Any decent person would know better than to tell a woman what she can or cannot wear, or whether her choice of clothing determines the odds of getting harassed. The Wom*ns Officers’ Denim Dance was not only a celebration towards that statement but also brought together a crowd indigo-loving for some good fun. The event was loosely based on Denim Day, celebrated by the women of the Italian parliament who showed support by turning up to work in denim, after a rape case was overturned as the court felt that the victim’s jeans helped ease the crime.

Attendants had the honor of using the newly-opened learning spaces between Building 6 and 5 as their event location. The usually subdued space was instantly brought to life with posters of female empowerment, fairy lights, and drapery. Once registered, attendants were treated to a solid selection of carbonara, spaghetti, and an assortment of fried finger foods. Although delayed, vegetarian options came through at last, making sure everyone had their tummies filled. Everyone’s denim getup (albeit Britney & Justin’s combo was nowhere in sight) did not go unnoticed and unappreciated as the photo booth was there to capture it all, sparkly backdrop included.

Once ushered into the event hall, everyone took seats on the benches surrounding the parameters of the space, presumably taking in the whole visual space, or just shy. Everyone was treated to performances by Anne Maria and Asyraf Nasir. Both their achievements of building up hype in a food coma-ridden crowd was no easy feat.

Anyone who had concerns of coming to the dance with two left feet were instantly reassured by the next segment: a salsa tutorial by Carl and Sabiya of MDFC. Split into a few simple steps, everyone got to pick up a couple of no-brainer moves over a short period of time. Once the music kicked in, everyone then got their groove on. As much fun as I had attempting the ‘female’ dance moves, I just silently prayed that my insurance covered any hip injuries.

Just to commemorate everyone’s newly-acquired dance moves, attendants were then treated to a fantastic selection of ice cream — the perfect way to cool down the heat from all that hoedown. Once dessert was sorted, the dance floor was opened up again. The playlist was admittedly erratic but managed to satisfy everyone’s mood and taste. We had tracks that were mainstays at the bars of Telawi, mid-2000s nostalgia, to straight up LiteFM goodness.

To end the night, officers Melinda and Medha came onstage to thank the sweaty, denim-clad crowd for attending their humble event. They also announced the best-dressed attendants of the night. Runner ups went to a trio of Johanna, Diksha, and yours truly who attempted their low-budget cosplay of Mario, Luigi, and Waluigi with overalls. The big winner went to Celine Chua, who apparently spent a week deciding on her very successful denim paperboy getup, suspenders included. The night wrapped with even more dancing, even when the air conditioning was cut off.

Article by LingJie Tuang

Photos by Fatyn Afiqah, Derrick Ser and Shaun Stanley