Natasha Low: TV Actress: "Emerald Hill: The Little Nyonya Story"

Natasha Low in 'Emerald Hill: 

The Little Nyonya Story'.

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240504-3569448

     UP TO 1,300 VIEWS,     

 20 COMMENTS, 22 LIKES  

Ms Natasha Low [30] was first featured on this blog in 2013 when she was a K-Pop singer with the group called, SKarf. Now she's a pop TV actress on our Singapore screen acting as a boisterous, fierce but kind-hearted young nyonya. What a change in roles but definitely for the better!

Congratulations Tasha. You've come a long way. Your family must really be proud of you. 

Best to read the previous article below to learn more about Natasha and her famous family...

Comments are welcome...

Click to read:👇

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/search?q=natasha+low

Natasha, during her K-Pop

days, has since left her group.

Kit Chan: Emerald Hill Theme Song 

Official Music Video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZB28Fm4Wpg

Images: Google.

Disclaimer:

This post is personal and not promotional.

The Late Sunny Low: His Life, His Family, His Dance, His Acceptance.

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Sunny Low Video On His Life, Family and Dance

The late and well-known dance teacher and celebrity had a video completed when he was 79 years old. Listen to his ideals about life and what he had finally accepted after he was asked by the interviewer at the end of the chat.

Watch it. Worthwhile indeed.

A short film about his youth, his family, 

his dance and his acceptance of the Lord.

The Late Mr. Sunny Low

YouTube Video from The Straits Times:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl_0iiOand0

This video was provided by Mr. Lim Say Ban 

and circulated to Mr. Stephen Han on WhatsApp

from Facebook.

Sunny Low Singapore Dance Legend Had A Cha Cha Funeral Send Off

Sunny Had A Rousing Send-Off.

UP TO 22,000 VIEWS, 80+ CHATS, COMMENTS.

Video from YouTube: Straits Times: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl_0iiOand0

A special posting from friend, Vincent Tan, who provided me Sunny Low's funeral send-off videos which had included Cha Cha Cha dance from family and friends.

RIP Sunny. 

Tribute to Sunny, connect below:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2022/05/rip-sunny-low-of-sunny-low-dancers.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-late-sunny-low-his-life-his-family.html

Video: from Sunny Low's Family. Copyrights Reserved.

RIP Sunny Low Of Sunny Low Dancers Singapore

UP TO 8,600 VISITORS, 40+ CONDOLENCES

Another piece of sad news again!

Sunny Low, according to friends who wrote in to my WhatsApp messages, had passed away this afternoon, to be with his Lord and Saviour.

These last few days have been very sad and disheartening indeed.

We met him, the last time at a Chinese New Year dinner, held by Tan Soo Khoon, in February 2019. The guests had a ball discussing the 60s with Sunny and other friends and music makers. The waltz, fox-trot and tango, together with the cha-cha, mambo, twist and jive came alive again!

In one of my postings I called him Mr. Twinkle Toes. Sunny left a legacy of dance for his family and Singapore. Not easy to fit into those ballroom shoes; his were huge...

Usually quiet and unassuming, he let his feet do the talking. 

RIP SUNNY. 

Our sincere condolences to Sunny's family.

Below are articles of the late Sunny Low and family. 

Do click to read:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2013/01/4-generations-sunny-low-to-tasha-low-of.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2019/11/andys-60s-music-sunny-low-dancers.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2013/01/k-pop-trivia-question-trivia-question.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/09/when-mr-piano-player-meets-mr-twinkle.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2022/05/blog-post.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-late-sunny-low-his-life-his-family.html

'Save The Last Dance For Me': The Drifters.

YouTube Video by: dannypsych.

Sunny by Boney M

YouTube Video by CleanMusicVideo.

It's the signature tune for 

the Singapore International Ballroom Dancing

 for 26 years, organised by Sunny and Aleena.

Andy's 60's Music: Sunny Low & Dancers Friendly Chats

Chatting about Sunny Low and Dancers

There was friendly chatter about Sunny Low which I think should be posted. Below are some of them who know Sunny on stage during their performances. 
Hopefully readers get a better knowledge of the kind of camaraderie music friends had in the 60's.

Winston Koh who sings and sounds like Cliff Richard:

During 60's whenever I appeared on Singapore TV shows it was an honour to have the backing of the Sunny Low Dancers most of the time. Besides, Sunny had another male dancing partner by the name of Victor Koh. 

Great to know the Poh San Studio is still very active. Well done Mr Sunny Low.

Andy Young 
Thank you Winston. You are blessed to be able to sing on TV and be backed by Sunny's dancers. It's a privilege indeed. Cheers.

Sunny Low is on TV again, a documentary about him and his family of dancers. I'm so glad. Another one of our many 60's music heroes but as a dancer. 

Below are more fond memorable comments about Sunny.

Peter Cheong 
Sunny n Betty Low of Poh San dance studio. They were iconic dancers who appeared on TV often in the 60s.

Stephen Han 
I used to see Sunny and Betty Low dancing on stage at school fun fairs,various cinema halls and on TV.I witnessed them winning the Cha Cha Cha dance contest at the Great World Cabaret.

The most memorable event was when Sunny took the stage at Majestic Theatre to dance with popular Hong Kong actress,Grace Chan aka Ker Lan.  In the 60s most of the actors and famous film stars from Hong Kong learn dancing from Sunny Low.

Grace Chang in Mambo Girl who learnt some from Sunny Low according to Stephen Han.

Andy Young 
Again thank you Peter and Stephen for the information you both provided. I am glad he and his family are featured on Toggle TV where effort by our local SG population is recognised nation wide.

Alfredo Wongo
"Great piece of write up on Sunny Low and his grand daughter Tasha Low . Was once Sunny’s student in Ballroom dancing Waltz but didn’t persevere after  four lessons."

Freda Hanum
Oh my Andy, the unforgettable Sunny Low Dancers, it's also my most unforgettable times with them in the late 60's. Sunny and Betty Low was my dancing instructors, I feel so at home at the Poh San Dance Studio each time I go for my practices. 

I was picked to dance with them in the popular Chinese Variety Show too. Unfortunately when I started to begin my music career, I feel so sad to turn down his offered to train me for the ballroom competition in Japan with his younger brother. I chose music over dancing. 

I would be so glad to get in touch with Sunny and his whole family again. Wow he too will be shocked to hear from me. 

Thanks Andy, you brought back the great memory for us.

Andy Young
Thanks Freda. I think you did the right moves: to sing and play keyboard. I'm sure you would have made it as a dancer too... Thanks for the nostalgia. Without great contributors like you, the blog would've had no shine. Cheers.

Irene Yap
Really nice to read about Sunny and his family! Now reading all that is being shared by so many here is just great! It's bringing back wonderful memories of yesteryear! He choreographed a solo dance for me at the Cathay Restaurant when I was 16!! He was the best!!

Rose Khoo 
Featured On the red dot

Michael Lee 
Hi Andy, during my time was Low Poh Sun, Sunny's dad. My nieces and nephews and their partners learnt dancing at the Sunny dance studio during their younger days. 

Just to add, I don't dance, however my dad's band did often provide the ballroom dance music. 

If my fried brain memory is correct, the iconic ballroom in Singapore then was none other than the Grand Raffles ballroom, the iconic tango was La Cumparsita and the iconic ballroom dancer was Low Poh Sun and partner with my dad's band De' Combo Alacat often providing the music. 

The tango is not easy to dance but very beautiful and graceful when well performed and needless to say Low Poh Sun and partner was one of the best in the late 50's and early 60's. Cheerio

Tango: La Cumparsita Video from Ercaliffo 1 (14 million viewers.)

Andy Young 
Again, many thanks to IRENE, ROSE and MICHAEL for the pieces of information and comments. I shall convey these messages to Sunny myself. He remembers well and conducts tango and waltz lessons currently. Also a big thank you to the others who LIKE this post. Cheers everyone.

Sunny Low Original Story. Please connect below:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2013/01/4-generations-sunny-low-to-tasha-low-of.html

Images from Facebook Personal Profiles.

National Theatre Singapore Charity Concert 1965: Robin Chng

Robin Chng has kindly written this article to highlight a charity show staged at our famous theatre on 27 March 1965. He was the organising committee secretary. I am still wishing that more Singaporeans like him could donate music stories to this blog. . Thank you so much, Robin, for your generosity and contribution.

"273 EXCLUSIVE CHARITY CONCERT 1965" at the National Theatre.

The Gan Eng Seng School Old Students Association.
More than half a century ago when tragedy befell a member of our group of bosom buddies (former classmates in secondary school), we got together and decided to help raise funds for our unfortunate buddy who became paralyzed as a result of a swimming mishap. A fellow paralytic Johnny Ang whom older readers would probably have heard of also chipped in (National Library archived articles from The Straits Times) after learning of our buddy's plight. As mentioned in the articles, we got together to help raise funds for paralytic Tham Kok Seng to enable him to purchase a possum machine. It would have been a cinch today with crowd funding but alas this was in the sixties.

As pop bands performances were a draw in those days, we decided to organize a variety concert featuring local pop bands, a magic act, dancers and even someone who could coax music from a saw with a violin bow. After forming a committee and assigning the various roles amongst ourselves, we went about seeking sponsors, artistes/performers, emcee, choosing a date for the concert and booking the venue. The date and venue for the concert - 27 March 65 and The National Theatre - were duly chosen. Quite aptly, we named the concert "273 Exclusive" as it was to be held on 27/3/1965.

As it turned out, the concert opened to a sellout crowd much to the delight of the organizers and all participants who made the event possible. I have kept the concert's programme booklet all these years - the accompanying photos capture the programme booklet in its entirety. All the participants who are still around today are probably grand-fathers/mothers. They would be proud to show this record to their families their sincere contribution to Singapore's cultural and LQ heritage. Seniors reading this article are likely able to remember the distinguished guests, radio personality, the then Minister of Health and all the artistes who performed there that night. Younger readers may have also heard of them, perhaps from their parents.

On a side note, many of us from the pioneer/Merdeka generation are deeply saddened that our National Heritage Board wasn't able to gazette the National Theatre for conservation. Singaporeans from all walks of life had generously and proudly contributed their hard earned money to the "a-dollar-a-brick" fundraising campaign. Most notably, even trishaw riders and coolies contributed too. This despite their meagre and irregular earnings. Together with funds jointly donated by the government, our National Theatre was officially opened on 8 Aug 1963.

Throughout its 23-yr span, many famous pop stars and bands performances were held there. Regrettably, this iconic building had to be demolished due to structural problems and was torn down in Aug 1986. A crying shame I might add. Structural problems could easily have been corrected with the building technology available then. Our country's finances were sound too. Conserving the theatre was thus clearly doable.

Everyone who had heeded the call to give generously towards the building fund were thus dismayed. It was truly a "peoples" National Theatre, built in no small part through the support of the citizens and yet didn't deserve to be conserved. 

Were you at this concert with a star-studded cast of Singapore artistes? Do write in to tell us. 

This article has been written by Robin Chng. 

Robin or 'Joe' had since passed away in June, 2022.

The article and images: Copyrights Reserved.

Read about his brother Jimmy Chng and The Decibels:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2012/01/decibels-65-band-in-making-part-one.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2012/02/decibels-band-in-making-1965-1970-part.html

Blog Hits Monthly Record High: Thank You All

Usual monthly record is 14,000 to 15,000 readers a month. This month it's 20,000+ (as of 23rd July 2016).

Popular Postings 

Statistics as on 30th July, 2016

Statistics on 29th July 2016

Thanks to readers, friends, Facebook n Twitter followers. 

Click names under Labels below to read each posting:

4 Generations: Sunny Low To Tasha Low Of SKarf

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The connection is simple and clear. Natasha Low or Tasha, from the current K-Pop group SKarf, is the grand daughter of Sunny Low the undisputed king of dance in Singapore from the late 1950s. Sunny learned the art from his father Low Poh San who had a dance studio at Tiong Bahru. Following his father's footsteps (pun intended) the present Sunny Low Dance Studio at The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Road is his own making. 

The senior Low was the first to introduce ballroom dancing in Singapore and since the dance studio was a shop-house, the family lived and taught dancing at the same venue.   He participated in many dance competitions and later became the Singapore Professional Ballroom 

Champion in 1946, and from 1950 to 1953.

Sunny himself took up dancing at 14 and his younger sister Betty at 12.  They both started out by helping at the dance studio. Both became household names in the 1960s when they acquired the title Singapore’s Rock and Roll and Cha-Cha King and Queen in a dance competition. The win encouraged the siblings to form The Sunny Low Dancers which had performed regularly since on television, in theatres, cinemas and night clubs whenever they could.

Ballroom Dancing Competition in Singapore Today

From the Website:

"Singapore's Father of Ballroom Dancing, Low Poh San with his wife Jenny Quek started the Pohsan Dance Studio in 1937. His children Sunny Low and Betty Low, crowned the King and Queen of Rock n Roll in 1957. Sunny Low Dancers, the household name in the seventies and eighties, were featured in Radio Television Singapore and Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. His grandchildren and their wives, Alvyn and Lucy Low and Melvyn & Nancy Low were undefeated champions in Singapore and South East Asia. Today, the 4th Generation of the Low family is very much in the business of Dance."

SKarf:
Back to the future and Natasha, daughter of one of Sunny's son Alvyn, is now a celebrity dancer herself having been cast in the KPop hall of fame as one of only four dancers in the group called SKarf (the first two letters are obviously Singapore and Korea).

                              SKarf You Tube Video uploaded by alphaentkorea

Tasha's mother, Lucy Wang who is part of the Low family dancers, is an instructor too and according to an interview in late 2012 she misses Tasha during her training in Korea.  Eighteen years young Tasha and Ferlyn Wong (20) another Singaporean were successful candidates from 3,000 hopefuls in an audition held here two years ago to select members for this KPop group.  SKarf has two other band members, Koreans Jenny Lee Joo Young, 16, and Jeong Sol, 21.



Wow! Four generations of dancers, from Poh San to Sunny, then to Alvyn and now Natasha. These are the people who have formed permanent footprints on the ballroom floor, true blue Singaporeans who leave positive marks on our memory trail.

Sunny Low chats with 60's Music Makers:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2019/11/andys-60s-music-sunny-low-dancers.html

SKarf with Natasha Low or Tasha (2nd right)

This post is dedicated to the late ALVYN LOW, Natasha's father, who had passed away on the 11th of January 2013.   

Larry Lai, friend Eddie and I paid our respects at the wake in Singapore on Sunday 13th January as we met Sunny, Lucy, Natasha and their families).

My thanks to *Lai Simin, who helped with the writing of this article.
You Tube video by: alphaentkorea.
Images: Google, Raffles Town Club Singapore, and
Sunny Low Dance Studios Websites.

A Quiz About K-Pop SKarf And Singapore 60s

Regular readers know pretty well that a quiz is seldom posted on this blog but here's one for 2013:

1. What has a 60s music blog to do with K-Pop? 
   
    Answer: It has a musical connection.

2. Yes, we all know that.  What is this connection?

    Please write in if you know the answer. No prizes but thank you for the response.

3. More clues? Natasha Low (2nd r) is family to a pop dance group from 60s Tiong
    Bahru.

    Image: Google.

NB:

4. SKarf disbanded around 2014/15.

When Mr. Piano Player Meets Mr. Twinkle Toes

From left: Jimmy Chan, Sandie, Ronnie, Andy [standing] Larry, Sunny, Simin.

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At 70 plus years you'd think that the dancer would stop his prancing on the ballroom floor and that the pianist would stop his tinkling on the grand piano. Not so for Singapore 60s champion, celebrity dancer Sunny Low and former Quests keyboardist Jimmy Chan.

When present singer/guitarist and company CEO Ronnie See from The Burns (with tie) organised a lunch with former broadcaster Larry Lai and myself to meet these two gentlemen at the Grand Shanghai Restaurant at the Grand Corpthorne Waterfront Hotel for a Tiong Bahru gang get-together, untold stories poured from them, like wine from a rare vintage label.

While Sunny is still tutoring students in his Sunny Low Dance Studios at Riverwalk Galleria, Jimmy is still at his keyboard in the Marina Mandarin Hotel. And boy oh boy, do they have stories to tell. 

Together, their contribution to the 1960s pop music entertainment scene in Singapore add up to about 140 years of dancing and piano playing. They were hot in the early years and still are today. Twinkling toes and fancy fingers. Wow!

There will be postings on Sunny Low and Jimmy Chan soon.

(Ladies present: Mrs Jimmy Chan and Media Consultant, Simin).

Original article/image: Andy Lim Collection.

Check out postings on Ronnie & Burns, Larry Lai by clicking 'Labels' below: