His NDP segment spotlights care and compassion - with light-up costumes

As Singapore gears up to celebrate its 59th birthday on Aug 9 at the iconic Padang, anticipation is building for a Show segment that promises to be nothing short of spectacular.

This year's National Day Parade (NDP) Show, a vibrant celebration of unity and diversity, will captivate audiences with its grand mass performances, nostalgic NDP songs and evocative new compositions, amazing sets and props, and immersive multimedia effects.

Hosted by local celebrities Joakim Gomez, Sonia Chew, Ebi Shankara, and Siti Khalijah, the Show will feature over 3,000 performers, including students, community groups, and first-time participants. It is divided into a pre-parade segment and four chapters, each telling a unique story about Singapore's past, present, and future.

Chapter Five will showcase 700 Soka Gakkai Singapore performers — one of them Isaac Soh, an Assistant Chief Trainer, who is performing with the group for a second time in NDP.

We talk to the 25-year-old motion graphics artist about the joys and challenges of working with participants aged between 18 and 70, and the importance of having a segment like Chapter Five, which throws the spotlight on being a caring and compassionate society.

This is your second time performing with Soka Gakkai Singapore in NDP. How different is it this time around?

In NDP 2019, I was a trainer. We had to guide and teach 30 participants the choreography and how to plot themselves into a formation.

This year, I took on the role as an Assistant Chief Trainer, along with three others. We have to schedule training plans, execute choreographers' plans as well as manage and handle administrative and logistic matters, not forgetting the 700 participants' well-being and safety as well.

How did your previous role in NDP 2019 help prepare you for your role in NDP 2024?

I understand the ground a bit more. So as an Assistant Chief Trainer, I'm able to understand in detail what needs to be passed down to the participants, and what needs to be done in the back-end before everything starts.

What are some of the challenges you've faced in rehearsals?

I think it's the wide range of participants who are participating in this year's NDP. With us, we have participants ranging in age from 18 to 70. Yeah. So the biggest challenge for choreographers was to make sure that the dances were suitable for both the younger and older generations.

I think another challenge would be the props. This year, we had to incorporate mobile arches into the choreography. It's not that easy because performers are required to push the arches, not to mention the arches themselves have lights which performers have to control, and buttons which the performers need to press on cue.

Also, the costumes. Each performer has their own puffy outerwear. It requires a lot of movement and a lot of spinning to ensure the costume "floats" in the air. Oh and the costumes light up, but they need to be turned on by the performers themselves.

Apart from all the friendships made, what will you take away from this NDP experience?

I think I've learnt a lot from all the communication and back-and-forth updates, and from all the external support that has made training so much smoother. What I've learnt will help me to be a more effective communicator, especially in the workforce.

What has been the highlight of your NDP journey this year?

I think what is most memorable for me would be the people I've met — from the Soka Gakkai Singapore NDP committee to the Chief Trainers, choreographers, participants, and the Show Support team from the Singapore Army.

It's not been easy because I think all of us volunteered to participate in NDP despite our own struggles outside of NDP, yet we still show up to perform and contribute back to the society. We might not know each other's struggles with family or work, but coming here, it's a whole different vibe, a state where everybody is united.

And I think that's why Chapter Five is so important, 'cause it's all about how we lift each other up, and what Singapore could be in the future!

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This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.