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Tourist confused after stumbling across NDP rehearsal at night with no audience

A tourist walking through central Singapore late one night was left utterly baffled after stumbling upon “thousands” of people dancing in perfect synchrony, with no audience in sight.

Unbeknownst to him, he had walked straight into a National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsal.

Tourist baffled by nighttime NDP rehearsal

The video, posted to TikTok on 19 June by 19-year-old tourist Taylor Cartago, captured a surreal scene: rows upon rows of performers dancing in unison at the Padang under the night sky.

“We were walking through Singapore late at night and found thousands of people doing this dance? And there wasn’t an audience or anything?” he asked in the video.

“Do they do this often?”

Source: @taylorcartago on Tiktok

Netizens jokingly offer wild theories, including ‘otter god’

The comment section quickly took a comedic turn, with TikTok users throwing out increasingly hilarious and creative tongue-in-cheek explanations.

One joked it was a Corrective Work Order punishment session for petty criminals.

Source: @taylorcartago on Tiktok

Another claimed it was a 1959 ritual to summon prosperity.

Source: @taylorcartago on Tiktok

Following the spirit of “wrong answers only”, another suggested that it must be a cult gathering to worship the “otter god”.

Source: @taylorcartago on Tiktok

This prompted Mr Cartago to later ask in the post caption if the mass dance was really part of a cult.

Source: @taylorcartago on Tiktok

It didn’t stop there. Another netizen also jokingly linked it to the Hungry Ghost Festival, a classic quip.

Source: @taylorcartago on Tiktok

One particularly cheeky comment suggested the dance was because “tourists kept saying there’s nothing to do in Singapore”.

Source: @taylorcartago on Tiktok

Just an NDP rehearsal, not a cult

Of course, the reality was far more down-to-earth. The mass dance was part of the ongoing rehearsals for Singapore’s NDP 2025, the country’s annual birthday celebration happening on 9 Aug.

These rehearsals, involving thousands of student performers, community groups and military contingents, often take place on weekend evenings in June and July, with some run-throughs happening on weekday nights without an audience.

This year’s NDP will be held at The Padang, and rehearsals are expected to intensify in the coming weeks.

“The rehearsal was a massive sight to behold!” Mr Cartago told MS News, having clarified what the mass dance was really about.

“Where I am, I am used to seeing only tiny, tiny independently-run musical theatre productions, definitely with no platforms as tall as this.”

Source: NDP website

He added that he was deeply moved by the scale and unity of the performers:

I think the camaraderie of all the Singaporeans is a sight to behold.

Mr Cartago now hopes to return to Singapore to witness the full NDP celebrations.

“I want to go back for National Day to see the dancing on the platform in its final state!”

Also read: 47-year-old NDP participant dies after fainting at Padang rehearsal, was unresponsive after CPR

47-year-old NDP participant dies after fainting at Padang rehearsal, was unresponsive after CPR

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