My first memory of dancing was as a small
child dancing to the music at during the end credits of films. It would always
happen and people would be so surprised.
My mother then decided to enroll me in
local street dance classes because even though I was dancing, I had no rhythm.
When I was in secondary school I joined a
group of students who had their own dance group and we used to make
performances for the school. We taught ourselves after school and had a mentor
who guided us. Out of the 4 of us, 3 became professional dancers. For me what
is amazing is seeing that we were simply passionate first and that allowed us
to achieve dreams. I do not think any of us were thinking about being
professionals at the time, we did not know that it was an option.
After that I began ballet, when was I 15
years old. This is very late to begin so I found it very difficult but I
studied a lot and worked hard.
I did not really think about becoming
professional until I first got into the BRIT School, which is a free performing
arts school in London. Previous alumni included Adele, Amy Winehouse and Jessie
J. It was almost like the film ‘Fame’.
After that I managed to get in to the
Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, also in London, and the rest
is history as they say.
Since becoming a professional dance artist, I have had many incredible experiences. I am extremely grateful to all of my teachers and people that have believed in me along the way. I hope that by joining Noism1 I can learn a lot but also share with the audiences my passion for dance. I hope that they will respond well to my performances and get something from them.
私はWestern Australian Academy of Performing Arts(WAAPA:西オーストラリア・パフォーミングアート・アカデミー)で学び始めて、学ぶことに対するより強い喜びとともに、歴史におけるダンスの影響と身体に興味を抱きました。また、そこで、他のアーティストとの親密な関係を育み、周囲をインスパイアする助言者から学び、そしてパフォーミングアーツを職業にする可能性を見出すことが出来ました。2011年にダンスの学士号(BA)を取得して卒業すると、私はすぐにオーストラリア国内でフリーランスのダンス/パフォーマンスのアーティストとして様々なダンスの仕事を手に入れ、プロとしての人生を歩み出したのです。
I grew up in a household where the presence
of hip-hop and R&B music could always be heard. I suppose this is where my
interest in rhythm and movement began. You could always find a young me
preforming in the living room, and directing choreographed dance pieces staring
my reluctant friends.
I had tried different hobbies and sports
but none ever really sparked my interest. It wasn’t until my mother encouraged
me to explore this interest in movement by taking me to my first dance class at
the age of ten. I had found a place that catered to my love of attention but
still challenged my abilities. It was a space to be creative, it was a space to
be free.
I continued dance throughout high school,
where I attended a specialist dance high school. This was my first contact with
contemporary dance. I had become enamoured with contemporary & abstract
dance, and began doing my own research into this fascinating sector of the
dance world. While other students were obsessing over pretty movements and how
many turns they could do, I was in awe of the videos of dancers throwing
themselves at the ground and finding the beauty of stillness in choreography.
Although I had the love and talent for
dance I still never thought of it as being an eligible option for a career. I
had originally wanted to be an architect, unfortunately my grades in school
were never going to allow that to happen. I had never really been an
academically strong student, and with failing grades I dropped out of high
school before my final year. But with the encouragement and help from one of my
very supportive dance teachers, I found myself in University studying dance;
circumventing the educational system, and proving that most archaic educational
systems do not allow students to show their true intelligence and prove their
potential.
I began to study at the Western Academy of
Performing Arts, finding a renewed joy for learning and an interest in the
effects of dance on history and the body. It was there where I fostered close
relationships with other artists, learnt from inspiring mentors and discovered
the possibility of a career in the performing arts. I graduated with a Bachelor
of Arts in 2011 and began my professional life immediately, securing various
dance jobs as a freelance dance/performance artist, in Australia.
It didn’t take long after beginning my
professional career, that I realised I had more interest in being a
choreographer than a performer. I began to focus more on choreographic
endeavours, and less on performing. Yet early on I found myself hitting
creative walls, and not having enough experience meant that I struggled to see
my creative visions come to fruition. I decided that in order for me to be a
successful choreographer I needed to stay as active as a dancer as I am a
choreographer; working with and learning from different choreographers to build
my arsenal of choreographic methods.
At an age where I would still consider myself to be a “young” artist, I continue my research, delving into the choreographic processes of different artists of various generational, racial and social backgrounds. I believe we have a lot to learn from each other especially as artists, and I hope the knowledge I gain will help me create art that inspires others.
Before I started dancing, I never did any exercises in my daily life. At
that time, there are just studying in my life. I didn’t even know what I want
to do and what I will do after high school. Also, because there was no more
extra money for me to join any after-school activities, the only one
entertainment I can do was watching TV. It’s also one of the reason to start
dancing.
One day, I watched a TV program about dance. And I saw that the male
dancers was so charming when they were dancing and I could not take my eyes out
of them. From that time, I started to watch so many dance videos on YouTube or
any other social media and I found out that the kind of dance I watched is
called contemporary dance. I tried to learn dancing from the video but I didn’t
learn dancing before and no one was coaching me. At that moment, although I
didn’t know what I was doing, I was really enjoying it and it was my first time
that I was really into something and want to know more about dance.
That’s why, after graduated from high school, I applied the dance school of
Hong Kong academy for performance arts(HKAPA). But I didn’t take any dance
class before and didn’t have any experience in dance. Of course, I failed it.
After that, I chose to study another subject, but I didn’t give up dancing.
Except studying, I went to do some part time job in weekends to earn some money
to take dance class. In that year, although I was so tired between study, work
and dance, I liked the feeling that fighting for something. Everything comes to
one who waits. In next year, I got in HKAPA, majoring in contemporary dance.
翌年、その同じオーディションに晴れて挑むことができました。結果は合格!そのステージで演じた後、観に来ていた Central School of Balletの先生の目にとまったことから、そちらにてフルタイムで学ぶオファーをいただき、16歳で、プロになるためのダンスのトレーニングを始めて、あとは皆さんご存じのとおりです!
I can look back on my dance journey so far and identify a chain of events
and decisions that have led me to here to Noism dance company.
I remember at the age of 12 joining a breakdance and street dance class, at
a local studios near to where I lived in London. This was where my love for
dance started, even though I wasn’t very good! After watching popular dance
films at the time I wanted to learn to move in those ways! When I was 14 they
started a boys ballet at the studios, to try and encourage the dancers to
become more versatile and move in different ways. I decided to give it a go and
thus started my passion for classical dance. I was enjoying my dancing a lot
but was still not taking it too seriously. I was dancing alongside my other
hobbies, such as football, athletics and acting. But a year later, while
playing football I broke my collar bone, which meant that I missed an important
audition for a production called ‘London children’s ballet’. This was something
I was very much looking forward to and this is when I realised I had to make
the choice about what I wanted to do and to commit to one or the other, as the
demand from the body is very different, and of course I chose dance.
The next year I was able to attend the audition again, and was successful!
After taking part in this show, I was offered a full time place at central
school of ballet after a teacher from the school had come to watch, so at 16 I
began my professional dance training and then the rest is history!
Looking back on it now I can recognise that it took many sacrifices, and at
such a young age it took a lot to make some mature and difficult decisions,
spending much of my time dancing meant that I missed out on lots that you as a
young person would want to do, committing to dance is a lifelong decision, but
I wouldn’t change any of it.
As my big sister had trouble with her hip and was too much turned in, my
mom decided that doing ballet would improve her situation. This is how the rest
of the family soon followed and started this adventure. My mom also said that I
used to wear my sister’s skirt and dance upstairs and I do remember one of
those days so I guess it was somehwere in me !
I always felt and thought of myself as a dancer but I actually never
thought of becoming one. I wanted to be fireman and help people. My dance
teacher believed in me and he is the one who pushed and looked where I could go
and train professionally after graduating from school. I didn’t know much about
dance but the more I worked for it the more I wanted to succeed.