Culture Night

What a blast! After weeks of practice, KR’s very own culture groups finally got to show what they are made of. KR’s Got Talent was the theme of this year’s Culture Night (or rather, KRulture Night), and talent did they have.

The annual showcase on the 24th of October featured KR Dance, Acapella, Choir, KR Steppers, KRX, Rockers and Inspire, each putting unique twists on their items. Hungry KResidents were also sated by snacks and Thai Milk Tea provided by YEP and Bizcomm. A special addition this year was the little snippets and skits our very own Video Production Team put together, highlighting the dynamics between each group.

Aye aye, Steppers! Starting the jam-packed night off with a BANG! was none other than the spectacular KRSteppers. Embracing the theme of Pirates of the Caribbean, the merged death-defying acts with clever props, proving once again why exactly they clinched the title of regional champion.

Keeping up the energy were the songbirds of KR: Acapella and Choir. Acapella placed their own aca-amazing talents to the test, with mashups and renditions of today’s most popular songs

Choir kept up the momentum, awing the crowd with control and perfect harmonies. Crooning to the melody of Hallelujah, Choir showed off their wit by changing the lyrics, amusing many of the audience members.

Not forgetting the fabulous KRX, which put on a series of hilarious shorts designed to tickle the audience. Most memorable was undoubtedly their entertaining improv sequence, with resident surfer dude Jiaxing making his acting debut as—you guessed it—a woman in labour. Showing that talent can be found in the places where you least expect, E Block’s Resident Fellow, Dr. Matthew Chua charmed the crowd with his lustrous version of Phantom of the Opera.

KR Dance never fails to make our jaws drop with their powerful numbers. Poppin’ and lockin’ to soulful beats and hip-hop basses, the dancers injected sheer energy into their knife-like choreography. We interview one of the choreographers, Grace, to tell us more about her culture night journey:

What would you say was the hardest part of choreographing a dance?

I think the hardest part was having something substantial to teach every single practice because most of the time choreographing comes to me in bursts. Sometimes I hit a choreo block. But, the dancers and music inspire me to keep creating.

What gave you the inspiration for the name of your dance item?

(Laughs) I asked my dancers for ideas for our group name. Everyone was just shouting answers so we just decided to combine everything and we ended up with Whip Whip Grace and the Sexy Boys Street Jazz Hip Hop Street Jazz Dance Item.

What was the best part of your Culture Night experience?

I think the best parts were the moments before we went on stage. Before we went on, the rest of KR Dance was cheering us on in the studio as we did our last few runs and it really felt like a family.

What is one thing you want to say you all your fellow performers?

Thank you! I couldn’t be more grateful to have met y’all.

With their strong vocals, Inspire and Rockers both performed stripped-back acoustic sets before plunging into energy-filled hits. Rockers tugged at our heartstrings as they belted Sam Smith’s latest hit—Too Good at Goodbyes, while Inspire gave us a taste of their impeccable musicality, performing two original jazzy numbers that lured us in. As per tradition, Rockers brought Culture Night to a close with an exhilarating set (featuring unbeatable high notes) making it a truly unforgettable night for both the audience and the performers.