An Extra•Ordinary Celebration
Watch the replay, as we celebrate all abilities with music and performances by over 300 talents from special needs and mainstream organisations.
An Extra•Ordinary Celebration 2022 was successfully held on 16th November 2022, making its grand return back to University Cultural Centre Hall in National University Singapore. After a two-year hiatus, 350 performers from 17 Special Education (SPED) schools, mainstream schools and organisations whisked the audience off on a 90-minute magical musical journey. The concert showcased well-loved performing art forms like dance, festive drums and silat, and introduce exciting new ones such as puppetry. Hand and shadow puppets will be performed by the Extra•Ordinary Puppeteers, a heartwarming group made up of children teaming with their parents.
Since the inaugural edition in 2018, hundreds of performers from Special Education (SPED) schools have partnered, interacted and rehearsed with mainstream schools or organisations for their performances. It is through this process that Extra•Ordinary People seeks to nurture more embracing and understanding attitudes in our young, building the foundation for a more inclusive society.
The theme of the 2022 concert is "REVIVE, REVITALISE & REUNITE!" where Extra•Ordinary People and the performers remind Singapore and the world about the diverse talents and abilities of the differently abled, inject renewed energy through new art forms, and reunite with performers, caregivers, volunteers and partners who have contributed and grown with the concert.
More than just a concert, An Extra•Ordinary Celebration is a journey and a process towards a society built on empathy, compassion and diversity.
An Extra•Ordinary Celebration of Resilience
Extra•Ordinary People is pleased to present this video as a tribute to our clients, beneficiaries, caregivers, colleagues and every one that we have had the privilege of journeying with through the pandemic.
An Extra•Ordinary Celebration 2019
An Extra•Ordinary Celebration 2019 was successfully held on 8 and 9 November 2019. Within the University Cultural Centre Hall in National University Singapore over the two days, we managed to bring together more than 900 performers, 5,000 in the audience, and nearly 13,000 online viewers through the live streams on our Facebook page.
Themed “Home, Heart and Hope”, the event celebrated the artistic abilities of the performers who took to the stage in 24 inclusive teams made up of diverse members from 31 Special Education and mainstream schools, as well as 10 partnering organisations, fully demonstrating the inclusive spirit of the event and the quality of arts training in our educational institutions. Each show was graced by a different Guest-of-Honour, namely Ms Indranee Rajah, Second Minister for Education; Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr Sam Tan, Minister of State for Social and Family Development; and Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of The Republic of Singapore. We also had the honour of His Excellency Joseph Del Mar Yap, the Ambassador of the Republic of The Philippines to Singapore to grace our second show.
Local performers were joined by guest performers from overseas, including Fun Forest Deaf Dance Crew presented by Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong, The Heart at Play Foundation from the Philippines, and G Star from Gigi Art of Dance in Indonesia.
Click here for programme booklet
An Extra•Ordinary Celebration 2018
On 10 November 2018, Extra•Ordinary People presented An Extra•Ordinary Celebration at Resorts World Theatre; a first-of-its-kind effort to celebrate inclusivity and appreciate parents and educators in the special needs community, with the support of Official Venue Partner Resorts World Sentosa.
Extra•Ordinary People was delighted to have Mr Ng Chee Meng, Minister in Prime Minister’s Office and Secretary-General of National Trades Union Congress, grace the event as Guest of Honour. The event is Singapore’s largest inclusive concert, featuring more than 500 differently abled performers, made up of 15 inclusive teams of students from Special Education (SPED) schools partnering with mainstream schools or organisations. A robust 90-minute stage programme of varying art forms such as aikido, circus arts, Latin dance and handchimes was showcased.
An Extra•Ordinary Celebration was a true celebration of inclusivity, with performers sitting among the 1,400-strong audience, enjoying the concert alongside parents, educators and invited guests. It was the culmination of more than three months of rehearsals, with various schools and groups coming together to co-create their performance items. The process provided opportunities for partnering teams to interact and get to know one another, contributing to the shaping of an inclusive attitude.
Extra•Ordinary People would like to extend our appreciation to our partners: Resorts World Sentosa, BNP Paribas, Cartoon Network Wave, IceInc and Tropic Planners & Landscape, all the participating schools and organisations, and all other parties and volunteers who helped to make An Extra•Ordinary Celebration such a resounding success!
Click here for programme booklet