If you went for HOMEGROWN, presented and produced by the Music & Drama Company in September at OCBC Square, you may have noticed MDC artistes Jeslyn Yang and Cosmas Hoo performing a special dance item using a lollipop hoop. The choreography, which showcased teamwork, trust and endurance, was as complicated as it looked, and something that could only be done by talented and experienced dancers. Thankfully, Jeslyn and Cosmas are pros at what they do.
Partners in dance
Jeslyn and Cosmas enjoyed training together for their HOMEGROWN performance.
“Our routine was a duet lollipop hoop dance act, set to the song, Out of the Shadows, which was written by MDC artiste Gail Belmonte and NSF Jeyes for MDC’s 50th anniversary,” says Jeslyn.
“Lollipop hoop dance combines the intense creativity of pole performance with the dynamic elements of aerial acrobatics. The song carried significant meaning, and the performance demanded high levels of trust and teamwork between Cosmas and me. It also tested our mental and physical endurance, pushing us to give our all throughout the act.”
“The item was about support and hope,” adds Cosmas.
“It exhibited the trust between us and required carrying and supporting each other to highlight the dynamics and lines of the aerial choreography.”
Working closely together for a decade hasn’t always been easy, but Jeslyn and Cosmas believe that the challenges they’ve experienced in their job have only strengthened them as individuals and improved their creative partnership.
“We constantly push each other to overcome our fears and strive for improvement, and the disagreements we’ve had have made us stronger,” Jeslyn explains.
Cosmas agrees, adding that the reason why he and Jeslyn work so well together is because they’re always direct and honest with each other.
A true passion for dancing
Both Jeslyn and Cosmas started dancing from a young age. Jeslyn, however, only discovered how much she loved dancing at 15 years old, when she wrote to a dance studio asking if she could join their ballet class.
At 17, she saw that the beauty of dance lies in its inclusivity, that it offers everyone an equal opportunity to express themselves, no matter who they are. She decided then that she wanted to dance for a living.
Besides working for MDC, Jeslyn is also a dance instructor and occasionally teaches K-Kardio dance fitness classes and workshops (her students are aged from their early 20s to their 70s). She’s also participated in a range of aerial dance classes such as hammock, hoop, and silks, and, while she’s familiar with most styles of dance, she says that she’d love to learn Latin ballroom dancing sometime.
Cosmas describes his first experience with dance as a “forced circumstance”. He and his three brothers – the foursome are quadruplets – skipped Chinese tuition to play street soccer and were caught.
“Our mum was summoned from home to our school’s general office. A dance instructor happened to be there – she’d been hired by the school to teach dance at the time – and our mum gave us two choices: attend dance class or go back to Chinese tuition,” Cosmas says.
“Of course we chose the former, thinking that we could skip it once my mother left, but she stayed the entire dance lesson, so we had to dance. That’s when I realised that I had a gift.”
Over the years, Cosmas honed his craft under Latin American Ballroom dance teachers Eileen Hoe and Andre De Silva, whom he calls his mentors. (Fun fact: Cosmas and his brothers trained in ballroom dancing together). At some point, Cosmas says that he’d love to try waacking – a style of street dance – because he is intrigued by its musicality and complicated hand movements.
Like Jeslyn, Cosmas teaches dance, too. He says it always makes him proud to see his students grow and improve and to share his passion for dance with them.
Making it as dancers
By the time Jeslyn applied for a full-time dancer position at MDC, she had already done a few freelance projects for the Company. She passed the audition, and since then, has had countless opportunities to show off her moves.
“I love the diversity of performances I get to be a part of and catering to various audiences, as well as the chance to perform both locally and internationally, such as at the Virginia International Tattoo in 2023 and the National Day Parade,” she shares.
“Thanks to this job, I also got to learn aerial dance, which I performed at the MDC50 Music & Memories: Back in Time concert at Victoria Theatre for an audience of over 700, alongside fellow MDC artiste Khim Ng, who performed a medley of songs by our alumnus, JJ Lin.
“And earlier this year, I participated in an immersive virtual reality experience, Le Bal de Paris de Blanca Li, in collaboration with MDC and the Singapore Street Festival.”
In addition to dancing, Jeslyn is a skilled guzheng player. She was inspired to take lessons after watching the TV drama series My Fair Princess, in which one of the princesses plays the instrument.
Cosmas’ parents were initially sceptical about their son’s ability to make a decent living from dancing, but now that they can see how well he’s doing, they’re supportive of Cosmas’ career.
“I joined MDC for the stability, plus it provides a platform for me to explore other art forms, such as aerial arts, which I’m hooked on,” Cosmas explains.
“I also get to perform at various events, like public shows at SAFRA Choa Chu Kang, Toa Payoh HDB Hub, the Music & Memories: Back in Time concert, National Day parades, and the recent HOMEGROWN music festival.”
If they hadn’t become dancers, both Jeslyn and Cosmas say that they’d probably be veterinarians because of their love for animals.
Performing for our national servicemen
Jeslyn shares that she enjoys bringing high-quality performances and entertainment to NSmen and easing their stress and worries in the process.
Through her work, she also hopes to inspire NSmen to live an active lifestyle.
“I maintain a fit and toned physique, constantly pushing the boundaries of human capability,” she points out.
Cosmas describes his job as an MDC artiste as “meaningful”, as it gives him the opportunity to honour NSmen for their dedication and service.
The pair hopes to continue dancing for many years to come and both have big career ambitions.
Jeslyn says that she aspires to become a professional aerial performer as well as a backup dancer for both local and international artistes, while Cosmas hopes to dance with and for some of the world’s biggest musical artistes.
“I’ve always liked JJ Lin and A-Lin’s songs, and it’s my wish to choreograph for them and be part of their dance team,” he shares.
“It would also be great to be part of a dance ensemble for artistes like Adele, Beyoncé, BabyMonster and TWICE.”
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