A NEW DIMENSION TO NDP

This year s National Day Parade (NDP) is reaching new heights.

For the first time, the NDP will feature aerialists and aerial performances in its Show segment.

Taking advantage of the new National Stadium s infrastructure, 26 aerialists will be executing stunts while suspended between five and 30 metres from its domed roof. This includes 20 dancers from the Singapore Armed Forces Music and Drama Company (SAF MDC).

This is not the first time that aerialists are performing at the stadium last year s Southeast Asia (SEA) Games opening ceremony saw an aerial performance with six performers.

The same aerial team that oversaw the SEA Games performance was engaged for this year s NDP and they wanted to up the ante for the new show.

What it takes to be an aerialist

According to MAJ Tan, the selection process was stringent and only performers who could withstand the difficult airborne conditions made the cut.

Training took place in three phases, beginning with an induction and height confidence training at the SAF s Airborne Training Facility in Pasir Ris Camp. Suspended from heights of up to 10m, the aerialists had to overcome their fear of heights and get used to the tight harnesses they had to wear.

Following this was a ground phase, during which the aerialists and other mass performers learnt the ground choreography for the integrated sections of the performances.

In the final phase, the aerialists were moved into the National Stadium, where they were able to practise their routines from their actual heights of up to 30m.

To ensure the safety of the performers, several measures were put in place. These included a load-bearing test, where sandbags weighing 3.8 tonnes were used to test the lines from which the performers would be hung, and medics stationed on-site to tend to performers in distress.

Ahead of each performance, the aerialists would also spend half an hour putting on their harnesses and testing them in the rigs set up in their holding room, under the watchful eyes of their instructors.

The three-month-long training has not been easy, especially for the MDC performers, who are all new to aerial performance.

The challenges are both mental and physical. Mentally, we are hanging up in the air for eight to 10 minutes, so we get mentally drained. Physically, the harnesses are tight and we get bruises on our hips and thighs, said 22-year-old full-time National Serviceman (NSF) Lance Corporal (LCP) Wee Woon Wayne. He had to learn to overcome his fear of heights to become an aerialist.

Fellow NSF Private (PTE) Rajid Ahamed agreed. On the ground, you feel more in tune with your body movements. But when you re in the air, adrenaline kicks in, and you need to try to focus on what you have to do, he said, explaining that the adrenaline rush could cause physical reactions such as palpitations and shaking hands.

It took us a good amount of training to get used to the choreography up in the air, said the 22-year-old.

As for MDC artiste Biwa Mastura Binte Mohamed Said, it was the support of her friends and superiors that enabled her to get through the tough training.

I once broke down because of the physical and emotional stress. But I talked to my superiors, and they reminded me that I had already come so far, and encouraged me to push on. My instructors, who knew about my motion sickness, would also be there (after each rehearsal) to make sure I was fine. I really appreciate that, said the 26-year-old. This was her first time performing in the NDP.

Nonetheless, all three MDC artistes acknowledged that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and were excited to perform at the NDP.

Said LCP Wee, who is a trained breakdancer: This is a new challenge for me as a dancer. The dimensions we can explore in the air are different from what we can achieve on the ground, so I decided to take part in this.

As for PTE Rajid, this was a dream come true: I feel really lucky and blessed because not everyone gets this opportunity, and it s being done for the first time ever (at an NDP). It s a special feeling, and I m happy to be a part of the NDP because it s been a dream since I was a kid.