Kudos to the performing arts community and NGOs of Ipoh who came out in full force for PSPA Festive Extravaganza @ Ipoh’s 2018 final Car Free Day on December 23. They danced, sang and shared the joy of the holiday season with all who came! Thirty eight groups came in beautiful costumes with decorated booths, sharing food, drinks and just holiday cheer in answer to the call of organising chairperson Yip Siew Yeen and president of Perak Society of Performing Arts Datin Rosalina for a celebration of community and holiday spirit!
Perak Society of Performing Arts (PSPA) is grateful for the immense support of MBI’s Encik Zulqarnain Bin Mohd and his officers of Special Project En Zulkefli bin Osman, Puan Noral Sanial Bt Mohd Som, Encik Suhaimi Ramli for amenities for the event. The new Director Tuan Haji Zainal bin Abdul Hamid was also at PSPA Festive Extravaganza to receive special guests. Sponsors generously donated hampers and gifts including hotel stays, food vouchers and theme-park tickets for the two competitions – Best Costumes and the Best Decorated Booths. As one walked down the bustling Jalan Raja DiHilir, one could hear the tinkling from festively decorated bicycles and trishaws by Cycledios. Among the colourful booths music and singing resonated and audience stopped to enjoy the PSPA Singers, the Sound Garage, line dancers, street dancers, ballet and musical theatre performers, belly dancers, Malay selendang dancers and latin dancers. There were sounds of ukuleles, brass and violins. There were games and sports to join in, ‘congkak’ to play and even a chance to tie ‘tengkolok’.
The singers from PORT were rendering beloved Chinese and Malay melodies for all to enjoy. The judges, Pak Peter, Datuk Haji Ozdman, Sylvia Wong and Encik Zulirwan Nazri sped quickly through the street to make their final choices and decided with difficulty among the lovely costumes. To top it all, the public were thrilled to have Tan Kar Hing at PSPA Festive Extravaganza arch, joined by Jenny Choy and councillor Deric Lee, despite their hectic schedules.
The morning festivities finished with the parade flagged off by Jenny Choy and Howard Lee and led by Lost World of Tambun closely followed by all performing arts groups and participants of the costume competitions. There was Au Young the clown and his son on stilts, the dancing snowman, Santa giving out sweets and goodie bags from sponsors, santarinas, performers dressed in animal costumes and mascots.
Believe it or not there were even Walking Christmas trees and lovely Malaysian traditional costumes from beautiful Indian sarees, Malay classical attires, Chinese cheongsams, princesses’ costumes and even a goat. This happy morning concluded with awesome street dancing from D’Artiz Studio and a finale from Lost World of Tambun. Competition prizes for best Festive Booth Display went to Lembaga Muzium Negeri Perak, closely followed by People of Remarkable Talent (PORT) and Third to Perak Women for Women (PWW). Our best Festive Costume Junior first prize went to Qaseh Imanniesya Rozman dressed as a Christmas tree with Presents for shoes. And the adult champ was Ms Chong Boon Geok, who dressed herself with decadent parts of the Chinese culture with a festive twist.
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