Let’s start dreaming our year end event of the year. You can be a part of it; simply by raising your hand and agreeing that you will work with everybody in the team, whoever they are. This should be the spirit for this and all our events.
What the event will be, it will be up to all of us. But, it can be a ball, a big ball. I can make the following guess. We should aim big, and hit 150 pax. Music, songs and dancing should be the theme. Food, well, it is a must; for without it, many members will be unhappy. So, we want to be happy. Seriously, we should have a balance of the sexes. Let’s have all ears. Maybe, if you have a great idea in mind, yes, why not?
Let’s start looking for a band; either a live band or a musician without a good sound system. We dont need a pro, but someone who can make us feel young again. Let’s go all way out to look for new bands or musician, that SHC has not used before. Consider songs and music that we have not heard off for many many years, but were popular during our younger days. Let’s make a decision by end July 2015. We should pay for the music.
And, for the venue, why not a nice hotel venue. This time, it need not be at a country club. If you have great contacts with the hotels, and if we can have a good package of between $40 and $50 per pax, we can look at it. Food, cannot be too different, international, Chinese or even simply a 3-course Western.
As for the date, somewhere towards Nov/Dec, it can be fun. If not, we hold it in Jan. That should work too.
For a change, we can have corporate sponsors. Probably, a company to sponsor a couple of pairs of airtickets or cruise tickets to Alaska, another company to sponsor the beer and drinks, we can consume. Other ideas can be a company to sponsor SHC t-shirts for all attending members. , the latest Iphone or the latest smartTV. Great, let’s see what we can come up with. We should have other prizes too.
Activities and program for the ball. How much we will charge is still open.
Hope we can all start the thinking process. And, I am looking for a committee to handle (1) Venue, Decor and backdrop and F&B (2) Program and activities (3) Prizes (4) tickets and seatings (5) Registration and accounts. And importantly, a co-EO.
Terence Seah
The initial committee for our year-end ball has been formed. For the month of July, we brainstorm on themes, venues and dates. Once we have a picture of how the ball will look like, we would get to work to make it happen. The ball is still quite square.
Terence Seah
Year-end ball:
Here’s an update from the committee.
1. We are now looking at a January date for our ball. It is no longer year-end. So, now we may have to call it a new-year ball.
2. The theme has been decided. So this makes it easier now to proceed with planning.
3. The committee is looking at venues. We aim to make a decision on the venue by end Aug 2015.
4. The committee is also looking at attractive prizes, not just through our membership but also larger companies.
5. We are likely to have a live band; but this process will start once the theme planning gets underway.
For your update, on our new-year ball.
Terence Seah
You have mentioned “committee” many times.
Who are “they”?
Name them so that we can appreciate and support them.
DC
A suggestion for the venue is the Singapore Swimming Club.
I have attended a D&D there before and found the place is cosy and
good for dining and dancing which was furnished by a life band. The costs per person was $35. There is a multi-story car-park in the compound.
Hi RobertO,
We have not decided yet on the venue of the year-end ball. The Singapore Swimming Club will be considered.
In particular, I am interested in the ticket costs per head at $35. I would be keen to know if you can help us organise an event at the SSC at this price. Without looking at the details, it sounds value for money.
I do not spend enough time with hotel or Club venues, but I do understand that it is difficult to get a venue, with band, a buffet and a venue, including prizes at this price. Feel free to share how this can be done.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence
After making some enquires, these are the findings.
The Singapore Swimming Club is asking an amount of $9k which covers the use
of the ballroom and a buffet dinner. This means the more participants the less is
cost per pax. E.g For a booking of 20 tables, the cost per person is $45. This does not include the life band. We have to get a DJ to provide music for dancing.
I understand that if we accept this offer, we have to do a early booking.
RobertO
Hi RobertO,
I appreciate the numbers you provide.
If we have 200pax, the venue + buffet will cost us $45 per pax.
If we have 100pax, this works out to $90 per pax.
We note this option. Currently, we target 100pax, which we find difficult to confirm until 1-2 weeks before the event date. This can be a difficult decision for the organisers. You are right, we also have to consider a band too.
For members, with options and suggestion, please share your ideas too.
Terence Seah
Our SilverHairsClub New Year ball has now taken shape. A committee has been formed, and I appreciate the team members coming together to organise. The committee members are:
* Terence Seah (EO)
* Caroline Gee (committee member, in charge of venue and F&B).
* Dolly Lim (committee member, in charge of making sure we keep closely to the theme, “Hawaiian night”.
* Rosalind Lee (committee member, in charge of corporate prizes, sponsors, general prizes and gifts)
* Karen Thio ( committee member, in charge of looking at the boy-girl ratio)
* Lillian Teo (committee member, in charge of budget and accunts)
Hi Members, if you have good contacts with hotels, function venues, clubs, etc, please direct your feedback and suggestions to Caroline Gee.
This year, we can accept corporate prizes and sponsorships from companies. For the top prizes, we are open to accept a pair of “Round the world airtickets”, a one-year free stay in a retirement home, the latest IPAD or iPhone, a one-week stay at MBS. Prizes should be attractive. Please contact Rosalind Lee.
As for the band, we have not decided. But, we will announce the requirements, once the theme is settled.
The budget for the new year ball has been set. We are targetting 100 pax. Early bird ticket sales will be announced in Sept.
Finally, if you have suggestions, or comments, please share them here. The committee will review them. Dolly has said this will be a fun party.
And to the committee members, thank you for coming in to make the new year ball an exciting event in the new year 2016.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence and Members of the Committee
Congrats!
When will the New Year Ball be held? Looking forward to it.
Cheerssssssssssss
[image=New Year ball.jpg]
Hi Gabriella
Thank you. We are looking at January. Will have to finalise the venue and check the availability of the preferred dates.
If anyone has “lobang” for “cheap” and good venues, we would appreciate your input. Every suggestion counts so just keep it coming so that we can make a good choice for everyone.
Many thanks in advance.
Cheers
Caroline
Hi Caroline
Noted w thanks. Will there be a little ‘pool’ of DIs for those without dancing partners? Heehee :-)
Cheerssss
Hmm, Gabriella,
This is supposed to be EO event leh.. unless Terence (EO) said otherwise.
Wow, if this is EC event, DI not free leh – I dont think SHC will engage 2 DIs as in the Caroline Gee’s 60yrs birthday party whereby she paid a handsome sum to these 2 DIs to dance with those attended hers lor… Let’s hear from the EO first… Keep fingers crossed lor…
Cheers………….. Dolly
Hi Gabriella and Dolly,
I am most unfamiliar with DIs. Please share a few ideas. It might be interesting, and I am all game. Hmm, one or two DIs for the night. What will they charge? I like the idea.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence
I wd like to share my experience of engaging a DI. It can go as much as $60 per hour for a minimum of 4 hours for the evening .. a hefty sum of $240 + ticket for the D & D (will add up to $300 a night including a $60 (eg) ticket for the D & D) .. for a young, handsome Filipino DI…. very expensive.
I’ve also tried a local DI which goes for something like $120 plus dinner ticket (making a total of $180 if the dinner ticket costs $60).
A hefty sum indeed to engage a DI on an individual basis for the evening. I have since stopped engaging them ~ tooo expensive….. once in a blue moon is ok for me.
If we have a couple of DIs in a general pool for those without dancing partners, then the cost can be divided among those interested. Of cos, those who wanna share the DIs must share the costs too.
Broached this subject as Caroline had engaged a few handsome DIs to dance with us during her 60th birthday bash….
Thank you Caroline ~ we really had a great time :-)
Over to you Terence………. haha
Cheers
I wonder if it makes sense to offer participants at $10 per dance. Sounds an idea. Let’s think further.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence
It is rather unprecedented to include DIs in our SHC “dinner and dance” event.
Normally participants either bring their own dance partners or try their own ingenuity for engaging counterparts. For the latter approach, I had noticed that some participants have achieved good results.
Not too long ago, a SHC member had put up a post which dwelt very extensively
on the ways to “fish” for a partner in a dance event.
Bringing in DIs is a different Ball game altogether. The event will become “commercialised”. The service of a DI will be available by procurement. Do we need such a high level of dancing skill. Most of us have learned some skills in simple dances like Cha-Cha,. Disco Rock, Rumba which are good enough for the occasion. Do we need expensive services of DIs to display fanciful variations or techniques.
We should not unnecessarily escalate the cost of a D&D event.
Robert Ong
First of all, my best regards to all the ladies in the committee. It is not easy organising this massive “Year-Start” ball, but as with many past activities, it will happen, against all odds.
About paying for a dancing instructor (DI) – If we do not allow members to bring a dance partner who is not a member, why do we allow a DI, who is also not a member? A lady member may have a non-member male friend who can dance well and likely this dance partner of hers will pay for her ticket. They can then dance the whole night, instead of the lady paying a DI and sharing him with many others.
DC
Robert, I shared the same sentiment as you and supported your read too… Let’s wait and hear from Terence..
Cheers.. Dolly
We do have the usual imbalance of male and female participants in our annual dinner and dance. We all want a good balance.
Ladies, what shall we do? What can you do?
And guys, what can you do too?
Terence Seah
It would be nice to have someone dance with you, especially when your favourite song is being played. However, only a few priviledged lady members have regular dance partners who are also members.
As for the engaging of DIs, we have to gauge the response of our male members. If female members outnumber the male members by a very big margin when registration closes, then we may look into the idea of engaging DIs. But they will be coming as entertainers and not as guests and will not have the privilege of participating in our games or lucky draws, etc. However, this will only be a last resort if our male members decide to stay away.
The DIs engaged are called “Roaming DIs” and I understand that usually each dance is charged at S$10. And the ladies can always “buy” a package of a few dances at a discount. Some ladies may want to have the experience of dancing with DIs but do not want to spend $200 to engage one at any time, this will be an opportunity for them to experience it without having to burn a hole in their pockets. We will have to wait and see.
So guys, there is still ample time for you to pick up some dance steps. Show our ladies here what you can do! Hopefully we can have enough guys to match our ladies. So please dont let us down. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Gab, glad you have a good time at my birthday bash!
Cheers
Caroline
Gab, glad you had a good time at my birthday bash!
Terence
Maybe you can start by sending a mass message to all the lady and guy members and asked if they can dance/learning/game to learn. And check with them if they already have a partner. If not, we can do a pairing so that most people will have a partner. However, the pairing is not fixed. We just want to have a fair mix of gender. If they enjoy each other’s moves then good. Otherwise they are free to dance with anyone available there. Just a suggestion.
Cheers
Caroline
Re the New Year Ball, and while we are on the topic of keeping a good male female balance at this event, the committee has decided to use the theme “Hawaiian night”. I shall let Dolly fill you in on what we can expect for our Hawaiian night. The part I like is the use of coconut shells.
Shall with us your imagination. The committee will pick up some ideas and suggestions from you.
Terence Seah
Hi…Caroline, that was a very detailed and down-to-earth explanation. Being a non-dancer, I am very enlightened by your description of the dance floor – the participants, the partners, the privileges and the problems. Indeed, the “balancing” act is the tough part and your attempt to find a solution is admirable. It shows you care for each and every participant so that no one is left in the cold.
Yes, I agree that if the DI is engaged as an entertainer, then the non-member restriction does not apply. The next consideration would be the payment.
If I were there, I would gladly request you teach me a few basic steps. I learn fast but hopefully my knees can serve me well. Otherwise, i still enjoy being a spectator. All the best.
DC
Thank you for your kind words Daniel.
The Organising Committee members will do our best to ensure participants have a great time at the party. It may sound cliche but its so true that it takes two hands to clap. So I hope members will let it go and have a ball! Wear grass skirts or coconut shell tops! Whatever makes you merry or turn you on!
No worries. There will be people there who can teach you a step or two! Let me warn you its addictive! LOL!
Have a great weekend!
Caroline
Hi social dancers
Regards the SHC D&D in Jan., if you can dance why not I can lead some of you in disco rock, chacha etc feel free to suggest ……..
zara
Caroline Gee has been looking for hotels to host our New Year Ball next year. Feedback indicates that hotels in Singapore will charge us no less than $75 per pax for venue and food. We are unable to consider this cost, as our budget is $45 per pax. Any cost higher than this will increase our ticket price.
If you have suggestions, please contact Caroline or any member of the committee.
Terence Seah
Latest update re our 2016 New Year ball:
We have identified a place, and I understand it is called the new Club 6. The venue has been renovated, has dancing and it looks suitable for our event. We have not confirmed the place yet, and the committee is now working on it.
If we have no other venues identified by Oct 15, Club 6 will likely be the venue. We will likely be looking at around 70 pax for this event.
Terence Seah & committee.
We had wanted to organise the year-end ball, and later changed to the New Year Ball. The committee looked at various venues, and decided that the final ticket price would be too expensive. At $70 per ticket, we decided to call off the event.
Perhaps, someday, we can find more venues to host our year-end ball. For those who had joined the committee and make effort to organise our annual do, thank you.
Terence Seah