I have always loved dancing…much to the distress of my mum during my younger days as I would sneak off on weekends to party the night away. We used to hold what we called “home parties” and as the name suggests, these were parties at some friends’ homes. We did not need much then – just some cordial (Red Man orange extract and a lot of sugar diluted in huge pails) and sandwiches would suffice…and we would gather, turn the records on and dance…dance…dance.
There were no discos or clubs then…just the not-so-decent nightclubs for dirty old men and we shied away from such joints. All we wanted was to dance and have a good time – we did not have any other dubious intentions. And at that time, there was a dance hall at the Sibu Recreation Club. I would not call it a ballroom as I do not think it is up to that standard. Well, clubs and associations would organise fund-raising dances there with tickets selling at RM3.00 or RM5.00 and drinks were sold at RM1.00 a glass. This one here was organised by the MSA (Malaysia-Singapore Airlines) Employees’ Union in 1968…
Spotted any familiar face in the crowd? Yes, these functions were VERY crowded and the place was not even air-conditioned. There were only ceiling fans! Obviously, people in those days were not as spoilt and pampered. We never complained – we just danced and danced and danced…
In one of my earlier posts, peteformation asked me whether I would be posting a photo of me doing the cha-cha…and that came across like a challenge. Well, I never back off from a challenge, so here’s one from 1969…
It was actually a cha-cha competition and we were down to the last two couples…and we won! LOL!!!
Those were the days of the a-go-go…
…long before the time when disco took the world by storm…
These were my students in the first school I was posted to in Kanowit (1978-1982) dancing to the Bee Gees’ “You should be dancing” from the movie, “Saturday Night Fever”. At that time, I would choreograph dances and teach the students to perform at concerts in the school or even in public on special occasions like National Day and the like. Believe it or not, one of the boys in the photograph is now a doctor – a PhD holder attached to a university in the country. Bdq, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to identify which one he is, right?
Of course, dancing in those days was nothing like what they call ballroom dancing today. Gosh! Just looking at them doing all those vigorous gyrations and complicated steps and I would feel tired already! Perhaps it is because I am old already and no longer up to such energetic moves…so I think I will just have to stick to my old, simple dance steps…
Shall we dance?…
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
FC FC FC FC, wahahah…. hopefully can gt d good luck charm of FC….
(a good meal)…….
Good grief! Being FC can bring good luck?…Anyway, hope someone treats you to a good meal today! LOL!!!
any meal from either of your post will do…. for day-dreaming still ok, it’s jz impossible to get those food …
Well, what to expect when you live in a country where the staple food is beer and whiskey… 😀
What’s with the ice cream stick? What are you trying to censor? *wink wink* LOL!!!
Is there by any chance I can spot my dad or uncle in the first picture??? I cannot recognize them when they were young and oh-so-skinny. Hahaha! My dad used to boast about his cha cha and chubby checkers days also… 😛 LOL!!!
LMAO!!! Not an ice cream stick lah! Don’t worry…no wardrobe malfunction or anything sexciting! Don;t think they’re in these pics but I think I have one with…perhaps your uncle, at least. When we were in SHS, we used to hide in the storeroom during recess, used out mouths to make the music and we would dance…the cha cha e.g. Those were the days!!!
Time to dig out his old photos liao…Hahahaha!!!
Hah!!! The nostalgia…
WOW! You sure lived your younger days, and now enjoying life, to the fullest! The girl that you cha-cha’d with is beautiful! I used to say that during our time (or my time), the beauty was real!
Ya, I would say that “I’ve lived a life that’s full…” Very contented with the fact that I’d been there, done that! At those dances, they used to pick the prettiest lady to be queen for the night and she won a couple of times…
why put the nail file there?!! wah STP can also boogie!
Hahahahahaha!!! At least you did not think it was an ice cream stick! Ya, I had so much fun…
lol
i think i saw a few photos just like these in my parents photo album
😀
Certainly bring back a lot of nice memories…of the way we were!!! How time has changed!
Nowadays can’t find places like this. Actually I am thinking that those parties will be far better of what we had today. All the people gather together and dance dance dance and have fun. Not like now, all just drink drink drink and drank then go home.
You really enjoyed your younger days to the fullest like what Yan said. I heard this type of parties from my aunties and uncles. Now I got the chance to see the photos. Thank you.
Wouldn’t be so bad if they just drank and went home!!! These days, parents can never be sure… Your aunties and uncles were party-goers (That was what we called ourselves! LOL!!!) too? I wonder if I know them… Ya, what is life…if not to live it to the fullest?
Yeah! what’s with the ice-cream stick? HAHAHA…
That’s an emery board – for filing fingernails! Hahahahaha!!! There was something written there – yunno how people our time used to decorate photos to put in autograph books – things like “Love 4’ever”… “Flower Power”… “Make love not war”… “Give peace a chance!” and all that… Nothing to get all worked up about! Hahahahaha!!!!
Man…..you were da bomb then, dancing like king somemore can get prize,those were the heydays for you, werent they? by the way, you are still da bomb, if you know what i mean?
I really love looking at old photos, sometimes they do remind us of the good old times, times that have passed, times that we still cherish. and you remind me to go and dig out my old photos as well..
Hey, want to know something, i was a dancer too, i learnt jazz for five years and ball romm for one and half, been performing and really enjoyed, get some allowances from the performances, my most memorable one is when i dolled up as Dolly Parton singing to the tune of “Island in the stream”
got to go now, will have to go back to my mom’s house to search for the old pictures,,hahahaha
Ya…now a big fat bomb!!! LOL!!! You were Dolly Parton? What did you use for boobs? Balloons?… Humph! Wait till you see my pic…. Oops!!! Hahahahahaha!!! No way I’m going to post THAT one and not a word from you, TOC!!! Come, eugene…post some of your photos and share with the rest of us! Should be interesting to see what it was like in Penang – but yours would be at least more than 10 years later, I guess.
wah.. those photos are priceless, right? no joke man, can take prize for cha cha some more.. btw, sekarang masih boleh cha cha tak? *psst.. actually i dont know much about cha cha.. sikit can, after awhile, the steps all go haywire one.. *
Of course, I still can cha-cha… It’s in my blood and soul but of course, with this shape and size, no so nice anymore lah! Hahahahahaha!!!! Have you started taking Gingko? With you terrible memory, not surprised that you lose count of the steps… Hahahahahaha!!!!
Good way to get Cikgu dig out old photos…ha ha ha. Wow, young STP can dance…some more got first prize……’takut’ to chalenge Cikgu leh….
Why the disco picture got one stick on someone head, he must be trying to steal you dancing partner…ha ha ha
That’s the a-go-go…before the days of the disco lah!!! Hahahahaha!!! See my reply to TheOtherCousin to find out why the stick’s there!
We were talking about your dancing days during the weekend. Unfortunately there are no such places to go to now. In a number of pubs the ‘oldies’ are turning the karaoke places into disco dance floor!
You were? Gee! Don’t tell me I was the talk of the town! Hahahahahaha!!! So far, I know that at Crossroads (Concorde KL), they allow people to get up at dance in the space in front of the stage…while everybody else sitting around would be watching – it’s very bright there! Not in my present shape and size, no thank you! Hahahahaha!!!!
Oh….excuse me, with the kids all grown up now maybe I should be thankful there are no ‘dance floors’ now. But then, those places last time were healthy clean places and midnight was considered very very late!
Yes, it was very decent then and we danced for the sheer fun of it! We didn’t drink nor smoke (mine came later in the 70s…)! Now they hang around clubs and you’ll be shocked at the number of school girls on “Ladies Nite” with all the free booze…and all those places where they hang out…and you dunno what else they do other than just smoke and drink!
Your partner looks like ‘Ah Moik”!
Yes…it was Ah Moi’ in two of the photos! And look at us now! LOL!!!
hahahahah, everyone is curious what is under that nail file, i also want to know!!
Yoo! Don’t play play with STP wor, can shake shake the boom boom.
Ya…I actually had a ball!!! Hmmm…curiosity kills the cat! But you can check out my reply to TheOtherCousin’s comment to find out what’s underneath the stick! LOL!!!
oh wow!…I had a good laugh just remembering those good ole days. Sadly I missed all those coz I was way underaged. ( I still remembered that I would watched them getting ready to go out for the nite, the preparation from head to toe, fake eye lashes, make up, hair and the works) I bet cousin yvette would had a fit when she sees this……lol…
Indeed the good ole days..
LOL!!!…Ya, you were too young. But they had parties once or twice at the Sg Merah house – cousin Yvette’s birthday once…and I remember you and her doing the a-go-go together! Gosh!!! How time has flown…so fast!
huh!…that I don’t remember leh….you know me..i was the “kepor” one & never to “malu” to copy and try whatever you guys were doing.
LOL!!! You can say that again! You and ‘Lena were like North and South Poles… Oops!!! Same case with my brother and me! Hahahahaha!!!
Ouh…so during your younger days you always give your parents headache lar! Always sneaking around aye! :p
Hehehehehehe!!! I had a very strict upbringing… 😉
Wow! You won the competition? Awesome! 🙂 Didn’t know that you can dance o? :p
Well, now you know… 😀
it’s good to reminiscent those days huh to remind u that u was once young haha 😛
Yes,…”those were such happy times…how I wondered where they’d gone…” (Yesterday once more). 🙂
Yes, I still recall some of your slick moves then – wearing your John Travolta shirt and platform shoes?
…and how I use to sew my new shirts using the sewing machine to make them figure hugging? Hahahahaha!!! Now it’s the opposite…even I remove the stitches, I will not be able to wear! 😦
wow, thanks for the precious photos of the 60s, suituapui! I love 50/60s photos and retro stuff in general, cheongsam in particular, i am interested in knowing, how widespread was the cheongsam worn in East Malaysia bck in the 1960s? If you can share with me from your primary/high school days, I’d greatly appreciate it! Like did you see it worn, by whom, etc..if you remember that is! I know most of the time, only cheongsam fanatics like me would remember these kind of things!!
Not in the 60s and later…unless for Chinese New Year or for weddings. My paternal grandma used cheongsam…but not my maternal mum – with the Melanau background in the family, she used sarong kebaya – nyonya style. I’ll see if I can post something on cheongsam one of these days…
I tried to dance but I was clumsy! I stepped on her feet and my friends kept laughing until I gave up! Those were the good old days.
Probably because you’re very tall and have very long legs so they keep getting in the way! LOL!!!
Ah, how come I never thought of that! I think you are right. LOL!!
Usually tall/long-legged people have the problem… LOL!!!
Wowww….Cikgu! Care to teach me a few steps?
Hah! Bluff lah you…see ahnel’s comment! He says you can cha cha cha… Hahahahaha!!!
i cant dance but dance can dance me…LOL
btw u havent c my khaima cha cha in kalaoke last time…u n cocka miss out d fun 😀
Aha! Next time I must ask nyonya to bring me karaoke…and we can cha cha together! Hahahahaha!!!
Will your missus drink “vinegar” when she saw these? …
Wanna kah??? wuahahahaha…
That was LOOOONG before I met her and anyway, she knew them too – Sibu so small, everybody knew everybody. Nothing to drink vinegar about – even now I have a lot of girl/lady friends especially in the teaching line (English teachers majority women) and I’m close with a few of them. TRUST – marriage must be built on trust. Without trust, might as well go separate ways…especially when little bit also “drink vinegar’! How can a husband and wife ever have peace of mind like that?