I first contacted Suan Gaik to thank her for sharing photos of Breathe and I told that since we (ADC) are putting up a Merdeka issue, it would be very appropriate to hear voices of Malaysians.She apologised for her inability to write and promised to get others who participated in this event to pen a few words.
I’ve included Suan Gaik’s email to me, as proof that she CAN write. And I thought that her effort should be acknowledged, putting this contribution together in a matter of two days.In her email, she asked me to choose the article I’d like to feature.I thought, what right do I have to choose? to strip freedom of speech?Every voice deserves to be heard.So here there are….
By Oi Suan Gaik
Hi Su-Ling,
Below are two articles, the first by Ida Mariana and the second by Elvira Arul. They both had a lot to say so I'll let you decide. I am sending in ten photos with the captions under each photo and I'll include the captions right at the end of this email too. Cheers, Oi Suan Gaik
By Ida Mariana
Breathe was a space for everyone and anyone to express themselves as to the passing of those dear to them. The idea of Breathe started off with wanting to pay tributes to Michael Jackson (MJ) and Farrah Fawcett when they passed on. Everyone was doing tributes to MJ and singing his songs but I didn’t see any space for dancers, poets and other individuals to express their feelings. And then before you knew it, Yasmin Ahmad passed away. It was an even greater feeling of loss, because her passing was much more 'personal,' not only for those who knew her personally, but as a Malaysian, we lost a precious 'voice'. Yasmin dared to confront issues without politicising them. She dared to say what we all say at mamaks and kopitiams, over roti kaya and roti canai's. Yasmin? She DID something about it on a national level without making it an issue. In fact she made us see the beauty in 'us'.
So Breathe started with Zalina Lee, Sherrina Krishnan and I, over a coffee session, in July, in Bukit Ceylon. It was all about Michael Jackson at the time. We were wondering if there was a space for dancers to dance, poets to read, the ‘you's’ and ‘me's’ to sing, even if we think we cannot sing! The criteria is that everything should come from the soul and the heart.
The next criteria, is to find a place that would not profit nor benefit from our 'coming together'. So, we looked for a venue that could be used for free. Finally, through our superwoman Cathy Chin, who produced and stage Breathe for us, we got PJ LIfe Arts to give us the space at no cost at all. It was important to me, that money did not change hands so that the expression of the night would be felt even more purely. And that was achieved.
When news that Yasmin Ahmad passed away, and we were just getting this project off the ground, everyone who came forward had a very personal reason to do what they wanted to do. And so, so many people came forward for Breathe because they wanted to. Then people just said they'd help out for free, just because – right down to our sound engineer - Bryan Tan, lighting guy - Yusman, assistant Stage Manager - Mohd Amerul Affendi, and pianist for the night - the very talented Nish Tham. How blessed we were. That's when we knew this was going to be a very special night.
Ida telling us what Breathe is about.
So Breathe became "A performance-sharing-space for our very own and beloved Yasmin Ahmad, Michael Jackson, and all the bright souls who left us recently so that their light may shine even brighter..."
We wanted someone we knew who was close to Yasmin, to kind of 'open' the night. And obviously as she was one of the three who had coffee together, who was excited about the idea AND who loves Yasmin Ahmad so very much – so we asked Sherrina Krishnan to start off the night.
Sherrina showed us "Chocolate" Yasmin's latest advert. Holding back her tears and emotions, she spoke about the Yasmin that she knew. She also made copies of the 7th Draft of Talentime the movie for us to take home and read. Sherrina said that if writers and poets could learn from 'reading' the movie and what Yasmin wrote, Yasmin would have loved that. Yasmin meant a lot to a lot of people, and certainly meant a lot to Sherrina. They worked together in an advertising company.
The second person who was supposed to speak/read was Azean Irdawaty who starred in Talentime as Hafiz's mother. However she was unable to make it that night as she was feeling unwell. The poor thing called me late and told me she was sooo sorry she could not make it. But she was so unwell. I told her it's absolutely no problem and that her health was more important. She sent her daughter Ines instead to read a piece that Ines wrote herself, and to read a poem Azean wrote for Yasmin too.
I think Yasmin meant a lot to many people in many different ways. Someone young who wrote a very meaningful piece I felt, was Abby Latif.It seemed Yasmin Ahmad affected this young lady in a very deep way. They were in contact via sms, where Yasmin's last sms to Abby was "Allah loves you". She wrote a beautiful piece for Yasmin and read it at Breathe. It was very moving.
Judimar Hernandez dance the most beautiful piece, while her friend Ann Salina Peter sang Gone Too Soon (accapella) as she was dancing. Judimar's piece was entitled Footprints, choreographed by Judimar herself. Here's the synopsis of her piece.
Every breath matters. There is no beginning and end in life. It 'was' and always 'will be'…a breath… a seed... a tree... a flower... a fruit...
An offering of gratitute to Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, Michael Jackson, Yazmin Ahmad, Krishen Jit, and to many others creators, who enlightened and inspired our path....They live on!
Sukania Venugopal sang You Are So Beautiful (by Joe Cocker). Shanthini Venugopal also sang, Rose (by Bette Midler)
They both did a piece that meant a lot to them and dedicated those songs to Yasmin and those that have passed, including their mother. Sukania was also in Talentime and knew Yasmin on a personal level.
Another very moving and haunting piece was a song sung by Vernon Emuang. He sang Ne Me Quitte Pas (which means If You Go Away) by Jacque Brel. He sang while Melvin Ho played a mouth accordion
Michael Voon (a choreographer) was unable to dance for us, but he managed to get a video put together, by someone from an advertising company, of Yasmin Ahmad dancing and singing. The videos were taken from camera phones or personal videos. She had a most beautiful 'lemak' voice. The clip showed her dancing with some Balinese dancers in Bali among others. What a lady!!!
Heart song by Maya and Ida, "My Pieces"
My first piece with Maya Tan:
The piece I did with Maya Tan was something we 'jammed' together that night itself....
Maya sang a song from Krishen's Uda & Dara (I will ask her the name of the song. While I read, Maya hummed the piece in the background, I read a piece I wrote for two Yasmins...Yasmin Ahmad and Yasmin my mother. My sajak was called very simply "Yasmin". As I read Maya made movements as if cleansing herself, as she let her voice surface as if it came from her soul.
My second piece:
A reading of the lyrics of Have You Seen My Childhood written and sung by Michael Jackson. I did it because I felt that while we love his songs, not everyone listens to the lyrics - any lyrics for that matter. I felt that it was an important song for MJ... something that speaks very personally about himself, his past and present. I feel that if anyone has any questions or comments about MJ, they should listen to this song first. I mean, really listen. I decided to read the lyrics like a monologue - taking AWAY the rhythm of the song - so that the audience could really see/hear what he was trying to say. I followed the reading with a video of MJ singing the song.
I also read this for all children in this world. We forget that our childhood plays an immense part of our being, our growing up, and our foundation. Without that, so many things fall apart. So many, many things can go wrong. As adults we develop unnecessary complexes. I wanted to remind us all, as adults, to love our little ones with all our hearts - to give them the best of ourselves, not with money, but of ourselves.
Breathe was about coming together and sharing how we felt about these two people (MJ and Yasmin Ahmad) and those that have gone before us - bright lights, as they were, shining bright momentarily, but gone too soon. "Two souls who made us laugh and cry, who inspired, who shone, and who inspired us to shine too, who gave us visions and left us a legacy…."
Ida Mariana, Zalina Lee, Sherrina Renshaw and Cathy Chin did a phenomenal job putting it together!! All the others that came together - sponsors, artistes etc - all came together to share and to breathe. Did I mention that all involved volunteered their time for the two individuals, well-loved and adored? It's true - not a cent or ringgit was exchanged throughout the planning and execution of Breathe.
A fitting michael tribute.
The evening started with Zalina reminding us to ‘breathe’ then Sherrina opened up the floor by sharing her experience of life lessons from Yasmin, which set the tone for the entire night.This is not a mourning session in anyway.This is a celebration of a life well-lived! Having prepared some of Yasmin's commercials for us all to watch, it brought a collective heart's smile to all present.
By Sherrina Renshaw (a very close friend of Yasmin Ahmad)
I think events like Breathe are crucial in times when uncertainty seems to be the call of the day everyday in our lives. It is just a simple platform for all of us to share our grief and pain together. The late Yasmin Ahmad would have been so proud to see the Indians, Chinese, Malays and other races come together in one single place and unite in dance, poetry, film and song. Yasmin is a true advocate of the whole concept of 1Malaysia, even in death she teaches us, inspiring us to be better human beings.
By Moed Latif
Breathe to me is an intimate event, mostly for people who loved the two legendary icons that changed our lives forever. For me, the two people really made a big impact. MJ had been my influence in my dance, and even today, I never miss listening to any of his songs on a weekly basis from my iPod or in my car, especially the Dangerous album and Invincible. Yasmin inspired me to create and developed my own style and identity of my creative work, and as a result, I had produced numbers of artworks that identify Malaysia and namely South East Asian influence. What relates to me in the dance for Yasmin's tribute is the project called Here In My Home, which I worked with Yasmin.When I performed my dance in front of the camera, she acknowledged me. Even for the video I put on my page, she made time to comment.That what moved and inspired me, because she revealed talents that I didn’t know I had.I am very much overwhelmed and humbled by this event and for the chance to pay my tribute to her and Michael. Dance has always been an expression to me to explore how I feel in many layers and I always put in my heart and dedication to each movement I make :)
Many shared their memories of the two:Fancy Poultry and the SnL singers paid tribute to the King of Pop; some read their hearts out loud like Abby Latif and Ines, on behalf of her mother Azean Irdawaty, Fared Ayam and Zahiril Adzim; Sukania and Shantini Venugopal, Surintha Abraham, Nadia Ahmad Zaharan sang; Judimar Hernandez, BB Adam, Muid Latif danced; Maya Tan Abdullah and Ida Mariana sang out their heart song and later Ida read out the lyrics to MJ’s Have you seen my childhood? which, while bringing tears to our eyes, was a timely and gentle reminder to try to understand and love each other as is - then the video sealed that sentiment for us. Nur Zakuan, Nicole Ann Thomas and Helena Foo even performed a gentle reminder - breathe and remember the light. A few good men and women shared their hearts, their memories and what Yasmin and Michael were to us and what we want to continue to do, in their memory.
Heart wrenching rendition of Gone too soon with Ann on vocals and Judimar dancing her emotions out.
