“In *SCAPE at one point in time, they also implemented boxes on the floor where dancers can only dance in that certain space,” says Mr Zachary Ng, 24, a breakdancer. He says that dancers who do not adhere to the designated dance space may be asked to leave. 

 

“I would say it's pretty annoying to me, on a scale of 1–10, I would say maybe it's [an] eight?” says Mr Ng, “it’s always about the vibe, so there can be times where you're either dancing alone or in a very very small group… so sometimes it can be very boring.”

 

“Unfortunately during the pandemic, we need to protect all who visit us by enforcing the [Safe Management Measures]. Where possible, we make exceptions on an ad-hoc basis if the organiser is able to demonstrate ability to help us maintain *SCAPE as a safe space to visit during the pandemic,” says Ms Mira Azalia, an executive from *SCAPE in charge of programming for the creative arts.

 

In response to the pandemic restrictions, some dancers have resorted to dancing at non-designated dance locations.

 

“When the restrictions happened, it was so hard to find a spot [at *SCAPE],” says Ms Nathania Lim, 20, a hip-hop dancer. She says that her dance crew would usually go to a carpark in Woodlands, though not a preferred location. 

 

“It's really frustrating for me to go there. Even though it’s an open area, usually you need your reflection over there, it’s too hard [to dance],” says Ms Lim.

 

Ms Tan, who used to practise at *SCAPE frequently says that she and her friends now dance outside a dental clinic located near Esplanade. 

 

“[The clinic] closes at 5[pm], so we’ll be there at like 6–7[pm] and we’ll just use the reflection [from the glass doors] as a mirror,” says Ms Tan.

 

*SCAPE used to hold annual dance competitions such as Blackout, a hip-hop dance competition organised by School of the Arts, but most competitions have been cancelled or brought online. 

 

“I don't really like [the] idea [of online competitions] because, you know, to me, dance is a little bit more expressive when you see it face-to-face. It can be a little different, it can be a little more raw, rather than you film yourself and you get multiple takes,” says Mr Ng. He says that his dance style is “a little bit more freestyle” and “less choreographed”.

 

Despite the downsides of moving competitions online, Ms Azalia says online competitions present “opportunities” as *SCAPE becomes “more accessible internationally”.

 

“While we started to have international friends registering for our programmes, we also have more international instructors and dancers to bring different perspectives to the arts,” says Ms Azalia.

 

That being said, dancers are adapting to the new restrictions. Ms Tan initially felt awkward dancing at non-designated dance areas as passers-by saw her mistakes and “every step”, but soon “got used to it”.

 

“I [don’t] really need too much, all I [need is] an open space with a decent floor. So as long as there [is] a ground that’s okay for me, it would be fine,” says Mr Ng.

 

“Pre-Covid, I used to get dance production jobs, commercial jobs in dance and everything, but that also stopped after Covid started. But right now I'm slowly, slowly getting it back,” says Ms Tan, as she prepares to teach a children’s dance class. 

 

She says, “Little jobs like this, also. I’m just… I feel thankful for whatever I still can keep in dance.”