Shoes Off, No Cap.
By Shoes Off, No Cap.
We welcome feedback and topic suggestions so feel free to hit us up on Instagram @shoesoffnocap.
Hosts:
Diyana @hipjabidancer
Eli @eliorkid
Izzaz @izzaz_iii
Producer: Shaun @shaunchin_
Logo art: Ammar @robotalienmonster
Shoes Off, No Cap.Jul 22, 2022
Can Learning Dance Abroad Improve Malaysia Dance Scene? ft. Nickson Lai (Just Jerk) | #29
Learning dance can be a challenge. But moving abroad and learning a new language adds another level of difficulty. However, that didn't deter Nickson Lai in his pursuit to master the art of dance. His hard work paid off; he got the chance to train and perform as part of Just Jerk, a prominent dance crew in South Korea. You might want to check out the previous episode to learn more about this particular experience. But in this episode, Nickson discusses how learning dance abroad may improve one's local dance scene.
What you will learn from this episode:
- the realities of learning dance abroad
- getting out of comfort zone
- dealing with burnout
- the kpop scene
Enjoy this episode?
Give us 5 STARS rating and submit a review!
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Official Instagram: @shoesoffnocap
Guest: Nickson Lai
Note-taker: Vincent
Nickson Lai of Just Jerk on How Dance Crews Can Rise Up | #28
Nickson Lai is a member of Just Jerk, an internationally renowned dance crew from South Korea. He got accepted into Just Jerk in 2016 after working hard on building his dance and Korean language skills. He was and still is (at the time of publishing) the only foreigner in the crew. Throughout his time with Just Jerk, he had the opportunity to perform at big stages such as America's Got Talent 2017 and Pyeong Chang Winter Olympics 2018. Nickson continued to compete with the team and also had the chance to teach at Just Jerk Academy for a year before heading back to Malaysia in 2020 for a heart surgery. Don't worry, it's all good now.
Listen to this episode with Nickson to find out more on:
- Why exactly he went to South Korea
- His Just Jerk audition experience in detail
- Challenges dancing with Just Jerk
- His golden tips on how your dance crew can improve
Oh and Nickson speaks a bit of Korean in this episode ;)
Enjoying our podcast?
Give us 5 STARS rating and submit a review!
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Official Instagram: @shoesoffnocap
Guest: Nickson Lai
Note-taker: Daphne
How To Build Connections In The Malaysian Dance Industry ft. Shrizz | #27
Being in the dance industry for more than a decade, Shrizz has a lot of tips and advice for those of you who are aspiring to become industry dancers. This includes tips to learn choreo quickly, rules to live by, and how to network with other dancers. To hear more about his overall career, do give the previous episode a listen so you get a better picture of his dance journey. Oh and in case you didn't know, we have a video version of this and other episodes of Season 2 on our YouTube with the channel name Shoes Off No Cap.
In this episode, we talk to Shrizz about:
- his first job as a dancer
- what budding dancers must learn
- tips to train choreo retention
- how to build network in the dance industry
- biggest changes in the Malaysian dance scene
If you enjoy this episode, please rate us 5 stars and share with your friends!
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Official Instagram: @shoesoffnocap
Guest: Shrizz
Producer: Shaun
Note-taker: Daphne
How Dance Saved Shrizz | #26
Today’s guest is a prolific mainstay in our scene, Shahrul Rizza, or more affectionately known as Shrizz. A real gem, he started his career in dance in the early 2010s when he was an Engineering student. After championing Astro Battleground in 2013, he has continued to win numerous other competitions and performed with some notable local artists like Joe Flizzow and Stacy, to name a few.
In this episode, we discover:
- how Shrizz found his calling as a dancer
- his method when it comes to teaching classes
- some tips he’s gained over his long dance career
If you enjoy this episode, please give us a 5-star rating and share with your friends!
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Official Instagram: @shoesoffnocap
Guest: Shrizz
Producer: Shaun
Note-taker: Daphne
How Mustang Dance Academy Survived The Pandemic ft. Marvin | #25
During the 2020 pandemic, Malaysia was on lockdown not once but three times up until 2021. Businesses were severely affected and Mustang Dance Academy was no exception. But thankfully, they have managed to keep afloat and now is up and running again.
In episode #25, Marvin shares about:
- the situation during the pandemic
- how he kept the business alive despite lockdowns
- the biggest lesson learned throughout this crisis
If you find this episode of value, please subscribe and rate 5 stars! Also, if you're in Kuala Lumpur, do support Mustang Dance Academy so they may continue to strengthen the dance community in Malaysia.
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Official Instagram: @shoesoffnocap
Hosts: Diyana, Izzaz, Shaun
Producer: Shaun
How Marvin Builds Mustang Dance Academy | #24
The big bawse of Mustang Dance Academy (MDA) has finally graced us with his presence on this podcast! Marvin has been a part of MDA, located in Kuala Lumpur, since its inception in 2009. A few years later, he took up a much bigger responsibility and steered the business to what it is today — a dance studio with a strong community and various dance styles.
In episode #24, we talk about:
- how Marvin started getting into dance
- what is needed to start a dance business
- the first years of MDA
- the pivotal moment in 2013
- how he hires amazing dance instructors
If you enjoy this episode, please give us a 5-star rating and share with your friends!
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Official Instagram: @shoesoffnocap
Hosts: Diyana, Izzaz, Shaun
Producer: Shaun
2022 Dance Goals & The Start of SONC Season 2! | #23
Welcome back! (or welcome to new listeners!) :D The SONC gang is back in your ears. We're kicking off season 2 with a chill chat and updates from each host. And we're also teasing on what we're planning to do this year besides regular podcast episodes. Exciting times ahead! So be sure to subscribe if you haven't already and stay tuned!
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please give this podcast a 5-star rating and share this episode with your friends!
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Instagram: @shoesoffnocap
Hosts: Eli, Izzaz, Diyana, Shaun
Producer: Shaun
2021 Dance & Podcast Reflections (Season 1 Finale) | #22
Hi friends! We would like to say THANK YOU for supporting our little podcast this year. This podcast is made for dancers by dancers so your support means a lot and we hope that you’ve learned something in each episode.
This is our season one finale episode and we’ve taken the opportunity to record this special one LIVE at Shaun Studio. You can watch the video version here.
In episode #22, the Shoes Off, No Cap team talks about:
- The inspiration for starting this podcast
- Favourite episodes and gems of knowledge
- The good and the bad that happened in 2021
- How they stayed motivated with dance during lockdowns
- The future of SONC (what’s in store for 2022!)
Rest assured, this is NOT our last episode and we’ll be back in 2022! We’re just going to take a little break until after Chinese New Year. In the meantime, you can follow us on our brand new Instagram account ;)
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please give this podcast a 5-star rating and share this episode with your friends! We wish you a very happy new year and remember to stay healthy and keep dancing!
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Producer: Shaun
Babel Dance & Business Skills For Dancers ft. Maybelline Wong | #21
Maybelline Wong is not just a dancer, instructor and choreographer but she’s also the co-founder & creative director at Babel Dance – one of Malaysia’s newest and most exciting dance academy and agency. Having spoken to her about her dance life and teaching experience in episode 19, we also wanted to ask her about running a dance-related business.
In episode #21, Maybelline talks about:
- How and when Babel Dance started
- The values and mission of Babel Dance
- Ups and downs of running a business
- Cultivating business skills for individual dancers
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
Buck Datang! Krump in Malaysia ft. Rahman aka Twenty | #20
Rahman a.k.a Twenty a.k.a Colossal Zik is a Krump dancer from Sarawak, Malaysia. He represents several crews including KrumpKatz, Vanthrillaquist, Exodus Dance Crew, and Covenant Dance Crew. He was the semi-finalist at the King of Buck International Krump Battle 2020 and had earned the Champion title at Kuching Youth Jam 2019 and SS15 Dance Rebels 1v1 Krump 2017. He’s been active in building up the Krump community in Sarawak via the Kuching Youth Jam, organising battles, workshops, sessions and cyphers. With 10 years of dance experience, he continues to hone his dance skills with an aim to show people that Krumping is not merely an angry or aggressive dance style, but rather an expressive one.
In episode #20 with Twenty, we talk about:
- His dance journey and how he fell in love with krump
- The krump scene in Sarawak and the rest of Malaysia
- What is krump and where it started
- The ranking and kinship in krump
- Tips on learning krump
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
How Dance Instructors Can Connect With Students ft. Maybelline Wong | #19
Being a teacher is an extremely challenging profession, and teaching dance is no different. You have to gauge students’ levels, package your lesson in a way that is digestible for learners, and also make it fun for everyone! On this episode, we have a super amazing dance teacher who is a renowned dancer and choreographer. She’s worked with big name artists like Mizz Nina, Joe Flizzow, SonaOne, and so many more. It’s none other than the creative director at Babel Dance, Maybelline Wong!
In episode #19, we talked about:
- Maybelline’s early dance days
- Her time working with Mizz Nina
- Tips to connect with students in class
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
The Rise & Fall Of MYDS ft. William Hong | #18
MYDS (Malaysia Dance Scene) started off in 2016 as just a web page posting info on local dance events. Then, it evolved to become a series of much-loved community classes. It was a really ambitious undertaking, gathering dancers from not only the country but also internationally, like from Indonesia and Australia. Unfortunately, due to the onset of the pandemic and other factors, MYDS couldn’t be continued.
In episode #18, we chat to William Hong the founder of MYDS about:
- Why and how MYDS started
- How it evolved to become a series of community classes
- Any opposition to this non-profit venture
- Lessons learned from this journey
- Why and how it all came to an end
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
Hip Hop 101: The History, Elements & Principles ft. Peot | #17
What is Hip Hop? What is the culture all about? To answer those questions, we have Peot on this episode to break down the elements and principles of Hip Hop. With a better understanding of the history and culture, you may perhaps apply it into your own life. Peot also shares with us what Hip Hop means to him and whether foundational styles are important for choreography.
In episode #17, we talk about:
- The basic elements & principles of Hip Hop
- What Hip Hop means to Peot
- How foundations play a role in choreography
- Peot’s secret go-to move for dance battles
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
How To Conquer Dance Battles ft. Peot | #16
Amirul Hafiz (Peot) is no stranger in the dance scene in Malaysia. He’s an absolute monster of a dancer, winning many titles in the past 3 years at such a young age. In 2019 he placed champion at the Judgment Day World Dance Games Qualifier round, and then proceeded to represent Malaysia at the World Dance Games in China. He dives deep about his early days bboying after school, how he met his Beat My Bois crewmates, as well as his secret to conquering battles.
In episode #16, you can find out about:
- The origin of his name
- How Peot’s dance journey started
- How he met his crews Walawei and BeatMyBois
- How to achieve a state of calm in any dance battles
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
Getting Into The Heart Of Freestyling ft. Jun Leong | #15
Jun Leong (JL) is a dance instructor, freestyler and studio manager of Mustang Dance Academy. He has won a few battles in the past including WhassupDoc Vol.2 Hip Hop Crew Battle and The Zone Open Style 2019. We wanted to know how he has earned the title champion, what his dance experience has been like, and what freestyling is really all about.
In episode #15, we talk about:
- What freestyle means to JL
- What you need to do to get good at freestyling
- How to be confident in freestyling
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
Why It’s Important to Preserve Malaysian Traditional Dance ft. Dalila Samad | #14
Dalila Samad is a versatile dancer with experience in street dance, traditional dance, and contemporary. She started out her dance journey at the age of 17 and having fallen in love with dance, she pursued a diploma and bachelor’s in dance at ASWARA, which is the national academy of arts, culture and heritage. In this episode, she talks more about traditional dances and why it’s important to preserve them. Dalila has just launched DS Dance Company and she’s teaching weekly online classes in Malay traditional dance and contemporary starting October.
In episode #14, we talk about:
- The types of traditional dance in Malaysia
- Why it’s important to preserve traditional dances
- How can we learn and support traditional dance
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
Being Dato Siti Nurhaliza’s Choreographer ft. Dalila Samad | #13
Dalila Samad is a versatile dancer with experience in street dance, traditional dance, and contemporary. She started out her dance journey at the age of 17 and having fallen in love with dance, she pursued a diploma and bachelor’s in dance at ASWARA, which is the national academy of arts, culture and heritage. Dalila details about life at ASWARA, working for a dance company, and the importance of proliferating our traditional dances. Of course, we had to ask about her experience choreographing and performing for the ubiquitous Dato Siti Nurhaliza!
In episode #13, we talk about:
- Dalila’s dance journey
- How ASWARA shaped her
- What she did while working at ASK Dance Company
- Her best memory working with Dato Siti Nurhaliza
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please subscribe and share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
How to Make Online Dance Learning Comfortable ft. Aisya Marissa | #12
Aisya Marissa, better known as Shasya, has just completed her studies at Middlesex University, London with a Bachelor's Degree in Dance. Towards the end of her second year, she had to move back to Malaysia due to the pandemic and had to switch everything to online learning in her final year. She shares her struggles at the start of the transition and how eventually she made online dance learning more comfortable for herself. We also asked her some random questions towards the end and she gave some really good answers!
In episode #12, we talk about:
- How Shasya transitioned to online learning during the pandemic
- The tools she uses to make online learning more comfortable
- The positive aspects of online dance learning
- The best advice Shasya has ever gotten
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please share this episode with your friends! :)
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Producer: Shaun
UK vs Malaysia Dance Culture ft. Aisya Marissa | #11
Aisya Marissa, better known as Shasya, started dancing ballet at the age of 4. She picked up other styles of dance throughout the years such as modern, contemporary, jazz, latin and street dance. In 2016, she joined the Red Lycans crew to win the championship in the Astro Battleground Competition. She continued to develop her unique skills as a well-rounded dancer and has worked as a choreographer and dance instructor. She has just finished her studies at Middlesex University, London with a Bachelor's Degree in Dance.
In episode #11, we talk about:
- How Shasya got into street dance from doing ballet
- Why Shasya decided to pursue dance education in the UK
- The difference between the dance culture in the UK and Malaysia
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please give this podcast a 5-star rating and share this episode with your friends!
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Producer: Shaun
Moments in Dance as Students & Teachers | #10
A chill episode for you to get to know a bit more about Shoes Off, No Cap hosts. In episode #10, we talk about first, embarrassing, proud, and teaching moments in dance!
If you have any questions about any topics that we’ve talked about, or want us to talk about a certain topic, feel free to send us a DM on IG. We love to know your thoughts!
You can support us by giving this podcast a 5-star review so that it climbs up the charts and also by sending the link to any of our episodes to your dance fam :)
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Establishing a Dance Union in Malaysia ft. Boojae Fadzil | #9
Boojae Fadzil is an OG in the Malaysia dance scene, having been in the dance industry for more than two decades. He's the founder of FLOOR FEVER crew and Funky Fresh Official. In July 2020, Abang Boojae is now one of the main committee members of PENTARI, a dance organization that aims to uplift the welfare and rights of dancers in Malaysia.
In episode #9, we talked about:
- Common issues dancers face
- How to negotiate for better pay
- What PENTARI aims to achieve
- The future of PENTARI
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please give this podcast a 5-star rating and share this episode with your friends!
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Producer: Shaun
Diversifying Income & Supporting Dance Community ft. Ezra Tham | #8
Ezra Tham is a Dance Instructor and Production Manager with Uncommon Dance Studio. He’s also an amazing choreographer for local artists and has worked with Zamaera, Elizabeth Tan, DOLLA and recently with Meernash on his new single Saranghae. In this episode, we asked his opinions on dancer’s pay, maintaining a stable income as a commercial dancer, and other random questions on the lightning round.
What we covered in episode #8:
- How to look for new opportunities
- Rules Ezra lives by when working as a choreographer
- How Ezra makes sure his work is original
- Tips on negotiating payment
- How dancers can achieve a stable income
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please give this podcast a 5-star rating and share this episode with your friends!
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Producer: Shaun
Becoming a Choreographer for Local Artists ft. Ezra Tham | #7
Ezra Tham is an amazing choreographer, instructor and videographer. He's one of the few in the dance scene who’s made a name for himself as a choreographer for local artists such as Zamaera, Elizabeth Tan, DOLLA and recently with Meernash on his new single Saranghae. He has been a dance instructor since 2018 and is known for his sassy routines. Breaking out of his comfort zone, he has also managed to pick up a skill in videography and has earned the position of Talent & Production Manager with Uncommon Dance Studio.
In episode #7, we covered:
- Ezra's dance journey and biggest inspirations
- The whole process as a choreographer from client brief to production
- What a dancer needs to become a choreographer
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please give this podcast a 5-star rating and share this episode with your friends!
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Producer: Shaun
Dancing at Home and Dealing with Insecurities | #6
Hey guys! This episode is a chill one with the Shoes Off, No Cap team. we got real about how we're feeling dancing at home during lockdown. We all miss physical classes but with the current circumstance, we try to make the best of dancing at home. And so we shared some tips on what you may need to dance at home, what kind of classes to take and how to keep motivated. We also reminisced the good ol' days dancing in the studio and shared about the times when we felt anxious or insecure. You will also hear our producer Shaun sharing his experience as well!
What we covered in episode #6:
- How we've been holding up during lockdown dance wise
- Feeling anxious/insecure and falling into the comparison trap
- How to start and continue dancing at home
We hope you learn something from our experience and if you do, please give this podcast a 5-star rating and share this episode with your friends!
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Producer: Shaun
Dancers Deserve Better Pay ft. Jonathan Loo | #5
Jonathan Loo is well-known for championing the choreography scene, wearing a denim jacket on 24/7, and dancing with Brian Puspos. In this episode, he shared the origin story of Organization 13 (OXIII) and how much dancers should be paid.
What we covered in episode #5:
- What sets OXIII apart from other crews
- Advice for dance crews
- The dancer's wage issue
- How can we demand fairer pay
If you enjoy this episode, share it with your friends and please give this podcast a 5-star rating so that it can reach and inspire more people!
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Producer: Shaun
How Jonathan Loo Creates His Signature "Suave" Choreo Style | #4
Jonathan Loo is a choreographer and co-founder of Organization 13. He’s well-known for championing the choreography scene, wearing a denim jacket on 24/7, and dancing with Brian Puspos. In this episode, he talked through his dance journey over the years, his choreography process, and shared some spot-on tips for all you dancers out there.
What we covered in episode #4:
- How Jon started dancing and his experience in Asia Battleground 2014
- How Jon got to dance with Brian Puspos in EN Dance Summer Camp 2016
- How you can find your own style just like Jon did
- Jon's choreo process and how he overcomes choreo block
- The importance of warmups and doing non-dance related training
If you enjoy this episode, share it with your friends and please give it a 5-star rating so that it can reach and inspire more people!
PS; listen til the end for bloopers :p
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Producer: Shaun
How Faris Azim Does Choreography For Class & Comps | #3
Faris Azim is a dance instructor and choreographer based in Malaysia. He started dancing in 2010 with breaking and went on to win Astro Battleground 2015 as Overall Champion. A year or so later, he started creating his own choreography after being inspired by the dance classes in Japan. He infuses his foundation in breaking, hip hop, house, traditional and contemporary to create unique routines that his peers and students get to learn. Not only does he choreographs for classes but he has also choreographed memorable competition pieces for Zeppo Youngsterz Crew. In this episode, he explains how he does it all.
What we covered in episode #3:
- FA's choreo process
- Differences doing choreo for class vs comps
- Overcoming choreo block
- FA's student-teacher collab
- Advice for those who want to start choreo
If you enjoyed this episode, share this with your friends and please give it a 5-star rating so that it can reach and inspire more people :)
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Producer: Shaun
Faris Azim: Explore Your Fire & Win Big | #2
This week we have a very, very special guest — the enigmatic Faris Azim!
Azim is a regular mainstay in our dance scene, a real icon. He led Zeppo Youngsterz crew to win Top 3 at Body Rock Asia Dance Competition, Crew of the Year at Eat D’ Beat Indonesia, and Champion of Malaysia’s Shuddup N Dance Showcase. With Tcartsba, he’s helped his crew of 3 to become Champion in ALL the competitions they entered so far including ABCD Singapore and Open Concept Indonesia, both in 2018.
What we covered in episode #2:
- how Faris Azim started dance
- how he manages his busy schedule
- how he got his fire back during lockdown
- the origin of Zeppo Youngsterz
- how he led his team to become champion
Subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss out on the next episode where we talk about Faris Azim's choreo process. You don't wanna miss it!
Thanks for listening and if you enjoy this episode, give us a 5-star rating :)
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Producer: Shaun
Sexual Harassment in the Dance Scene | #1
Hi and welcome to Shoes Off, No Cap. A podcast where we talk about all things dance. In our first episode, we talked about sexual harassment in the dance scene. We wondered why this isn’t being talked about more, what can you do when you’re being harassed, and what if it’s your friend who’s harassing others.
We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do, please share with your friends to get the word out. Thank you for being here with us and we hope that you get comfy, take your shoes off and get ready to dive deep with no cap.
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Eli @eliorkid
Izzaz @izzaz_iii
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Sound editor: Shaun Chin