Thrilling show by Explode girls

By PRISCILLA DIELENBERG
Photos by H.N. LEONG

MANY excited young fans turned up at Queensbay Mall in Penang
to watch the encore performance by Explode, the girls from
SMK (P) St George who won the Disney Channel’s My School Rocks
dance competition.

Entertaining: This team of six giving their best in the dance contest.

It was all over in two minutes but their fans were still happy to be able to witness live the group’s first public performance after winning the contest and recording the Malaysian version of the music video for High School Musical 2’s hit song, What Time Is It?

Six girls – Samantha Gill, six, Judith Stanley, seven, Samantha Geronimo, nine, Sabrina Gill, nine, Odelia A. Joseph, 10, and Joanne Ashley Steven, 11 – were in the front row to watch the girls perform.

My way: Sofea Nur Anna Ridzuan Effendy performing with confidence.

“We have seen their music video on the Disney Channel and we came here just to watch them. It’s so exciting,” said the girls.

Explode captain Andrea Ong, 14, said the team had to practise a few times to make sure they remembered the steps.

“We have not performed our routine elsewhere after the recording. In fact, our schoolmates have only seen us perform before we auditioned for the competition,” she said.

She added that only 12 of the 14 were present, as one of them had since migrated with her family to Australia while another was away at church camp.

Ong said the team members, aged 13 to 16, were excited about the performance as it was widely publicised with poster everywhere.

“Many fans have approached us here to take pictures with them,” she said, adding that they were usually not recognised when on their own.

Winning team: Explode members striking a pose for a photo shoot after making their appearance at the mall.

Penang Chinese Girls Primary School pupil Saw En Qi, nine, said Explode gave a good performance and it was nice to get the chance to watch them.

Her friend Vicky Ooi, nine, was looking forward to the performance but missed it as she arrived just after it ended.

Excited group: (From left) Samantha Gill, Judith, Sabrina, Odelia and Samantha Geronimo showing their happiness after watching the St Georges girls in action.

The two, together with four other schoolmates, were taking part in a High School Musical dance contest organised by Queensbay Mall.

The contest on Sunday saw 35 entries. There were a few soloists and duos, but most of them took part as teams. They all competed in one cate-gory regardless of age, and the youngest dancer was a four-year-old.