With her friends as her eyes, this NDP dancer shines

Under the glaring lights at the Padang, dancer Sherri Lim, 26, is trying to find her way to her next position as the performers make a new formation on stage.

But the world around her is a blur, and she cannot make out the numbers on each marking on the floor which tell the dancers where to stand. Unlike the other performers, she is visually impaired. Another dancer takes her arm and guides her to the next position. 

Miss Lim is one of 400 Republic Polytechnic (RP) students who will showcase their dance and martial arts flair at 2025’s National Day Parade (NDP). She is part of an 11-minute dance routine fusing hip-hop and traditional dance styles.

The Year 3 information technology student was born blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other. She has a rare congenital eye condition called Peters anomaly, which causes clouding of the cornea and blurred vision.

This means she cannot see anything clearly around her, even her laptop, except when she leans in close to the screen. She chooses to rely on her hearing at school instead of using visual aids, and can navigate mostly independently by memory.

But performing is a different beast. Throughout the act, dancers must make 17 formations in complex shapes, without any obvious spaces between performers. 

Miss Lim said: “Every (rehearsal) day is a new stage for me, especially when the lighting is on us. I cannot see anything at all.”

Still, she volunteered to perform at the NDP to make more memories with her CCA (co-curricular activity) friends.

“I never saw myself performing at the NDP,” she said. “I don’t know how many times I wanted to give up. But on show days every Saturday, when you step on the Padang stage, it feels very unreal.”

Dreams of performing

Although this is her biggest performance so far, Miss Lim is no stranger to the stage.

She has played the guzheng (a zither) in RP’s Chinese Ensemble for three years, and played the liuqin (four-stringed lute) in primary school. She relies on her sense of touch and memory to play the right strings.

And in 2024, she danced in public for the first time at the National Gallery as part of a visual and performing arts showcase by Project Dreamcatchers.

The initiative, led by young people with chronic illnesses and the National University Hospital, was held to show people that lifelong medical conditions do not make them less able than others.

“I’ve liked dancing since I was young, but didn’t have the opportunity to (until then),” said Miss Lim.

Her favourite part, she added, was working with the choreographer to “tell (her) life’s story” through contemporary dance.

So, when her school’s performing arts groups were selected for NDP, Miss Lim leapt at the chance to express herself through dance again.

Guiding the way

Miss Lim’s wish to dance was met with support from her CCA peers and instructor. At rehearsals, the dancers clarified the steps with her, and held on to her when they changed formations.

Her schoolmate Menfred Tan, 20, is one of the performers who guided her during the show. He said: “For Sherri, we make sure she never goes alone. We ensure someone always tags along with her from the start to the end.”

Mr Tan, who has played the erhu (two-string fiddle) in RP’s Chinese Ensemble but has no background in dance, was eager to perform at NDP. “From the start, there was a lot of pressure,” he said. “It was unexplored territory for us.”

Apart from showing up for rehearsal after his full-time work internship, he said the hardest part has been keeping up with the upbeat routine for all 11 minutes. “Our energy has to be high most of the time. It is a test of our stamina, and we are drenched in sweat the whole time.

“It’s not just glitter and fireworks. It’s also a lot of sweat and tears.”

Preparing for NDP was a hard feat even for dance captain Khairatul Syahirah Kahar, 19, who has been dancing since primary school. On top of learning the steps quickly from the choreographer, she was tasked to teach almost 150 participants at a time.

She recalled seeing the other dance captains’ “confused faces” when they were picking up the steps, which helped her feel less alone. “The people around you are what keeps you motivated.”

In the end, Miss Khairatul was inspired by how anyone can pick up dance, no matter when they start. “We’re all doing the same thing, dancing the same steps, wearing the same costume,” she said.

That includes Miss Lim, who said she has learnt to trust her friends to teach her the right steps and lead her to the correct spots.

As she performs on stage this National Day, alongside her idols such as singer Benjamin Kheng, she hopes to encourage others to pursue their passions.

“I want to show people with disabilities also can chase their own dreams,” she said. “I want to show people that if you dare, then you can.”