Renewal

We understand that you’re a dancer! How long have you been dancing?
I’ve been dancing since I was five, and I’m 29 this year, so 24 years in total! I started out doing Chinese dance because of the influence from my parents—they sent me to my first dance class and I fell in love.

How cute! What do you enjoy most about dance?
I think it built a lot of my character. Most dancers will say the same thing because you go through training and learn to build resilience, to really hone your craft, take pride in it, and to express yourself with it. And in this process, you meet a lot of like-minded people as well.

Oh, definitely. How did you then transition from Chinese dance to hip-hop?
My family is very Chinese, so they not only sent me to learn Chinese dance, but guzheng classes as well. But as I grew older, I started liking pop culture and wanted a change, so I signed myself up for hip-hop and piano classes on the flip side (laughs). I think hip-hop suits my personality better because I’m more bubbly, outgoing, extroverted, and high energy. Hip-hop is more freeing for me, and I can express myself better through it.

Well, we’re sure you’ve also tried a ton of other dance styles over the years. Are there any particular ones you want to try or have yet to tackle?
I think I’ve explored quite a lot in terms of dance. I did ballet, contemporary, soul, house, hustled even partner dances, but I’m always open to trying even more types of dance. But for now, if you ask me, because I’ve spent so many years of my life dancing, I’m actually very curious to see what’s outside of the dance world and explore other forms of art, like visual art or film.

Yeah, art really encompasses so many different things! Have you already started exploring these other art forms?
I usually go to museums, and I also started getting more into fashion, but because my circle of friends are still very dance-focused, our conversations tend to circle around the same things. So I’m now trying to reach out to different interest groups that I can join to learn more outside of dance.

Because I’m a freelancer, my schedule is a bit different from the usual office hours. I’m freeze in the day as compared to other people, so I have quite a bit of time to pursue things that I like. I’m also someone that does a lot of things by myself, which helps when I have to put myself out there and try new things. Maybe it’s because Im an only child, so I’ve been used to hanging out by myself since young.

Do you ever see yourself taking a step back from dance completely, even if it’s just for a while?
I would have said it was impossible when I was younger, but now that I’m older, I’m more open to it. There’s so much more in life to learn about and do, but I also don’t like to put things on an absolute, so I’d say maybe one day I might not dance competitively anymore, but it will always be a part of my life. It could just be me playing music and vibing in the kitchen or in the shower—it doesn’t matter, as long as I feel good dancing!

That said, I’ve been trying to find new ways to express myself outside of dance. Fashion is very new to me, and I’m still exploring it, like finding new ways to layer my clothes, doing my nails, and even getting a head tattoo, which will be a game changer in the way that I look!