Chingay parade: Wheelchair-bound man to make debut in para dance sport performance choreographed by his son

SINGAPORE — Even though he is wheelchair bound, 71-year-old Toh Cheng Siew will be making his debut as a Chingay parade performer later this month. He will be performing a para dance sport performance choreographed by his son Kelvin, 41.

How Kelvin enlisted his father for the parade

Last year, both Tohs had received an invitation to watch the Chingay parade. It was then that Kelvin decided to put his father's name down as a participant. Rehearsals for the dance contingent started last October and, according to Kelvin, have been "quite smooth".

For the routine, Cheng Siew will be manoeuvring a sports wheelchair instead of his usual wheelchair. He also has to rely less on his solo motor skills, and be more dependent on his standing partner.

It was initially difficult for Kelvin to communicate with his father on the exact movements to execute. However, as Cheng Siew has been attending weekly wheelchair dance classes since 2019, he was able to adapt and copy movements accurately. "I just follow what my son teaches," said the elder Toh.

Still, he has to put his utmost concentration and ability to move for his age. Kelvin said, "It can be quite mentally draining to repeat movements, and he does (space out) in the middle of class sometimes, as with other dancers."

When that happens, Cheng Siew's dance partner will give a prompt or hand signal to get his attention back, and help him catch up. "There is no nervousness. He treats it as an activity with friends. He has less stress as the attention will not solely be on him with a big group of performers. Hopefully he will have a good memory of the parade," said Kelvin.

More inclusive choreography

This year's Chingay choreography for Kelvin's para dance sport contingent will be easier and more inclusive, in order to cater to persons with different abilities and ages. The routine will be shorter with some repeated movements from last year, said Kelvin, who has choreographed thrice for the parade.

Although based on Latin and ballroom dance genres, the choreography will deviate from traditional sensual gestures, and is designed to fully showcase the capabilities of the wheelchair dancers.

For safety, the routine is choreographed with less crossing-over between partners. In the event of rain, or should road conditions not be ideal, standing partners have been instructed to carry out alternative contingency movements.

"I do not expect it to be an error-free performance. I just hope everyone can do it safely and have fun," said Kelvin.

Passion for helping persons with disabilities stay active

Kelvin first discovered his interest in teaching persons with disabilities after reading a Chinese article in school. His interest further developed in 2002 when he was tasked to organise a Paralympic sports event in polytechnic.

Kelvin later founded social enterprise, Nuevo Dance Fitness, in 2013. The company conducts classes for persons with physical and intellectual disabilities. A year later, he choreographed a wheelchair dance showcase for Sport Singapore at the 7th ASEAN Para Games in Naypyidaw, Myanmar.

His parents, both of whom are disabled, remain his inspiration. His mother suffered a bad fall when she was young, and had her spine realigned with metal plating. She passed away a few years ago. Meanwhile, his father Cheng Siew developed poliomyelitis - a virus that affects the spinal chord - that left him paralysed shortly after birth. Since then, he has relied on crutches and a wheelchair to move around.

Kelvin himself has been diagnosed with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition, in 2017. However, his passion for dance and choreography has not wavered.

Closer father and son bonding

In recent years, Cheng Siew has been driving Kelvin to his dance fitness classes. Before that, he had no idea of his son's job, and would often nag at Kelvin for the long working hours and unavailability for family gatherings.

"He had no idea of my hectic schedule as a dance and sports trainer. He thought I would take Grab driving because I'm lazy. Now that he sees my schedule and the amount of effort I put in, he understands why," Kelvin said.

While Kelvin teaches, Cheng Siew would sometimes go shopping. They would also share meals together throughout the day. Kelvin's students and colleagues would often greet the elder Toh whenever they see him.

"It's as if he has friends everywhere. I also feel less lonely now. I used to travel to different classes on my own. With my father tagging along, he can see why I sometimes come home very late. It has also saved me a lot of time," Kelvin said.

Watch Toh's performance and Kelvin's choreography at this year's Chingay parade on 23 and 24 February. This year's "Blossom" floral themed parade will have six acts and showcase 3,500 performers, 17 community-made floats, five Chingay large floats, and Singapore’s longest interactive floor projection for a street parade, 230m in length.

Parade tickets are currently on sale. Further details can be found on Chingay's website.

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