Vanda Seetoh on Embracing Vulnerability

This week I’m so happy to introduce you to a good friend of mine, also one of my favourite dance teachers Vanda Seetoh. I met Vanda at Milan Pole Dance School, Singapore when I first started pole dancing in 2016. It’s funny I joined her class a lot but we never really talked until we both happened to be in Oslo two years ago. I was just about to start my tour around Norway when I found out Vanda would teach pole dance for a month in Oslo. I thought oh, what a sweet coincidence to be in the same city with your favourite teacher. So I decided to extend my stay, join her class, then we’d explore the city together. It was during one of the dinners we had at our favourite restaurant Alex Sushi when we found out we actually had a lot of things in common. From our habits eating Milo balls in bed, to huge love for hiking, music, movies, pole dancing, road trips, to sleeping at the airport ( like a pro ). But what I like best about Vanda is her passion for dance, kind heart, and her commitment to grow and always strive for continuous improvement instead of perfection.

When Singapore announced circuit breaker a few months ago, I reached out to Vanda to find comfort. Everything basically changed overnight, leaving us suddenly yearning for the good old days. We’d talk about a lot of things; from those simple days we spent together in Norway, to our short holidays in Bali, to pole dancing together and going through big changes in life. Obviously never in a million years would we have thought this to happen but we still consider ourselves really blessed not only for our perfect health but also for the opportunity to travel before the pandemic. Like most people, Vanda and I struggle to deal with uncertainty. Some days are harder than the others. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. Perhaps this is a lesson and opportunity for all of us to reflect and rise from a painful experience. The best thing about being surrounded by a bunch of doers and dreamers like Vanda who constantly creates, even in the midst of uncertainty like this, she inspires me to stay creative and curious. To have the courage to create and express yourself, to tell the story and be seen when you have absolutely no control over the outcome.

When you see Vanda dance, you don’t only see her body move but you see passion, vulnerability, strength, and grace. Her authenticity is simply mesmerizing. The way she shows her most vivid emotions, raw, chaotically tranquil, wild yet at a state of calm gracefulness through choreography. Every dance step she takes is the accumulation of many small acts combined to shape her final work of art. Vanda would define vulnerability as an authentic state, it is not weakness but the birthplace of joy, creativity, and power. The simple message she’d remind herself and others that we’re all works in progress. We’re never done. We were meant to be infinite and there's always more to learn, understand, and relearn. That's the incredible thing about this journey and what makes life worth living. It's never ending, it's always unfolding.

As a dancer, Vanda loves to push her creativity to the limit and let her personal ideas dance across the room or on stage. While as a teacher, she enjoys her role to be on a journey of discovery with her students. To encourage and watch them grow. One thing I always remember whenever I join her class, she’d remind her students to be gentle to themselves. That progress is still progress, no matter how small. ⁠Dancing has always been about community over competition; to build, support, and lift each other. Grow. Grow. And never stop growing. Vanda has seen not only our progress but also the pain, the stories, the broken dreams, the will to fight on and the great ambitions that still exist. To be with someone and be truly seen and heard is one of the greatest gifts of all. Vanda understands on a deeper level what we've been through in class, who we are now and all we wish to become.⁠ A true connection. You know when they say people come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime - well, I like to think Vanda came into my life for one beautiful reason…to remind me and hopefully anyone out there that we always have the freedom to create and the capability to be more than just one thing in life. To grow and evolve. Nothing is permanent. You are enough, you are strong, you are so capable to do great things in life. You matter.

It’s a special moment like this when you meet like-minded people, you just click with them right away not only because you have so many things in common with them but you also share the same point of view - is the reason why I love traveling and meeting new people. It’s like finding a little comfort, home far away from home or familiarity even in a strange place. Who knew your definition of home would change as you travel further. It’s no longer about the city you’re from but it’s the special people you meet along the journey who change, shape, and inspire you. Surround yourself with people who support and believe in you even when you don’t always believe in yourself. Make sure you stay open to their guidance because it's coming from a rare place of truly wanting the best for you. ⁠

Scroll down to find out how Vanda discovered her love for dancing and what makes her soul shine…

So, tell me about your background and what are you passionate about!

Hi, I’m Vanda Seetoh from Singapore. I started my dance training professionally when I was 18.  Lots of theory with mainly ballet and contemporary training back then.

I would say my passion is finding light and lightness in the things I do.  Of course, dance and teaching are mainly what I engage in and it has always been what I love doing the most but I think ultimately it is to be in a safe space where I can express myself creatively, sharing moments with like-minded people. To experience nature is definitely one of them too. 

When did you start dancing? How did you find your love for dance?

I started dancing when I was 18. I don’t really remember at which point I fell in love with dance but there was on one occasion where I saw an elderly woman dancing freely and I got so moved that it brings tears to my eyes just to see how she enjoyed herself very much in that very moment.  It was probably subconscious that every decision I made has drawn me closer to explore dance and eventually got me more exposed to it.  I’ve grown to enjoy dance more as it became a new language for my body and myself. I love how it is so electrifying, liberating, and how I can be so in touch with my feelings that I often find it hard to express. 

Why pole? How long have you been pole dancing?

I like how singular the pole looks but in actual fact it reveals the many possibilities on what can be done on it. It makes me feel whole. A combination of strength, grace, flow, stops, light, weight, dance, tricks. It connects people together, teaches me to trust myself and others. Been able to dance many feet off the ground and to defy gravity feels pretty dope. I’m intrigued by the technicality and physics aspects of it, new discoveries every day :)

What do you love most about your profession? 

To be on a journey of discovery with my students. Witnessing the confidence, strength, grace, and trust they build within themselves by time through much patience, dedication, sweat, and love for the things they enjoy doing most.  I love listening to their stories, struggles, and how healing it can be for some and be inspired by them every day. 

Take us a little bit on your process making choreography and the art of storytelling through dancing. 

I’d pick a song - sometimes a song from a movie, a song people would play in a store, or just from a sitting at a Kopitiam. Something that rings and resonates. I prefer not to intentionally go look for one and try to make sense of out of it. After I make a decision which song I’m going to use, I’d usually listen to them a few hours before physical working on the piece. I love looking up on words and sometimes the choreography revolves only just from one sentence of song and it slowly progresses. Usually, I’d have a scenario, an expression, or a character in my choreography. Sometimes nothing at all or everything at once. Part of the process involves the students who are attending the class, I like to challenge them with movements out of their comfort zone and comfort them back with familiarity.

I think first it is to have empathy towards the story, person, memories or message etc that you are trying to express out from your heart into your muscles which then creates the movement as an aftermath effect. I think behind every movement there needs to be an intention.  

When and how did you become interested in contemporary dance?

It was a gradual process and discovery through reading about various contemporary choreographers and watching different performances. I like how the boundaries are constantly being redefined and challenged, putting new perspective in existing idea, the limitation, and freedom that comes with it that interest me. 

What do you do to spur your creativity when you’re feeling stuck?

Hmm…when I’m feeling stuck I’d restart my whole creative process again. Most of the time when I’m feeling stuck it’s because I have a certain expectation of how the choreography should look like in my mental vision but once I erase that image in my head like starting again on a blank canvas and straying away from that expectation, there’s usually shift in state physically and mentally.

If you could collaborate, perform, or dance together with someone - who would it be?

No one in particular. Anyone with a light explorative mind, collaborative, willing to take risks, and open to failure.  Sometimes I reminisce dancing with my dad if that counts. 

What makes you happy? What makes your soul shine? ( I think I know the answer…bubble tea )

Walking under the rain, free dancing to my favorite tracks, a long hike and exploring foreign lands alone, watching nostalgic films and… bubble tea can? The happiness from first slurp to last is a real one leh!

To know that I have given my best for the day, that’s the best feeling!

I know you teach pole dancing in Europe. What’s the biggest lesson you learn during your time teaching around the world?

Go with no expectations and adapting the different challenges that come my way. Make the most of every moment and everyone that I crossed path with because time flies when love and play become a part of your job.

Have you ever doubted yourself? How to overcome fear?

Yes.  To first acknowledge that, then resolve it by questioning my intention and values. Then I’d be brutally honest with myself; either to shift my beliefs or to accept the truth forgivingly and I guess it's all work in progress still. 

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in life?

I don’t really have any biggest lessons but it's all the small lessons I learned the most from.  And that less is more. 

What's your biggest achievement or your proudest moment?

To enjoy what I do for a living. 

If you could travel back to the past, is there anything you wish you could change and why?

No. 

If you could do/be anything in the world. What would it be?

I would love to be a mountain guide and live up in the woods. Also, it will be fun to have a second hand or vintage shop.

What's the lesson or hardest challenge during quarantine/pandemic?

I guess it was all the negativity and bad news that were projected everywhere on the media which got me quite depressed. It’s hard to deal with uncertainty but other than that, it wasn’t a big change for me as before the pandemic, I don’t go out a lot except for work. And at the beginning of quarantine, I was still recovering from my surgery. The rest and quiet time worked out for me. 

What inspires you?

Hmmm.. many things really. The smell of rainy weather,  a good song, the woman who cheerfully greets everyone every day without fail at my favorite yong tau foo stall haha. I think anything as long as I am present in that moment many things are inspiring. 

Top three favorite movies?

Most challenging question la babe! Okay…umm, Fight club, Millennium Mambo, Into the wild

What are you most grateful in life?

Whatever I have now. I am most grateful for having you as a friend, being part of this interview :)

Three words to describe yourself?

Idealistic, light-minded….and I have no idea.  Haha!!!

What’s next?

Tomorrow :)