Mr Dick Lee’s Mom was from Ipoh and from her he learned Cantonese.  This is his ticket to landing engagements in Hong Kong, having been able to write songs in Cantonese.  Wo Wo Ni Ni apparently was that song his Mom was very fond of, that taught him a bit of Mandarin.  Interesting to know that this song was not written by Mr Lee but by Ms Rebecca Pan (Pan Wan Ching).

He also made it big in Japan and Wo Wo Ni Ni, which he revived in 1989, was a sure hit and was in fact used as a jingle for some diet crackers or drinks TV ad!

Studies have shown that dance therapy brings well-being and happiness to old people.  In our sincere drive to promote dancing as a form of therapy for senior residents of nursing homes across Singapore, we have been dancing to Wo Wo Ni Ni and teaching the rehab teams and the residents of nursing homes the dance steps.  The joy it brings to our good folks, simply beyond what we had imagined it to turn out!  Just hearing a familiar song and without them even knowing it, hips are swaying and arms are up in the air!

Health authorities have long known that the arts can play a valuable role in the physical and mental well-being of older people, Mark Tran of The Guardian said.  A Royal Society of Public Health report in 2013, he furthered found that music and the visual arts improved vital signs, reduced anxiety and blood pressure and highlighted dance for its potential in easing loneliness and in encouraging non-verbal communication.  Physical benefits include improvements in balance, strength and gait, which reduce the risk of falls.

We serenaded our good folks with popular Christmas songs!

And we all sang Home with Mr Dick Lee towards the end of the programme.