Have fun and support a good cause with charity musical ‘Get on Your Feet’

Charity musical ‘Get on Your Feet’ may just leave you wanting to get on your feet yourself! (Creative Match Studio pic)

PETALING JAYA:

According to the United Nations, approximately 3,000 to 5,000 children are born every year with an extra chromosome. But, despite it being recognised as a developmental disability, people with Down Syndrome are able to lead ordinary – and even extraordinary – lives.

Take Madeline Stuart, an Australian model who has been part of fashion weeks in New York, London and Paris, and is the founder of InsideOutside Dance, a dance school for people with disabilities. Or Sujeet Desai, a musician from New York state who plays various instruments including the violin, alto saxophone, piano, trumpet, and drums.

Indeed, those with Down Syndrome can be inspiring, which is why World Down Syndrome Day is observed annually on March 21 – to celebrate and advocate for the rights, inclusion and wellbeing of those with this condition.

And to commemorate this day, Malaysian producer and choreographer Farah Sulaiman is presenting a charity musical, “Get on Your Feet”, with the goal of raising RM300,000 for Persatuan Sindrom Down Malaysia (PSDM).

The funds will be used by the non-profit to build a café, and provide employment as well as training opportunities for individuals with Down Syndrome.

Written and directed by musical theatre performer and dancer Sabrina Hassan, the audience can look forward to 17 songs including “Dancing Queen” from “Mamma Mia”, “All that Jazz” from “Chicago”, and “My Favourite Things” from “The Sound of Music”.

The show will run for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission.

Dynamic duo Sabrina Hassan (left) and Farah Sulaiman are creative forces behind ‘Get on Your Feet’. (Creative Match Studio pic)

A total of 51 performers, including dancers from the Sayang Academy of Dancing founded by Farah, will take the stage alongside guest artistes Yon Lynn, Elvira Arul, and Johan Yusof.

“Ten of the performers are individuals with Down Syndrome. They are such loving, beautiful children, and this is not the first time that I worked with them,” Farah told FMT with a smile.

In 2010, she presented another musical, “Sparks of Broadway”, and raised more than RM230,000 for PSDM. The funds were used to build a single-storey building that houses a classroom and training kitchen.

Trained in London, Farah’s credentials include being one of the choreographers for the first season of the reality television show “So You Think You Can Dance”. She has also choreographed for local celebrities such as Anita Sarawak, Francisca Peter, and DJ Dave.

As “Get on Your Feet” would mark her 11th charity musical, one can’t help but wonder, what keeps this 64-year-old going? For the sprightly Farah, a passion for dance is essential but, more pertinently, she has always had a soft spot for those in need.

“It all started when I was young. When we were out shopping and saw beggars, she gave me money to donate to them. When I put the money in their little cups, I saw the joy on their faces.

“That’s how my mother taught me to have compassion,” she said warmly.

It’s all smiles for Farah as she works with individuals with Down Syndrome who are part of the performing team. (Creative Match Studio pic)

Beyond the fundraising aspect, “we hope to give individuals with Down Syndrome confidence, not just on the stage, but in life as well”.

Meanwhile, writer and director Sabrina hopes that, through the show, the audience will gain a better understanding of individuals with Down Syndrome.

“Many of them are high-functioning, and they may simply require a bit of patience and understanding when we are communicating with them,” shared the 44-year-old, who is Farah’s niece.

After being approached by Farah about staging the musical, she eagerly said yes and drew inspiration from the fact that in a post-pandemic world, “everyone is trying to get back on their feet”.

“No matter the hard knocks we take, the challenges we face, we have the power to grit our teeth and [do it],” she said.

And while she wishes for the audience to leave happy, entertained, and inspired to sing and dance, she added: “I hope they will recognise that there is so much talent among us that deserves the platform and opportunity to be nurtured.”