long (like more than 1 page long)

After an extremely enjoyable and entertaining TOK focus day (don’t you just love TOK), what better way to make the day even better than to have ACSIS? Today we did some out of the box and new exercises today as we learnt the aspect of working and acting in darkness or at least imaginary darkness. After warm-ups, we gravitated (see what I did there) to a trust/movement activity where we were grouped into pairs.

One person in each pair was blindfolded while the other would guide him around the world, whilst attempting not to bump into or injure anyone else. This activity was relatively daunting to some while others like me found it quite interesting (no fear of walking into pillars – too much experience).

Just as everyone was getting used to the blindfold movement activity, Mr. Connor decided to give everyone a new obstacle by introducing an obstacle course (gosh this is really lame). This was extremely challenging as the person guiding the blindfolded was only allowed to use 4 words: go, stop, left, right. Fortunately, no one got severely injured because that would have been bad.

After that, we split into groups to prepare for the performance segment of workshop. This week’s theme was a situation when the lights go out. My group decided to do a power trip in the operating theatre. As usual, I was the victim (guy getting stabbed, mutilated, murdered, tortured, you get it) where I was supposed to be operated on. The preparation was hilarious to say the least and we got to see one of our group member’s interesting side when she started saying random jokes that were supposedly sick but I was too innocent to understand (for the person’s safety, you will have to guess who it is yourself – quite obvious)

After workshop, we went for a club outing, which I actually planned and initiated . First of all, we went to King Albert Park (KAP) for ice cream at Island Creamery. It was amazing as I had never been to KAP before. Did I mention the Island creamery there is Jew heaven? We had a great time at KAP and everyone enjoyed what he or she ordered. The coke float was heavenly and was the most expensive drink I’ve had in over 3 months (citation: Abhi – return you soon & the random person who left $2 on the floor of the LT – thank you)

We were disappointed to discover that we wouldn’t make it in time for any of the movies that we wanted to watch. We generally dispersed after that with people going home while a small group of us went to Wendy’s at Wheelock Place for dinner. In general, the whole outing was a great bonding experience and just served to reinforce how tightly knit our cohort was.

PS: In future, can everyone please finish his or her own food, I am not your recycling bin. And can someone remind me to return the lighter to the drama room before school closes.

Disclaimer: The author of this blog post is not responsible for any emotional suffering or trauma caused by the obvious, egoism, narcissism, sarcasm and lameness in general.

Have a great weekend everyone

- Deano

Reflections on ACSIS camp from Hee Jinn!

Well, if it wasn’t that a whirlwind of laughs, frivolity and thrills to be deemed adequate enough for this entire camp to be labeled as being memorable, invigorating and intellectually stimulating, I sure as hell have no idea what is anymore. Well, aren’t standards always on the rise. Hmmm.

With the gruesome and not to mention gag inducing-esque life-like, that sporadic burst of whimsicality and decorations by the always amazing Kenneth and Sarah, I’d reckon it perfectly sums up the entire premise of the camp, which is that of the Horror and reflection in the midst of frivolity and light-heartedness. If there were a general consensus on the overall experience of the camp, it would undoubtedly be that of a resounding success, made possible by the always dedicated COMMITTEE, in capitals, just to affirm their standing, and of course the entire club as a whole for being a cohesive, unwavering unit.

Another one bites the dust. With the remnants of the club compromising of solely the Year 5’s for the temporary transitional phase, I think as a whole, the entire pace of the running of the club was awe-inspiring, credit given to everyone, who I believed without a sheer of a doubt, consistently gave their commitment and dedication to this enterprise. As improvised as some skits were, we can all hold our head high to proclaim that the send-off for the Seniors was a notch above the rest, really a testament of our respect and admiration for them, a form of gratitude towards their contributions, an acknowledgement really.

As we head into the preparatory phases towards the highly anticipated SYF next year, I am only certain that things can get better and better, and that our commitment towards next year’s performance can only be called unwavering, relentless. Yeah darlings, one-step higher. What’s life without little challenges?

Through the night games, the warm-ups, it proved to be an opportunity which I cherish extremely dearly right now, the opportunity for the club as a whole, to really forge together as one entity. Hell yeah baby, we’re entities now. It really proved to be an enriching experience, both drama-wise as well as providing a medium for interaction amongst all the members, and in my opinion, really serving as an opportune time to integrate all the new members of ACSIS; welcoming Chloe, Carolyn, Rohan and Nick warmly into this eccentricity-riddled, yet lovingly close home which we all call ACSIS.

Ohana means family.

Jinn.

ACSIS camp reflections by Sanaa((:

Helllloooo ACSIS-ians!!!!! So here is my blog post after several (rather intimidating) smses and notifications from Zou-anna Mummy. Hehehe this is what procrastination does to you. Oh oh oh! Fun fact: This my first time writing a blog post!

ACSIS Camp was just LEGEN-wait for it-DARY!!!!!! And I am sure (or at least hope) that many (or most) will agree with me. I have attended several camps before and when I say many, I mean many (MG Prefects saw the need to camp once every few months but that’s beside the point). And  I have NEVER felt so happy in any one of them before. True story.

I knew that we were a bonded bunch wayyyy before, but those 3 days and 2 nights were the living proof of that hmmm bond(: And I am so grateful I am in drama and that I have such awesome people to work with!

The best part of drama camp was not Social night but more of the preparation for Social night. Don’t you guys think we work amazing things under pressure? I mean just think about it, we did I Am With You, 3 Overheard Conversations, Alice In Wonderland, Friend, Bully, Saviour, The Ghost, I Am Sensitive and Murder Mystery all within one and a half days. The best part is WE NAILED IT! Other than the fact that we are truly efficient, this might also be because of the Zou-anna’s constant “ohmygosh I love you guys! We are so efficient!” (ohmygosh Zou-anna you really are a mummy- you nag; and you love! Ahhhh just a random thought) and Danyal’s ‘I am the BOSS’ moments and Tim’s strive for perfection (and stardom!).

The days leading to Mean Girls were super hilarious with Tim and Ken constantly quoting dialogue. I will remember this one foreverrrr “If you are from Africa, why are you white? Ohmygosh you don’t just ask people why they are white” oh oh oh and “Boo You Whore” That is almost like the ACSIS movie of the year, following Sweeny Todd that is (which was AMAZING I have never watched a psychological thriller so intriguing).

Oh another best part of the camp (I think this only applies to me) was the amount of attention I was getting because of my Ali Baba pants (: Wehheeeee I am lovin’ it! That was so fun just wearing it around and seeing jealous glances from Dr Chan (she bought one btw so we are now officially ACSIS’s Arabian buddies), Ken, Tim, Hee Jin, Zou-anna Mummy, etc etc.

I would like to thank EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! For without you, this camp would’ve never been a success. Xie Xie. Terma Kasih, Nandri, Shukriyan (for the benefit of Rohan and Prashanth).

So, there’s only one thing to say, that’s three words, that’s what I’ll do, I LOVE YOU

P.s. Zou-anna Mommy here is a little something for you. I am sorry Zou-anna…..Forgive me Zou-anna (to be sung like I feel you Joanna)

ACSIS camp reflections by Kenneth (Yan!)

Haaaaaaaay~

Okay so I have no idea what I’m supposed to say but (lulz at mah awzm azn bl0qqinq skillz man) drama camp was really fun. It’s an experience that we’ll all remember beyond IB, I’m sure. ^^ I can totally imagine myself old and alone with my nine cats and the dead rabbit in the sock drawer nobody knows about, drinking a cup of expired coffee, reminiscing about the friendships we’ve built and the love we shared with each other in this camp, and I’m going to let tears roll down my wrinkled, sagging cheeks, and down my toothless grin. I will then immediately die face first in the cold meat pie sitting in front of me.

K srs bsns nao. I really enjoyed myself during this camp because of everyone in acsis. I feel like this camp has brought everyone closer, definitely. Maybe not holding-sarah’s-hand close, or feeding-random-people close, but I think there’s this sense of ‘family’ when we think of acsis now. Well, at least I do. The entire camp had been super eventful and it was tiring as much as it was rewarding. During the first day, we had to rehearse our items for senior’s night and even though I’ve been with acsis for half a year (and counting ) I’m still getting adjusted to the pace at which we work. In my previous school, we took weeks to put up a show, but now I find myself having a few hours of preparation before putting up a performance (which i will never do previously i will break down like gretchen being told she can’t wear hoop earrings anymore because those were REGINA’S thang and sob awkwardly in a corner) – and a good one at that cause we have such awesome members that help each other out :d :d :d.

I think the camp has shown that we work well as a team and that all of us are mighty talented. :d

I really really really liked the night games. Usually camps would have these night games with an idiotic main objective of scaring the campers until they shat their pants and cry4mama, but this was nothing like that. There was this educational purpose that came with the night games. I was glad that it dealt quite a fair bit with acting, like it wasn’t purposeless and I actually learnt from it.

Okay fast-forwardingzxzxz I talk too much, anyway, I’m glad we got the chance to interact with our new members – chloe, carolyn, rohan, and nicholas! it’s been so much more fun with more people around, like DRAMA HOMIES YO. I’m glad there was this camp for us to bond better. :d

DID I ANSWER THE BLOGPOSTS’ CRITERIA L SORRY JOANNA I’M BAD AT MUSHY THINGS. But I <3 you guys. ^^

SARANGHAEEEE~~~~ <3 <3 <3

-Kenneth (Yan)

ACSIS camp reflections by Tim(:

ACSIS Camp 2011 was truly one to be remembered: it was the hasty preparation for seniors night, the midnight Macdonald’s, the tear jerking (and shaving creamed) senior’s night itself, the SYF baby stepping, and the Mean Girls that made it a truly wonderful couple of days. This camp has aided the club because it helped us bond well as a batch and as a level. I cannot express how immensely proud I am of how mature we all were to come together to put up a fantastic social night for our beloved Year 6s. Inside each of us is a magnificently talented and passionate spirit – able to drive ACSIS to greater heights. Words cannot express how excited I am to work with you wonderful people in the coming year. I’m sure we’re in for a ride, and that it will be unforgettable. Above all, I believe the camp highlighted our ability to work together. Let’s make this continue into SYF prep. Let’s turn all future obstacles into challenges to mould us for the better. We are everyday angels, we’re sensitive, and we’d like to stay that way.

- Tim

Reflections on ACSIS camp by Rohan (:

Hayyyyyyy, Zou-anna’s been sending me happy/intimidating texts about writing this post so let’s do this thang! [random interjection from Joanna: I was very nice okayyyy]

So, Drama Camp was great! This was one of my first experiences with ACSIS aside from one workshop and it was really quite lovely that you all like just welcomed me into the ACSIS fold without any of that almost requisite awkwardness that comes with meeting new people or familiar people in new contexts.

One of the things that stood out for me with Drama Camp was how student-centric it was in terms of execution and planning. It seemed like we were all trusted with bringing the skits and movement pieces to fruition and the exco was trusted in running the camp the way they wanted to (not to mention, screen the movie they wanted to). It was quite invigorating to watch things happen at camp with Mr Connor largely minding his own business and occasionally nodding agreeably at whatever Danyal or Tim or Joanna said.

The other highlight of the camp was obviously, Social Night. Given how little time we had with each piece, it was very impressive seeing everything come together on the night itself. I was also very pleased how no one noticed that I screwed up all the cues for the movement pieces; a testament no doubt, to everyone else’s immense stage presence and ability to captivate an audience teehee. It was also great meeting all the seniors. I haven’t worked with any of them ever, but that didn’t seem to matter at dinner when we are all laughing and singing showtunes.

I guess that just goes to show what a warm, welcoming CCA ACSIS is and it is a great thing to be a part of.

ACSIS camp reflections by Chloe(:

ACSIS Camp 2011 was indeed a fun and enlightening experience for me. Amidst all the Seniors’ Night/ Social Night preparations, I am thoroughly impressed by our grop dyanamic and efficiency. And in attempt to maintain that efficiency, (I hope) my reflections will remian short and snappy for easy reading (unlike Boss’s oh-so-long camp debrief).

The movement pieces, “I’ll Always be with you” and “I’m Sensitive”, choreographed by Danyal and Tim were completely new to me. I didn’t even know that movement prices existed in drama productions! Aside from my obvious lack of experience in drama, I felt that both pieces were artistic and powerful in their impacts on their audiences. It has certainly widen my perspectives int he world of stage performances. 

The main highlight of camp for me was Social Night, despite being absolutely new to ACSIS. Though I was neither  as emotional nor did I personally see the great importance of the event. I began to feel it through the rest of the Year 5s. It was obvious how badly everyone wanted the night to be a smashing success (which is was, thanks to everyones’ cooperation).Furthermore it was inspiring to see the seniors that night, so thoroughly enraptured by their love for ACSIS, how their passion was overflowing for it. It was more than just a comfort to me to know that everyone loves ACSIS so much and that joining this family was a blessing from God. Undoubtedly, I am looking forward to the coming year with ACSIS. 

(On the silm chance that anyone isn’t: BOO, YOU WHORE!)

Chloe =)