Sensational, Motivational, International, & Original Talent

Talent is not created within a person but rather a person creates talent. It might be mind twisting at the beginning, but we can certainly find it and follow it to see where it leads us. Talent is found in many cultures and when I came to Marianopolis, I was able to see different talent everywhere… even in bathroom stalls. If you go to Marianopolis, you must have definitely heard of the renowned group of K-POP dancers, Hallyu. When this blog came up, I knew that I would have to meet this group and know them better as they introduced a different and yet unique culture to us. I got to see Hallyu perform so many times and I must say that they are an incredible group of K-POP dancers! Hallyu was originally created back in 2008 in Marianopolis. Students that come and go usually take up this tradition and continue managing Hallyu. Currently, Hallyu is handled by four executives: Jinghao Lin, Yang Zhou, Sophie Jin, and Meng Si Zhao.

Hallyu 6

Jinhao Lin

Full name: Jinghao Lin

Program: Pure and Applied Science

When did you start performing: Since I was 10 and it was my first music concert

Why: Because I wanted to show off to others that I performed

Who inspired you: My friends around me who dance

Why choose dancing: It is a way for me to express how I feel.

What's so special about it: There are feelings that just can’t be expressed by words. Through dancing, emotions can be conveyed that words could not.

Were you ever scared: Every single day!

Best moment: When you know you tried your hardest, and have no regrets.

Any confessions: I never formally learned how to dance.

A motto or a few lines you'd like to tell people to follow: “Follow your heart, and listen to what it has to say. Live life with no regrets.”

https://www.facebook.com/MarianopolisHallyu

Yang Zhou

Full name: Yang Zhou

Program: Commerce

When did you start performing: I started to perform when I was 8 years old.

Why: It was for a music show organized by my piano teacher, and it was my first time going on stage.

How did you come up with this group: I heard about Hallyu 3 that and I bought a ticket at the door to watch their performance. It was absolutely amazing and that’s when I discovered Marianopolis College and Hallyu club.

Who inspired you: A Taiwanese singer named Jolin Tsai and she was my favorite idol since I was 10. Even until today, she still inspires me.

Why choose dancing: I started dancing since I was 3, it was my parents who chose dancing for me. I really appreciate their decision because if they did not make this choice I wouldn't have found my biggest passion.

What's so special about it: I love the feeling when you just learn a dance routine, the feeling of mastering something really makes me happy while dancing with friends is also something fun and cool and especially when you are all sharing something in common.

Were you ever scared: I only get scared when I know the dance is not ready and the formations are messy.

Best moment: The best moment is on stage! Big emotions come to you when you are performing on stage. Knowing that someone important to you is watching during your show is also something even more memorable. You feel proud of yourself that moment.

A motto or a few lines you'd like to tell people to follow: “Hey everyone, On Saturday April 19th is the big day for Hallyu 6! Come to watch the show and you won't regret it! Our dancers, singers and band are all from College Marianopolis and are waiting for you. We will bring the best KPop music to Montreal on that night! Don't miss it”

Sophie Jin

Full name: Sophie Jin

Program: Commerce

When did you start performing: I started performing when I was 5 years old

Why: Because of doing gymnastic when I was in kindergarten

Who inspired you: Watching professional ballet dancers inspired me to dance as well

Why choose dancing: It has always been my passion and for fun of course

What's so special about it: I feel that dancing is a good way to express without words

Were you ever scared: I was when I first started and sometimes still I am

Best moment: When I finish learning the whole routine completely and also teaching it to others

Any confession: Come to Hallyu 6 on April 19 2014

A motto or a few lines you'd like to tell people to follow: “Follow what you love and never give up”

Meng Si Zhao

Full name: Meng Si Zhao

Program: Commerce

When did you start performing: Around the age of 12

Why: I took a little bit of singing lessons and dance classes while I was young because of my parents

Who inspired you: I went to both the Hallyu 3 and Hallyu 4 shows and I enjoyed them a lot. That’s why I really wanted to join the club to be a part of the experience.

Why choose dancing: Dancing is not only fun, it’s also a social activity and thanks to which I met new friends. We also get to cover K-Pop idol groups who have great choreography for their songs.

What's so special about it: Hallyu is the original group and the oldest of its kind that promotes Korean music with performances in Montreal. Hallyu is a talented crew of over 50 members with singers, dancers and musicians that constantly practice throughout the school year for their big annual shows. Personally, for me it’s even more than a club, it’s practically my life.

Were you ever scared: Yes of course, the other executives and I are stressed all the time, having to organize everything. Especially with all that has to be done, and with less than a month left, we worry about the show’s outcome. However, despite being nervous, we trust our members more than anything.

Best moment: Last year’s show when I was a first-year. On the day of the show, everyone came together like a family, supporting each other. Everyone was proud that their efforts bore fruit. It was one of the best days of my life.

Any confessions: I’m in a love-hate relationship with Hallyu.

A motto or a few lines you'd like to tell people to follow: “Do what you love.”

https://www.facebook.com/events/361542850653754/

Don’t forget to check out Hallyu 6 on April 19^th 2014 only in Montreal!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfwwyZV9ArU

Expression, Profession, Succession, Impression- The Art of Dancing

Coming from an artistic country filled with various cultural talents, I have always hoped to share it everyone. I feel that it is a great opportunity to introduce the multicultural society that lives right under our noses, especially in a small private college like Marianopolis. That is where I found another talented cultural dancer, who is not only confident but loves to share her culture with others as well. Her name is Mrittika Ghose and she is a talented Kathak dancer!

Mrittika Ghose, 18 years old

Mrittika is a Health and Science student in Marianopolis and started dancing at the age of 6.

“Back in the days when I was too young to understand the importance of the dance style, it was an interest of my parents,” she says.

“But later on, I myself grew into it and found my own interest in dancing and performing Kathak.”

Mrittika grew as an inspiring Kathak dancer with the help of her dance teachers and by following the footsteps of the many professional Kathak dancers of India.

“Indian classical dancing has its own aura and sense of beauty. It comes in eight different styles amongst which I dance one of the most common one, Kathak. It's a piece of art that allows me to express myself in a creative way.”

According to Mrittika, dance brings out one’s inner soul that people often hide in the real world. The extensive use of expressions, graceful movements and poise differentiates Kathak from other Indian classical styles. It is extremely elegant but at the same time difficult to perform and it is more globally known through Bollywood. 

“I did fear in the beginning when I started dancing. Performing on the stage all alone used to be my biggest fear. I was too young to ignore the stares of million.”

Mrittika counts every performances that she has done till now as her ultimate best moments.

“I have always found myself extremely lucky to be performing on stage, that too in such a hard style.” 

For Mrittika, these moments are only precious because people not only notice her art but appreciate her passion as well. According to Mrittika, with school and other stressful problems, it's not always easy to continue putting one’s full energy towards dancing and this is why she always pushes herself and aims to push everyone to do the same as well.

“Dance your heart out at all phases of life. Only then you'll notice the "free" you.”-Mrittika

Cultural, Traditional, International, & Motivational Art

Having a cultural and traditional passion is an extraordinary kind of talent. It not only helps one  connect with their religion but express pride through demonstrating cultural-based talents such as dancing, singing, instrumental performances, etc. The student I am presenting today has the very same enthusiasm for his talent. This talent deepened his self-awareness for his culture and built his self-confidence to play for others. He is proud of what he does, enjoys showing his talent to others, and his name is Pritpal Singh.

Pritpal Singh, 18 years old

Pritpal Singh is a 18 years old first year Health Science student at Marianopolis College. Pritpal is an exceptional and talented tabla player!

“I started playing the tabla when I was 10 years old,” he said. “I was introduced to this instrument with the help of my parents.”

Tabla is a classical instrument that has an important role in the Indian classical music and culture. The tabla can either be played as solo or along with another Indian instrument as well. When Pritpal first came to Marianopolis, playing the tabla was difficult for him to juggle along with his school work and sports.

             “I love playing basketball, soccer, and volleyball, but with school, it got harder for me to make time for tabla. This was the only time when I had ever thought about quitting” he confesses.

            However, Pritpal never gave up on his passion because of his music teacher. He became his inspiration to pursue this talent along with handling his other work. Thanks to his teacher, his interest grew stronger for the tabla.

Pritpal performing in his community

“My favorite part about playing this instrument is when I get to perform solo performances with the instrument” he says. “I generally play the tabla to audiences who are completely new to this instrument or who have never seen it before”.

Their positive and surprising reaction towards this instrument encourages Pritpal to keep playing. Further on, the idea of introducing this musical instrument to other cultures became his ambition as well.

“My main goal is to always strive for perfection in whatever I do” he finally says. “This goal motivated me to work harder!”

"Every time you step out on to the stage, you learn something which helps you grow and be a better communicator. It’s not like you’re the master. You’re always a student." - Zakir Hussain (renowned tabla player)

The Work of Art: Structure, Posture, Gesture, and Capture

Nothing comes easy in life. Everything that we achieve pays off from our hard work. It might sound cheesy to most of you and very repetitive, but hey…. It’s the truth! The young girl that I have hunted down has achieved her talent through hard work. She worked on her passion for hours  and now she even teaches. Balance, capturing the moves and most of all, making sure you’re doing it right. This kind of talent can only be done through patience. Her persistence became her power to accomplishing her talent. Bianca Rakheja gave it her best and she is now a professional skater!

Bianca Rakheja, 18 years old

Bianca competing when 14 years old (second place)

Bianca Rakheja is a second year Health and Science student in Marianopolis. She started off skating at the age of four.

“I really didn't like it when I started,” she says. “I really didn't want to continue it either.”

However, with her mother’s support and her coach’s hard work, Bianca soon learnt to not only skate but love it as well.

Bianca competing when 15 years old

“I started private lessons and competitions around nine,” she says. “The adrenaline rush on ice made me realize that this was what I really wanted to do apart from studying of course.”

It definitely becomes hard at times to manage Marianopolis and skating, but “if you love something” as Bianca would say, “you can for sure make time for it”. At the end of the day, Bianca not only manages to succeed in skating but in school as well.

“I handle skating along with studies because I am given the privilege to make a schedule that fits my skating schedule. My coaches are great and flexible as well. It's not easy, but in balancing the activities, I have learned to work hard and manage my time well when doing school work! So basically, it's been very beneficial to my lifestyle.”

Bianca winning first place to an interpretive solo "Jai Ho"

       Bianca currently skates for five hours a week and she also teaches kids to skate as well.         

     “I love teaching kids because it gives me the opportunity to learn how to interact with children. It's true that I teach them, but they're the ones teaching me patience and compassion. It's a great job, because I get to spend my time surrounded by children. They're always happy and pleasant to be around. It's a great environment.”        

                   

                "If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere" -Frank A. Clark

Art: Action, Attraction, Reaction, Satisfaction

When we talk about talent, we try to think about those that are out of the box or unique. My next hunt is a little bit of both. He loves what he does and he has the nerve to do it as well. He is very active, energetic, and very patient. His name is Saif Mahabub and his passion is to perform mix martial arts.

Saif Mahbub, 18 years old

            A little too out of the box don’t you think? This blog introduces the idea of having talents that are not only exceptional but original as well.

Saif Mahabub is 18 years old and currently studying Pure Science in Marianopolis College. Saif’s love for martial arts motivated him to coordinate a club in Marianopolis where he teaches it to other students. Saif went through a very interesting journey to get to where he is today.

“I was watching a movie by Jackie Chan called Wushu and then randomly I just wanted to fight like them” he says.

From watching one movie, Saif began to watch many more and was inspired to pursue his talent with the help of legendary artists like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and Jean-Claude Van Damne. With the help of internet, Saif found out about a gym called Apex Martial Arts (originally called Fang Shen Do Kung Fu) in Montreal. Saif joined that gym in 2010 and he has been training for the past four years. 

Apex Martial Arts Gym

Saif initially had a hard time doing martial arts because he wasn’t physically fit and learning so many techniques at once was very confusing. With lots of practice, Saif got better and by the age of 15, he was strong enough to fight in the cage during Fight Nights.

 “I must confess, the first time I ever got scared for a fight was during my championship this year on 22^nd of February, 2014” he says. “I didn’t know what to expect from my opponent who was stronger and the idea of competing for the championship belt worried me also.”

22nd February, 2014 Fight (Saif's competitor to the left)

Even though Saif had lost the fight that night, he was proud of what he had achieved. Saif achieved the opportunity to not only fight with a true champion but learn from him as well. He was proud because his loss made him realize that he not only grew stronger but this fight also helped him improve himself for his future fights. With martial arts and Marianopolis, Saif learnt to manage both equally because he hates the idea of quitting.

“Fighting is and will always be there for me” he says. “This place definitely changed my life for the better. Everything changed for me as I became more physically and mentally healthy”. 

Passion, Compassion, Obsession, Possession: All rounder

TALENT… Talent isn’t only about singing, dancing, or even acting. The word “Talent” has a deeper meaning within itself. When I first came up with this blog, I intended to search for unique talents all around Marianopolis. I wanted to see whether students had the “X Factor” in them. I’ve met many interesting people since, but there was this one particular girl who caught my attention.

            I used to see her run around school doing so many different activities. She’d be helping out students, she’d be organizing events, she’d be giving speeches, and she’d also be participating in competitions. She inspired me with her passion and I’m sure she’ll inspire many of you as well. She’s an all rounder, but she simply calls herself fanatic! She is none other than Sarah Morgan.

Sarah Morgan

            Sarah Morgan is a second year student studying Health and Science in Marianopolis and she has many exceptional talents. She is a robotic enthusiast, the VP of our College, and she also manages to be an A+ student at the same time.

            Sarah initially joined Robotics in Grade 8 because she found it exciting and her Science Teacher inspired her as well. It was also very new from the other clubs and activities that she had done in High School. She began to see YouTube videos for more motivation but the adrenaline rush she got from competing against others intrigued her most. Her favorite part about robotics was the machines, their final outcome, and sharing the same hobby with others.

            When Sarah first came to Marianopolis and joined congress and robotics, she had a hard time balancing everything together. She confesses that during robotics competitions she was always nervous because she hated being judged. However, her desire to learn and her hard work gave her the confidence to continue her passion. Sarah is overall very task oriented and she loves to have her plate full because it helps her get her work done faster.

The Marianopolis Congress Club (Vice President, Sarah Morgan)

            Apart from robotics, Sarah loves being the VP. She keeps herself busy with a lot of meetings, she oversees a lot of issues, and she also enjoys planning events. The quality that Sarah has within her isn’t just a talent, but her perseverance and creativity to work as a team. Sarah believes that she can get towards her goal if she thinks outside the box and tells everyone to follow her motto that “If the pieces don’t fit, there’s always another way to get to where you are!”

The competition took place at Vanier College

Marianopolis Robotics came in second place overall and won first for their website and journal

They got second place for their kiosk, for programming and video

Marianopolis also came in third place for their robot design and construction

Art: Simplicity is the Beauty that lies within ones Culture

A girl with high potential is what defines her well. She learns from her mistakes and she also teaches what she learns. She is my next hunt, and I've known her for the past six years. I have also seen her grow into becoming the creative woman that she is today. She comes from a Muslim background, traditional and cultural, but she is proud of who she is because her culture has made her amazing in her talent. This talent may sound simple to you all, but the art behind this unique talent is so innovative and beautiful to see. It takes a lot of work to pick up such talent. As a great human once said “Practice makes perfect” and she is a natural example of that. I'd like you all to meet one of my good friends, Mousumi Rahman and find out how she has become a wonderful henna artist today.

Mousumi Rahman, 19 years old

Mousumi Rahman is a second year student studying Social Science in Marianopolis. Her wish is to continue her studies onto University in Commerce. Apart from studying, Mousumi has a great talent. A talent that is extraordinary on its own. During her pastime, Mousumi does henna!

As a child, Mousumi wasn’t very artistic or creative. In fact, she hated art. However, her mother came from an artistic background and she was great at designing. As Mousumi slowly grew up, she began to develop a passion for henna designs, she really enjoyed having henna on her hands, and the designs always fascinated her. Mousumi was initially introduced to this art at the age of 7, when her mother put henna on her hands for a Muslim festival known as Eid. She was amazed by the way her mother did the designs. She felt very cool because henna was a like a tattoo, and having a tattoo at that age made any kid feel cool!

Mousumi began trying henna designs when she was 12 years old, but she wasn't very successful. She always ended up dribbling in her hands instead of drawing a nice flower.  Mousumi admits to all the confusion she had while doing henna designs because she was clueless about it. It took her a lot of time to get used to squeezing a kind of toothpaste while creating a design at the same time.

            Mousumi confesses that she didn't come up with henna designs when she first started. She actually took them out of henna catalogs and online images. However, with practice, she drew designs of her own.  Mousumi chose this hobby as it was a part of her culture and soon, it became her talent! Although she doesn't do henna on a regular basis, she always tries to make time to do henna during Eid nights. Despite the workload she has, Mousumi continues to do henna because it is something she really enjoys!

Here are some beautiful images of the creative art that Mousumi has done throughout her artistic journey: