The Straits Times | Meet dance cover crew Z-Axis
Formed in 2020, Z- Axis is easily Singapore’s most well-known K-pop dance cover crew, with over 160,000 subscribers on YouTube.
The crew is known for its one-take dance covers, often performed and filmed in open spaces like the MBS boardwalk.
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The crew is known for its one-take dance covers, often performed and filmed in open spaces like the MBS boardwalk.
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NewsTranscript
00:00The thing that is non-negotiable is the dance standard, the filming standard, editing standard,
00:11basically everything.
00:12Hi, I'm Chong Ah.
00:17My name is Jasmine.
00:18We are from a K-pop dance cover group called Z-AXIS.
00:24We don't have a fixed number of members.
00:27Currently, there are over 50 to 60 dancers who have joined us in covers.
00:33We started in 2020.
00:36Many of the Z-AXIS members were from NTU.
00:39So after graduating from university, we wanted to continue to do covers.
00:44Today, we'll be doing a cover at MBS, the fountain area.
00:48We'll be performing New Gene Supernatural.
00:53We do dance covers almost every week.
00:56So after today's filming, we also have a filming next week.
00:59For our New Gene cover, we took six sessions, over one and a half weeks.
01:04Each session is around two to three hours.
01:07I will come after work, and then there will be around maybe 7pm, we'll start practice.
01:13And then we'll end at around 10pm.
01:15It's like a work-life balance.
01:17My life is dancing.
01:19So after work, I want to relieve stress, I want to do something else, so I dance.
01:25We used to practice at Skate, but it has closed down for renovation.
01:29We also went to Marina Square to try to practice outside Hatila with the reflective surface.
01:35But we got chased from there too.
01:37So now, we are left with SMU to use it as our mirror.
01:43If you want to rent a studio in Singapore, it is not very cheap.
01:47We also have many dancers who are still schooling.
01:51So we don't want to spend a lot of money to rent a studio.
01:56So instead, we try to find free space to dance.
01:59Because everything in Z-AXIS is completely voluntary.
02:03We don't get paid to film videos.
02:09This part I can slide in a bit more.
02:22Ah, slow.
02:30Purposely wear one.
02:45So we are quite used to dancing in front of the public.
02:47But the one thing that will make us nervous is if we go for any competition.
02:52Because someone is looking at you and trying to judge.
02:56And look at your dance movements and your style and your expression.
03:00There was one cover, our I Am cover.
03:03Oh yes, I Am by IVE.
03:05There were a lot of people surrounding us.
03:07So I think that was the most nerve-wracking one for me, personally.
03:17Now for the brave and wild Z-AX.
03:43My name is Huan Chong.
03:44I'm the co-founder of Z-AXIS.
03:46I love this spot because it's more spacious and you can see the skyline of Singapore.
03:50And a lot of tourists are over here as well and they really enjoy our performance.
03:54Our subscribers on YouTube also like us filming over here.
03:58But it's getting trendy to dance over here.
04:01Then all the dance crews over Singapore is coming here.
04:04So sometimes we have to chop space or have to queue.
04:10Half of my friends are dancer friends.
04:12We mingle with each other through dancing.
04:15My family members are quite supportive.
04:18Since young, they know that I love to dance.
04:21And I think some of them will even come down to watch us.
04:26No.
04:28No, we are not.
04:31Yes, we are too committed to dance.
04:34We got no other time to do other things.
04:37Okay.
04:46It's not like running and operating a dance crew.
04:49But more like hanging out with friends and trying to achieve something together.
04:54So it's not that stressful.
05:00Rewarding things?
05:02I think just by filming videos, to me, it's quite rewarding.
05:06In the end, it still pays off.
05:08It's hard work.
05:09Yes, it's hard work.
05:16We usually take around two to three takes.
05:20Then depending on whether it's satisfactory or not,
05:22then we will see whether we want to take a fourth one or more.
05:33What do I want to do after this?
05:35I will go and eat.
05:36Go home and sleep.
05:37But I got work to do, so it's too bad for me.
05:40I will have supper.
05:41Hotpot.
05:42Take a bath and sleep.
05:44Forget about this career.
05:45I have to go and edit videos and post by maybe tomorrow morning.