Hip-hop happening
A charity hip-hop show will be organised by South Island School (SIS) next Saturday to promote the culture and raise money for worthy causes.
Movement 2K5 will take place at the SIS campus in Aberdeen.
The show will involve all international schools under the English Schools Foundation, and other schools including Hong Kong International School, German Swiss International School, French International School and Chinese International School.
It will be the school's second public hip-hop performance.
'We organised the first one last year and attracted around 400 people, which was pretty good,' said Allan Lau, a Year 13 student at SIS.
'So we decided to do another one this year. In fact, we would like to make it an annual event.
'We raised around $16,000 last time and, this year, some of the money will go to help the Asian tsunami victims and some will be donated to charity groups which our school has been supporting.'
The concert will feature performances by students and professional hip-hop dance group Ones To Watch, hip-hop band Typical, rappers NOC Joe and Infinitlee, and DJ Junior.
'There will be about seven performances by students from various schools. Actually a lot of young people love hip-hop music or hip-hop dance,' said Allan, who will play R&B at the show.
'There have not been too many school hip-hop shows. Hopefully, Movement 2K5 can help promote
the culture within the school community.'
Allan will be assisted by Year 12 student Keri Wong, who has been learning hip-hop dance for three years.
'Hip-hop dance is fun. I've done ballet and jazz but hip-hop is the best,' said Keri, 17.
'I've seen Ones To Watch perform and they were so cool.
'Hip-hop is quite different from jazz. The movements in jazz are gentler. You have to have a very
good sense of rhythm when you do hip-hop.'
Keri said that hip-hop dance was a healthy leisure activity and should be promoted among young people.
'People have a misconception that hip-hop is related to drinking and bars,' she said.
'You can actually do hip-hop anywhere. Dancing is relaxing and a healthy activity. It can also help you lose weight and stay fit.'
Allan, who is leaving for university this summer, hopes the concert will be more successful than last year.
'We started preparations in December and have been working very hard to make sure everything will go smoothly,' he said.
'I'd like to do a really good show before I leave the school.
'And, after that, it will all depend on Keri and her teammates.'
