You see an immaculate float, well-executed dance, and smiling faces. But what you do not see is the months of hard work, sweat and tears behind the winning float of this year’s Rag Day.

Sheares Hall emerged champions by winning the NUSSU Challenge Shield in Best Float Design and Best Float Presentation.

After a seven-year wait, Sheares also brought back the much-coveted Chancellor’s Shield. 

But there was no shortcut to their success, according to the leader of the Sheares Rag Team. 

Lee Kian Tat, chairperson of the committee, said, ‘It started out as a dream to make a legacy. But through the process, you realise that it’s not just about you, it’s about the whole hall.’ 

Lee said that in order to achieve their goal, the amount of work had to be coordinated strategically over time. 

NUSSU and an additional 100 Shearites were involved in the planning, logistics, choreography and dance performance.

Preparations first started in November last year, with the main committee of 12 people recruiting hall residents to join Rag. Float-making started as early as May during the start of the semester break from 10 am to 6 pm daily. 

Nearing the actual day, floating-making stretched longer and there were days that required them to be on their feet for 24 hours. 

Clement Chio, vice-chairperson of the team, said that a lot of time was spent on making sure every detail of the float was done well. 

‘It’s very tedious to make a good float,’ he said. 

They even felt the crunch on National Day. 

Lee said that the Sheares Team was down at school to do the finishing touches even though National Day celebrations were happening. Alumni and seniors were also present to chip in despite their busy schedules and work. 

Transporting the floats was a more tedious process this year as they had to be moved to the Padang, but not before they were certified to be safe for the road. 

And transportation was done in the dead of the night at 3 a.m. when the roads were cleared. 

By the time the actual event started 12 hours later at 3 p.m., the show had only just begun. 

The long wait backstage did not hamper the mood of the Sheares Team performers. 

When they finally went onstage, their energy and dynamic moves caught the eye of the judges. 

Their item, ‘Cinderella: from Ashes to Asha,’ beat the competition to become this year’s winning presentation. 

Both Lee and Chio admitted to shedding tears of joy when the results were announced. 

So what were the biggest problems faced over the long process? 

Lee said, ‘Motivating the people. We have to be the last one to fall even if we’re tired and we need to spur them on because they are looking up to us.’
 
Chio also said, ‘It was initially about winning the title. But as time went by, it was about doing a float which we knew we could be proud of.’

Click here to watch the winning performance.