THE inaugural Night Aquatic Show, themed ‘Around the World,’ commenced with an unexpected delight at the Setia SPICE Aquatic Centre recently. The accomplished Master of Ceremony, Carolyn Ooi, took on the role of an ‘air stewardess’ and surprised the audience by appearing beside the swimming pool.
In a playful twist, Carolyn as the ‘air stewardess,’ then instructed the gathered audience to buckle up, creating an immersive experience as the imaginary ‘plane’ geared up for take-off from Penang airport. The promise of an exciting aquatic journey to 10 countries around the world would set the stage for an evening of captivating performances.
The audience, now transformed into ‘passengers,’ eagerly awaited the unfolding spectacle as 60-odd artistic swimmers assumed the roles of the main cast.
A diverse array of solo, duet, and team performances took centre stage, each segment simulating the virtual plane’s stops in exotic locations such as Thailand, China, South Korea, Japan, New York, Hawaii, Brazil, Africa, and India.
Among the performers were predominantly young swimmers, with the youngest aged six, showcasing their remarkable talents. Adding a touch of experience to the ensemble was a senior group, with the oldest participant being 58 years old.
The show featured seven national synchronised swimmers from Penang, who were recently selected to represent Malaysia in the Asian age group in the Philippines in February of next year.
The aquatic show also showcased the country’s top-ranked mixed duet of Koh Hao Sean and Nuralynn Mohd Shaari, along with three sets of twins – Ow Yeng Rou Xuan and Ow Yeng Rou Ern (16), Hor Wen Yee and Hor Wen Xin (12) and Zoe Liew Jia Xuen and Chloe Liew Jia Yu (11).
Each destination presented a mesmerising display of skills, accompanied by distinctive music that transported the audience to the actual country.
For instance, in China, a few swimmers held colourful paper lanterns above the pool, creating a Chinese ambience during the synchronised swimming performance.
In addition to aquatic performances, ‘land’ performances took place on the stage beside the pool. For example, when the virtual plane reached South Korea, a young group of aquatic performers seamlessly transformed into K-pop artists, enchanting the crowd with vibrant routines.
At one point, Carolyn herself took center stage in the pool, performing a duet with Sharene Chuah Joo Khim to the lively tunes of New York, while ‘Captain’ Nuralynn Mohd Shaari assumed control of the announcements, contributing to the dynamic and immersive experience for the audience.
Creative surprises, such as the unexpected appearance of swimmers dressed as ‘mermaids’ off the coast of Hawaii, added imaginative elements to the show.
Following Carolyn’s performance, she took over the microphone to occasionally brief the ‘passengers’ about the weather conditions in the approaching city. Then, at one juncture, she announced that the virtual plane was encountering air turbulence, necessitating an emergency landing in Africa.
This prompted the entrance of a group of swimmers, aged in their 40s and 50s, into the pool. Known as the Masters artistic swimmers, they delivered a scintillating display to the delight of the audience.
Towards the end of the show, another remarkable moment unfolded when an aquatic swimmer showcased her talent as a belly dancer amidst the sounds of Middle Eastern music.
While every member of the team had a hand in the success of the show, it was a dream come through for the show’s director Tasha Jane and aquatic coach Shona Wee.
They started the Penang Phoenix Artistic Swimming Academy in February of this year before moving from Relau Sports Centre to the Setia SPICE Aquatic Centre with the objective of raising awareness about artistic swimming and supporting the state team.
“We have been dreaming of reviving this show since both of us took part in a similar show in 2007 with the theme ‘Rumble in the Water’. I was only 12 years old. This show happened for two reasons.
“I want to create sweet memories for the kids because I want them to have what I have been through before.
“Another objective is to promote the sport. Having enjoyed it throughout my years as an athlete and a professional, and now working in a multinational company, I am just here to give back to society.
“Now that we have done the show, I am quite proud to have achieved my dream despite such a relatively short period.
“We managed to overcome some challenges. The main challenge is to get people to know artistic swimming as before, but of course, with the power of social media and new technology, we can share our voice through it,” Tasha, 28, explained.
Tasha, after taking up synchronised swimming at eight years old, entered Bukit Jalil Sports School at 15 and then gained a spot in the national team at 18.
She participated in several major championships, including the World Championships in Shanghai in 2011, the World Juniors in Greece in 2012, the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, and the SEA Games from 2010 to 2015. Her best achievements were in the 2011 SEA Games in Palembang, Indonesia, where Malaysia made a clean sweep of all five golds, with Tasha securing two golds in the duet and team categories.
Wee, a former state synchronised swimmer, said they took three to four months to prepare for the show, training five days a week with each session lasting about four to four-and-a-half hours. While Wee handled the choreography for the water dances, talented 15-year-old participant, Phoemie Tan, took charge of choreographing the land dances.
“As a coach, my first criterion is finding a kid who can swim and loves to dance. The child must possess some basic swimming skills as our training takes place in deep water, exceeding eight feet.
“We try to make this sport more well known. We are one of the few states actively participating in synchronised swimming.
“We also have seven boys in the training team. Overall, the whole team is very committed, particularly the young ones even though they are not ready for competitions,” said Wee, who has served as the Penang (MSNPP) coach since 2011. (For those interested in exploring artistic swimming, Wee encourages potential enthusiasts to reach out to her at 012-2076025.)
Penang State Sports Council director Harry Chai Heng Hua, who was among the spectators, expressed immense joy and pride in the accomplishments of the artistic team. He commended their continuous effort to expand synchronised swimming and attract a growing number of athletes.
“They have beaten all odds to put this sport forward even though it is no longer a Sukma choice sports since the last inclusion in the 2013 KL Sukma.
“Seeing the sizable crowd, and the overwhelming support from the spectators, including parents, sponsors, and corporate agencies, I can see that there is light at the end of the tunnel to restore this sport to its glorious day and propel it further to international stage for Malaysia, notably the SEA Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the Olympic Games.
“Rest assured, Penang State Sports Council, together with Penang Amateur Swimming Association and local swimming academy such as Wahoo Setia Spice Aquatic Center, will be working together to ensure the continuous development and progress of the sport,” Chai said.
Thomas Lee, the director of TAD Solutions Sdn Bhd (Team & Absolute Dedication in Sports Solutions), said they are proud to be associated with the artistic swimming team as the venue sponsor.
While acknowledging that a similar show had taken place about 15 years ago, Lee said this time it was held on a grander scale. The narrative beautifully portrayed the culture of each country through both stage and pool performances.
“These artistic swimmers not only demonstrated their artistic prowess but also proved their ability to captivate audiences as mermaids and enchanting performers at any prestigious occasions,” Lee said.
After about one-and-a-half hours of performance, the Night Aquatic Show concluded as Carolyn announced the plane’s landing at the Penang International Airport, thanking them (the audience) for choosing the imaginary ‘Air Phoenix.’
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Law Suun Ting and courtesy of TAD and Penang State Sports Council