Ballet, belly dancing, pole dancing, hip hop, Macau’s appetite for dance is picking up a pace of it’s own. From the more established names to those seeking to bring a more unusual step to the territory, we speak to the people behind the moves.
the classicist
Anna Leong is still in her twenties, but she has been a professional ballet teacher for over 10 years. She recently obtained a license from the Royal Academy of Dance, a renowned British institution, and is dreaming about opening her own ballet school one day.
The local dancer and teacher started teaching ballet when she was 16 years old, 12 years ago. “I was trained in an amateur ballet school which is run by two former ballet dancers from the National Ballet of China. From being an assistant to becoming a teacher, I have become an experienced and sophisticated ballet teacher and have recently obtained my teaching license from the Royal Academy of Dance, which is an UK-based examination board specialising in dance education and training,” she says.
The Hong Peng Wa Ballet School has around 13 classes, which are classified by the students’ age and ability, from pre-ballet class to advanced class. Students of each grade come to class twice a week.
Anna teaches five days a week. The price range for the classes is determined by the levels and grades, which is between MOP1,000 to 1,300.
There are around 290 students currently learning at the school, and all of them are female. Ages range from four to 30 years old. They are mostly local and of different nationalities, such as Portuguese, British, Australian, German, etc.
“It is always a good thing for students to learn ballet with classmates from different nationalities. They can learn to accept different cultures and build up the confidence to communicate in different languages. The number of students is increasing throughout the years and from that you can see that the value of learning ballet is developing greatly in Macau,” she says.
Students come to Anna’s classes to learn the syllabus from the Royal Academy of Dance Examination Scheme. They will take the exam once a year and be examined by international examiners sent by the Academy, and receive certificates.
Every year, from September to November, the school will prepare all students for the annual performance of the school which is held at the Macau Cultural Centre, for which Anna is also the choreographer.
“I will teach each class a different dance routine choreographed by myself to perform on stage for family and friends. This is a big day for the students to show their techniques and confidence on stage. They are very excited for the show where they can perform with beautiful tutu costumes and make-up,” she smiles.
– Dream maker –
Ballet is every girl’s dream, according to Anna. “Children think ballet as a beautiful form of dance where they can dress in a tutu and dance with pointe shoes. What motivates the students is how teachers conduct the class and that attracts them to learn, especially for young children aged four to 10. This age range needs more inspiration from their teachers during lessons.”
It is a dance style that requires disciplined training and technique. Anna says a teacher needs to know how to grab kids’ attention and enthusiasm. Her trick? Music and games.
“Sometimes, I tell an expressive story linking to the ballet movements to make students interested in the class. A joyful atmosphere is important for students to learn. For older students, their motivation must be developed by themselves from their trained skills and from teacher’s feedback.
“I always like to encourage students, even if they can’t make the correct steps. In a class, you will meet students of different learning abilities; some of them may learn faster, some may need more time to digest. And it’s my responsibility to motivate them to learn by giving them encouragement and positive feedback.”
“When students grow and start to get used to technical training for ballet, they will enjoy this form of dance and grow to be mature and disciplined ladies, for ballet is not only about technique, but also about developing elegance, gracefulness, discipline and good body posture,” she says.
After over a decade making little girls’ dreams comes true, Anna is now thinking about her own. Last year she started teaching in different dance groups as a freelance teacher. She is now taking advantage of being a licensed teacher, because her students will be entitled to take qualified exams. This year she is planning to open her own dance studio and take her career to another level.
“Ballet has always been my passion and now that I have the skills and qualification, I would really like to expand this art in Macau, to let more people know and learn about classical ballet.”
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