Thursday, January 29, 2009

DANSA competition - EPISODE 2

Soalan peraduan DANSA episod kedua ialah

APAKAH NAMA TARIAN YANG DIPELAJARI DALAM EPISOD INI DAN APAKAH YANG MENGILHAMKAN PERGERAKAN TARIAN INI?

Sila tonton DANSA hari Sabtu, 31 January jam 5 petang di TV3 untuk jawapannya.

Sila emelkan jawapan anda ke dansa_tv3@yahoo.com dengan tajuk DANSA - Episod 2 dengan
a) Nama penuh
b) Nombor IC
c) Alamat
d) Size t-shirt yang diingini (size yang ada ialah XS, S, M, L, XXL)
e) Jika anda ingin buku nota dan majalah tell dengan autograph, sila nyatakan


Hadiahnya ialah satu set t-shirt dan buku nota DANSA. Untuk bulan Januari, majalah TELL disertakan sekali

The question for the DANSA - Episode 2 competition is

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE DANCE FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE AND WHAT INSPIRED THE MOVEMENTS OF THIS DANCE?

Watch DANSA on Saturday 31st January at 5pm on TV3 for the answer.

Please email your answers to dansa_tv3@yahoo.com with the title DANSA - Episode 2 with the following details

a) full name
b) IC number
c) Postal Address
d) T-shirt size (sizes available XS, S, M, L , XXL)
e) Please state if you would like the notebook and magazine autographed

The prize is an exclusive DANSA merchandise set consisting of a t-shirt and notebook.
For the month of January, a copy of TELL magazine will be included too.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Yee Sang dinner...

Last night I went to a private Yee Sang dinner with some fabulous people for company...



Vernon - Subang engkau tu boleh kalahkan dulang!

Me - Tahu! Why do you think I like them?

I bought the earrings from a second hand shop in Australia many years ago and the jacket is from Chloe.

Vernon loves buying me things overseas, but when he gets back to Malaysia he can never find them, so I always end up receiving my presents from him about 1 year later! Last night he gave me a belly dancing costume from Dubai. I have no idea where I am going to wear it yet!


And I was not the only one who likes red shoes at the dinner....


With Dato Farida, a woman who's strength and elegance I admire and hope to have one day.

All these photos here I curi-curi from Mr Manager's blog. Go to his blog to read all about the food and for other pictures.. :)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

CONGRATULATIONS to DANSA Episode 1 WINNERS!

CONGRATULATIONS

to the winners of

DANSA - Episode 1 competition

They are

Zareena binti Mohd Ramly from Kuala Lumpur

and

Siti Nor Asyikin from Kuala Kangsar, Perak


Both winners have been notified by email and your prize consisting of a DANSA t-shirt, notebook and January issue of TELL magazine is on the way and you should be receiving it soon.

To all the others who took part, please try again!
Remember, every Friday a new question goes up for the episode to be shown on TV3 on Saturday.

There are 12 more episodes, so you have 12 more chances!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

DANSA competition - Episode 1



Soalan peraduan DANSA episod pertama ialah

APAKAH NAMA TARIAN YANG DIPELAJARI DALAM EPISOD INI DAN SIAPAKAH NAMA CIKGU YANG MENGAJAR?

Sila tonton DANSA hari Sabtu, 24 January jam 5 petang di TV3 untuk jawapannya.

Sila emelkan jawapan anda ke dansa_tv3@yahoo.com dengan tajuk DANSA - Episod 1 dengan
a) Nama penuh
b) Nombor IC
c) Alamat
d) Size t-shirt yang diingini (size yang ada ialah XS, S, M, L, XXL)
e) Jika anda ingin buku nota dan majalah tell dengan autograph, sila nyatakan


Hadiahnya ialah satu set t-shirt dan buku nota DANSA. Untuk bulan Januari, majalah TELL disertakan sekali

The question for the DANSA - Episode 1 competition is

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE DANCE FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE AND WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE TEACHER?

Watch DANSA on Saturday 24th January at 5pm on TV3 for the answer.

Please email your answers to dansa_tv3@yahoo.com with the title DANSA - Episode 1 with the following details

a) full name
b) IC number
c) Postal Address
d) T-shirt size (sizes available XS, S, M, L , XXL)
e) Please state if you would like the notebook and magazine autographed

The prize is an exclusive DANSA merchandise set consisting of a t-shirt and notebook.
For the month of January, a copy of TELL magazine will be included too.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Harian Metro - January 22nd 2009




Pengembaraan cukup menarik itu turut dirakamkan dan bakal disiarkan sebanyak 13 episod menerusi rancangan khas Dansa yang akan menemui penonton bermula Sabtu, 24 Januari ini, jam 5 petang di TV3.

Berbicara mengenai program terbaru dikendalikan, jelas Sasha, idea untuk menerbitkan rancangan ini datang daripada dirinya yang sudah mempelajari balet sejak berusia empat tahun.

“Saya masih ingat sewaktu tamat pengajian Ijazah Sarjana Muda (Kepujian) dalam bidang Seni Persembahan, di West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, kakak pernah bertanya apa yang akan saya lakukan selepas itu?

“Dia bertanya ke mana saya mahu membawa ilmu yang diperoleh. Adakah selepas ini saya akan menjadi tenaga pengajar?

“Apabila menghasilkan rancangan Dansa, saya mula sedar bahawa saya belum puas belajar dan mendalami bidang dipelajari. Ternyata segulung ijazah diperoleh masih belum cukup kerana dalam dunia ini begitu banyak tarian yang ada antaranya saya tidak pernah dengar namanya.

“Atas rasa ingin tahu menyebabkan saya bersama penerbit Dansa, Mohd Fadli Mazlan menjalinkan kerjasama menghasilkan rancangan ini.

“Lagipun kami sudah selesa bekerjasama sewaktu mengendalikan Beauty Secret From The East,” katanya sewaktu ditemui, baru-baru ini.

Bercerita lanjut mengenai rancangan Dansa jelas Sasha, ia berkonsepkan pengembaraan di mana ia membabitkan 13 jenis tarian dan lokasi berbeza.“Dalam setiap episod, saya cuba menjejaki asal usul tarian tradisi, sesebuah negeri atau negara. Di sini seperti yang umum ketahui kebanyakan tarian tradisi masih lagi diamalkan di kawasan kampung dan pedalaman.

“Sebagai penolong penerbit Dansa saya sendiri melakukan kajian mengenai tarian yang diketengahkan dalam setiap episod.

“Selain daripada mengetahuinya menerusi pembacaan, ada maklumat diperoleh daripada penggiat seni tari sendiri. Pengalaman bertugas sebagai pengurus promosi di Istana Budaya turut memberi kelebihan dan memudahkan saya untuk menghasilkan dan mengacarakan program ini,” katanya.

Memastikan paparannya benar hidup dan menarik, kata Sasha, dia sendiri menjelajah ke ceruk kampung untuk bertemu dengan guru yang berpengalaman dan mengajar tarian terbabit.

“Biasanya latihan tarian di kawasan kampung ini dilakukan dalam suasana santai. Ia dibuat apabila penggiatnya habis sekolah atau selepas waktu berkerja. Seronok kerana ia dilakukan dalam gelak ketawa sambil sama-sama membantu untuk menjayakan latihan.

“Pengalaman seronok apabila saya ke Sabah untuk mempelajari tarian suku kaum di sana. Kebetulan waktu sama kumpulan terbabit sedang membuat latihan untuk majlis perkahwinan seorang penduduk kampung itu. “Kemeriahannya cukup terasa. Saya berasa sangat bertuah kerana dapat merasai situasi itu,” katanya

“Pengalaman seronok apabila saya ke Sabah untuk mempelajari tarian suku kaum di sana. Kebetulan waktu sama kumpulan terbabit sedang membuat latihan untuk majlis perkahwinan seorang penduduk kampung itu. “Kemeriahannya cukup terasa. Saya berasa sangat bertuah kerana dapat merasai situasi itu,” katanya.

Walaupun mempunyai pengalaman dalam bidang tarian, tetapi bagi Sasha cabaran harus dilalui dalam menjayakan rancangan ini juga besar kerana ada antara tarian tradisi yang ditampilkan dalam Dansa tidak pernah dipelajari dan namanya terlalu asing buatnya.

“Pengalaman saya dalam bidang tarian terhad iaitu lebih kepada balet dan kontemporari. Walau ada ilmu dalam tarian tradisi, tetapi persembahannya dibuat dalam bentuk moden atau fusion. “Saya boleh dianggap baru apabila mempelajari tarian tradisi ini. Perkara paling payah apabila saya harus membiasakan gerak tubuh dengan corak tarian yang nampak mudah, tetapi sebenarnya memerlukan kekuatan dalaman.

“Sepanjang rakaman rancangan ini barulah saya tahu mengenai tarian burung baniong dan tarian pelanduk. Selain itu turut diketengahkan seperti tarian ngajat, sumazau dan zapin dan ia kebanyakannya dikenali umum dan pernah disaksikan mereka.

“Saya sendiri pernah mendengar mengenai tarian ini, tetapi tidak pernah berpeluang untuk mempelajarinya. Mengacara rancangan ini membuka peluang kepada saya, namun ia tidak cukup kerana setiap episod rakaman dibuat dalam masa tiga hari.

“Ia terlalu singkat untuk saya, bagaimanapun diharapkan paparan berjaya dirakamkan dapat memberikan maklumat lengkap kepada penonton,” katanya.Bercerita lanjut mengenai cabaran harus dilalui Sasha, selain harus mengejar masa dia turut berhadapan dengan situasi di mana budaya sesuatu masyarakat ditemui amat berbeza.

Mengambil contoh sewaktu ke Jepun bagi mempelajari tarian geisha, dia harus membiasakan diri memakai kimono sepanjang masa.“Kimono yang saya pakai ada tiga lapis dan panasnya hanya Tuhan saja yang tahu kerana tubuh berbungkus sepanjang hari.

“Selain Jepun, produksi Dansa turut ke Thailand meninjau tarian tradisi di sana, Bali, Indonesia untuk mempelajari kecak dan Australia kami meninjau tarian tradisi masyarakat asli di sana.“Biasanya tarian tradisi amat berkait rapat dengan perkembangan budaya sesuatu masyarakat. Walaupun berhadapan dengan pelbagai cabaran, tetapi saya puas kerana apa yang saya mimpi dan idamkan dapat dizahirkan dalam Dansa,” katanya.

Penonton rancangan ini berpeluang memenangi hadiah menarik berupa buku nota dan baju Dansa. Mereka perlu melayari laman web www.sashabashir.blogspot.com bermula Jumaat, 23 Januari untuk menjawab soalan dikemukakan dan jawapan perlu diemelkan kembali kepada laman web terbabit.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

TELL - January Issue - Part 2


Dancing and performing all through her school years, Sasha wanted to keep it up. However, at the time there weren't any schools offering degrees in performing arts with a major in dance. So she went to Perth, Australia. It was a big moe, but during her stay in Australia, Sasha hardly felt like she was in a foreign country. In fact to her, Australia was just like home.

"My mum's from Australia, Sasha points out. "I spent a lot of time in Australia during school holidays. My grandfather in Australia taught me how to ride a bike, how to pick lemons from trees. I remember selling lemons to passers-by in front of my grandmother's house, so I could have a little extra money to buy things at second hand shops, flea markets and bazaars." Sasha keeps these memories close to her heart, alongside her Malaysian memories like Raya in Penang, with sparklers and 'pop-pops'. "Throughout my childhood I was very blessed," she says, "because I was able to experience both my parent's backgrounds, very equally."


After almost five years in Australia, during which she got an honours degree and some teaching and some choreography experience, Sasha returned home to Malaysia and again thought to herself there must be more. The inner rumblings had started in Australia, when she realised it wasn't enough to know how to dance. She knew if she wanted to make a living in the dance world she would have to know about more than just the dancing itself. That's why she studied marketing during her honours year. When she returned to Malaysia, she was hired as Assistant Director of Marketing and PR at Istana Budaya. The job taught her a lot about the mechanics of putting on theatre productions. And, of course it enabled her to keep on dancing and performing.

Her first lead role was the part of Lady Swettenham in the play of the same name, written by Sabera Shaik and directed by Christopher Jacobs. Sasha found it challenging but rewarding she says, "I had to play her from when she was 19 years old all the way up to her 40's, with all the transitions she made during that time. I had never been through many of the things she experienced - like marriage, childbirth, insanity - so I was really taking a lot on. But I'm glad I did it, and I loved every minute of it. And the morning after finishing the run of that play, I thought to myself, OK, what next? Of course, like always, I thought there must be more."

After 3 years at Istana Budaya, Sasha joined TV3 as host as the third season of Explorace. Then she hosted Beauty Secrets from the East. Both shows involved travel, which Sasha enjoyed. Not that it was always fun. There were rough days, gruelling schedules, last minute cancellations, people not turning up for shoots. It was at the end of one of those exhausting days that one of the directors of Beauty Secrets from the East suddenly suggested that Sasha do a documentary on dance. "I said I would love to, but I would need a producer, a director," she says. "And he said he would do it. In fact that's why he brought it up. So we put together a proposal, and we were lucky that our bosses loved the idea right from the start." And so DANSA was born.


A 13 episode documentary to be aired over TV3 starting in January, DANSA was shot in 9 Malaysian states including Malacca, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak. The 2008 production also involved location shooting in Australia, Indonesia (the island of Bali), Thailand and Japan.

In each of the locations, the prodcution crew was allocated 3 days to complete their mission - for Sasha to learn a new dance and perform it in full costume in front of a rolling camera, for national broadcast back home.

The traditional dances would be introduced to Sasha upon arrival by the local experts, giving her no time to master, but to merely grasp. Yet being the dancer that she is, Sasha feels she managed to go with the flow.

As timeless as dance is, Sasha reckons, so will DANSA be. As will her love for the art.


"And acting too," she adds. She would like to do more acting. Lately she has been gracing Malaysian's television screens as a high school cheerleader on 5 Jingga, a challenging role not because she plays a character 10 years her junior, nor because she had to learn cheerleading moves (she enjoyed that), but because she had to act for a camera instead of a live audience. Another challenge was that shooting a television drama often requires shooting scenes out of sequence. ("You might shoot a scene from episode 12 before you've even done episode 8.So I had to really know the scripts for the whole series, so I would know what the characters were supposed to be feeling during each scene"). Besides appearing on stage and television, she had a small part in a movie (The Red Kebaya in 2006) and would like to do another with a more substancial role. "Not necessarily the lead" she says, "just a role I can feel passionat about, a great character".

Sasha looks to the past as well as the future. The Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy hit home for her, not just because she lost her home in the Highland Towers collapse but because she did lose somebody close to her, her ballet teacher (who was one of the residents too) who ironically may have played a part in saving her life.

(To my dear readers, come back tomorrow - Friday - for the first question in the DANSA competition!)

Monday, January 19, 2009

Anugerah Juara Lagu red carpet

I had already borrowed a dress from a local designer to wear to Anugerah Juara Lagu, but it is grey in colour and I just knew if I wore it, the whole night I would be thinking to myself, "I don't like this dress...why am I wearing this dress.."

I wanted to wear something bright...

Then I got an idea..

I took out my pink sari material. Cut two pieces of about 1.5 metres each from it. Tied the first piece around my waist, tied the second piece around my neck, added a silver traditional belt, silver shoes, Indian style bangles and I was done. Hair I just got it blow dried at the hairdresser and make up I did myself.

So this dress, was literally two pieces of sari material tied around me. Fast, easy, and cheap!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

TELL - article and pictures part 1


Watching the recent Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy unfold on the news, televisison host Sasha Bashir felt a rush of sadness. Not just the sadness anyone would feel seeing such a tragedy, but the sadness of someone who knows what it's liketo go through it. That's because in 1993 Sasha Bashir lost her home in Malaysia's most infamous landslide tragedy, the collapse of Block 1 of Highland Towers in Taman Hillview. She was lucky, if one is so inclined to call it luck. None of her family members were lost in the disaster. Her mother and sister were home but made it out with just enough time to turn around and see the building come down.

Sasha was spposed to be home that day but let's just be dramatic and say dance saved her life. A change in her dance schedule took her away in the moments before the tremors began.

Still, revisiting the past is not always sad. During her photo shoot with TELL at the beautiful and historic Carcosa Seri Negara, the former residence of Lady Swettenham herself, Sasha sat in the same rooms and walked the same halls as the woman who's life and personality she once spent so much time and effort portraying on stage. When she was five and first though to herself there must be more to dance than prancing around in a pink leotard, she thought it was true but at that age, couldn't have known for sure. Performing elegant dances before the cameras in the Marquee at Carcosa Seri Neara, Sasha Bashir could certainly say that now she knows that there is indeed more.

Dance really is an important aspect of her life.

"I still remember my first dance performance" she says in between sips of an iced chocolate drink in Bangsar. "I wore a pink leotard. I had a basket of flowers. I first started learning ballet when I was aroun four, the performance was when I was around four or five. It was very simple, just running around the stage with the basket. Turn here, turn there. Even then I remember thinking, I want to do more than this, there has to be more to dancing than this."

She found out there was indeed more to dance than ballet. She continued to enjoy doing ballet, but when she started school her interest in dancing really took off. The catalyst was MTV. It was around the time when music videos were beginning to become dance videos. Like many teenagers, Sasha wouls stand in front of the television watching music videos and videos of live concerts copying the steps of stars like Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul. "I still know the steps to Michael Jackson's Thriller", she chuckles. "I can still do it!"

Sasha soon realised her intuition at five had been spot on : there was more to dance than ballet. She also realised she couldn't confine herself to just one form of dance. Aside from learning ballet and dancing with the stars on MTV, she pestered her parents to let her take jazz dance lessons. She also took up Tae Kwon Do, which to her was consistent with her pursuit of dance perfection. "I love martial arts," she says. "I think Jet Li is brilliant. Jackie Chan is brilliant too, a brilliant showman. And you can't do any of those moves, even the really strong ones, if you don't have the elegance and grace of a dancer."

(more pics and part 2 of this article coming soon)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

TELL magazine - JANUARY issue


Remember the photo shoot I did about two months ago where I said I changed outfits about 13 times? Well, all the hard work was for TELL magazine's January issue and it is out now! Yay!

This cover story also shares for the first time in detail about the travel documentary that I have been working on for the past 1 year - a dance documentary titled -
DANSA.

There is a 12 page article inside with lots of great pictures which were shot at Carcosa and also some pictures from DANSA.

The picture below is the inside cover of the magazine.


I really wanted to take a photo on the main staircase at Carcosa. Why? Because Cindy Crawford, someone I totally admire, took a shot on this exact same staircase when she was here in Malaysia a few years ago during her photo shoot with Harper's Bazaar.

To my Malaysian readers, please buy a copy of TELL! Support our local industry and magazines!

To my international readers, I will put up the photos as they appear inside the magazine soon.

The details of the DANSA competition on this blog site will be announced next Friday, 23rd January 2009. There is exclusive DANSA merchandise to be won!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Coming soon...

The documentary Fadli and I have been working on for over a year now will start to be shown on air on TV3 starting next Saturday.

There will also been an online competition here on this blog every week where you can win exclusive program merchandise.

My latest magazine cover will be available early next week too.

I am very excited as everything is going to start happening very quickly now.... :)

I will be sharing all the details very soon...


Monday, January 12, 2009

His name is LOCO...




In a strange turn of events, the little kitten I found who was originally supposed to go and live with my friend Faizal is now going to live here.

My mum stopped my sister and I from taking him away... :)

So his name is Loco. Lord Derbyshire has a little brother to bully which has stopped him from trying to play with the others. But Lord in the only one who likes him. Schizo, Joberg and Tippex are still hissing the house down...


RAMSES the fifth



His name is Ramses the Fifth.

This is Faizal's cat now that he can't have Loco.

He is very sweet, loving and from the update I have received from Faizal, very hyper!


Wednesday, January 07, 2009

I got them.. yay!


met up with my friend today you got me the prada earrings! Yay! i have a private function next friday and i just remembered the green MNG dress i have in my wardrobe which matches perfectly with these earrings...


They look much better in real life...

the little kitten



Short little video of my little kitten who will be leaving me soon.
He's playing with the tali attached to my camera...


Tuesday, January 06, 2009

some new postings on 'Style with Sasha'

Hi dear readers..

Few more postings have gone up on 'Style with Sasha'

To view list, just click here



Monday, January 05, 2009

New year...new things...

It's a new year and I have already written a list of various things I hope to accomplish and complete in 2009. I had my disappointments in 2008 and I hope this year will be better.

For my wardrobe, two new pieces are on the way. One is this Gucci runway piece dress from the Spring Summer 2007 collection. It was this dress that inspired all the other ruffled dresses that season including my yellow ZARA one. It came up on ebay and I managed to get it at about 90% cheaper than the original price. Yay! I hope it looks good on me. That is always my concern with buying online. Cause you can't try it on, it's a bit of a gamble. Fingers crossed it will look good!



The other item is the green rhinestone earrings prominently featured in Prada's cruise collection on the runway and in the ad campaign. Currently sold out in Malaysia. Friend of mine had to get them overseas for me.


Two great new pieces to start off the new year! Will be fun playing dress up and styling with these items. I'm still trying to follow my try to wear less black rule from last year.

I have so much work to do, I wonder how I am ever going to get it all done.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

the new kitten...


remember the kitten i told you about in my earlier posting? well here are some picture i took of him tonight. he is eating a lot and has already put on weight in the 5 days he has been with me. Looking much better and starting to become very confident and naughty.


He really looks like Lord Derbyshire's little brother! Best part is that Lord is a little bit scared of him. Lord has not growled or hissed at him, rather is trying to figure out how to bully him..

And below is picture of him relaxing on my friend Margarita's lap. As you can see, he has adapted to living in a home very well... :)