From curiosity to passion: How these primary school students found their calling in ballroom dancing

Choosing a co-curricular activity (CCA) is an exciting milestone for any primary 3 student.

For most, the choice comes down to familiar sports or hobbies that's tried and tested.

But for Nurul Aleesya Irwan and Madhusudhanan Swagatha Sree, it was all about taking a leap into the unknown.

In 2023, when they were in primary 3, the Edgefield Primary School students stumbled upon something different — ballroom dancing — and opted to give it a try. 

What began as curiosity has blossomed into a deep interest and since then, the duo has performed on numerous stages, both locally and internationally. 

Most recently, Aleesya and Swagatha were among the 3,000 students from 122 schools who took centre stage at this year's Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Celebrations, held from July 3 to 5.

Their performance on July 5, was graced by guest-of-honour Minister for Education Desmond Lee, took place at Scape The Ground Theatre.

Dressed in bright yellow, the Edgefield dancers lit up the stage and captivated the audience with a vibrant display of Latin American Ballroom Jive. 

Being the only primary school in Singapore to offer ballroom dance as a co-curricular activity, their performance was certainly a head-turner.

Speaking to AsiaOne, Aleesya spoke about how she found out about ballroom dancing.

She said: "It was during the CCA tryouts, and I saw the way they danced. I really liked it and decided to join."

Swagatha echoed her dance partner's sentiments, adding that dance always came naturally to her whenever she'd listen to music.

During the CCA tryouts, ballroom dancing was something new and its "powerful" and "joyful" nature intrigued her.

Right off the high from performing at Scape The Ground Theatre, Aleesya mentioned the adrenaline rush was exciting and made her feel both proud and happy.

Nervousness or stage fright wasn't something that came to mind.

When asked why, the primary 5 student calmly replied that she was no stranger to big audiences, having previously performed at Chingay Parade.

Just last month, both girls travelled to Hong Kong for an international dance competition and clinched first place.

Given their interest and proficiency in the craft, it's unsurprising that both are looking to continue their dance journey beyond primary school.

Their growth as dancers isn't simply based on technique and moves. It's also about the bonds and connections they've built along the way.

Swagatha said: "We always teach each other steps we didn't know and cheer each other up if we made mistakes."

Beyond choreography, ballroom dancing has also imprinted a number of valuable life lessons too.

"I learned about unity and how dancing together is similar to helping one another," Swagatha reflected.

Aleesya added that her coach's strict style has helped instilled a higher sense of discipline in her without dampening her love for the art.

"I would describe it as an enjoyable dance and a new place where I got to make new friends," she said.

This year's SYF Celebrations shares the same theme as SG60, Building Our Singapore Together, to commemorate the nation's 60th birthday.

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amierul@asiaone.com