Ballroom Dance
Falling in love with Ballroom Dancing in Grade 6, I have now grasped Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Viennese Waltz. I know the secret is not how we move our legs but how to interact with the floor, my partners, and harness the body’s power. Gradually I grew more attuned to my body. It is something about control and playing with music.
I do think Ballroom has the same personality as me. We tend to be smooth on the surface but to explore some great power and fun below it. Such a feeling is subtle and elegant.
The image on the left shows my feet, wearing ankle supports in a pair of worn-down shoes. Thus is how I practice every week. The images below show the scene where we are doing competitions, dancing races after races, which requires a lot of energy and stamina.
During a Competition
Waltz
With partner + solo
2019
In the Practice Room
Waltz
With partner
2019
Latin Dance
Starting in Grade 4, Latin was the new type of dance that I picked after the operation on my knees. Before learning it, I had watched several international open competitions which fostered my love for it.
Unlike Ballroom, Latin forces me to make a breakthrough, as it asks dancers to express the passion inside more explicitly through facial expressions and body language. This is later proved to be a successful breakthrough, since now whenever I listen to a song, I will just start to dance on a whim if it triggers my sensation.
Chinese Traditional Dance
I began to dance as a Chinese traditional dancer. It is my root in the world of Dance. I am able to appreciate the classic beauty and aesthetics of Chinese culture as well as cultures of other ethnic minorities in China.
However, later because of my knee operation, I stopped taking classes on it but kept watching live performances and dance dramas. My love for it never faded. It wasn't until junior high school that I went back to the stage as a Chinese traditional dancer again and a member of the school dance troupe. I always held great gratitude to the troupe's instructor who could appreciate my talent and even encourage me to aim for the professional.
Though I eventually keep it as a personal hobby, now, I always stand in front of the mirror and start dancing freely, not according to any routine. I know that I am truly free in and out when I spread my limbs and throw my body into the air.
Performance: Jasmine
Jasmine is a traditional Chinese folk song, which is the music of the performance. This video is a clip of the performance (2016) of our school troupe. I was next to the centre on the left.