Ballet in Sarawak

My Life As A Dancer By Chan LayNa My love for ballet and dancing goes beyond words. Ballet is, and has been my life, my passion and my best love for the last 33 years! Throughout those years so many memorable moments have happened that I wish I had jotted them all down, so that I could have it to share with people. There have been many passers-by throughout this long journey, some inspired me, while others made me realize the facts of life. Some contributed to my success, while others enriched my long journey through my life of dancing! Being in ballet class made me forget all my sadness, my anger, and my frustrations, danced everywhere – at home, on the street, in the playground – it didn’t matter where! I did not need music to dance, humming my own melody instead. I loved the feeling of moving my body through space so much so that even a piano examiner once remarked that my fingers danced on the piano! School field trips or birthday party invitations almost always had to be turned down because of ballet classes. Ballet was more important than anything else: If father was not able to pick me up on time, I would walk the 45 minutes to get to the studio. I was always the first one to reach the studio. It was like my second home. Per the kindness of Madam Tan Wan Lee, I was allowed to go to every single class. By the age of 14, I was helping Madam to teach the younger students. I knew every single student, and I learned every dance that the others learned. I was even asked to step in if anyone fell sick. I had to figure out my own way of strengthening up my feet, improving my attitude line, arabesque line, increase my turnout and elevation, etc. Staring at newspaper cuttings of Ulanova in an attitude position, Alicia Markova as the Dying Swan, and the beautiful arabesque line of Natalia Makarova made me really happy, and I would imitate and visualise myself doing exactly the same thing, with the same feel. Deep inside, I wanted to be like them. My childhood dream was to be a professional dancer in a ballet company, yet teaching is where my life path took me. I had never realized that ballet teaching could be so fulfilling and rewarding. I applied to The College of the Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) because that was the only link I had to courses as ballet was not established in Sarawak then. I am glad however, that I had made that choice. Very often as a child, I wished I was born elsewhere where ballet was popular and ballet schools could be found in almost every corner of town. I used to wish that I was one of those young, gifted Russian kids specially selected to train at The Bolshoi Ballet. I would have adored the opportunity of receiving a formal training from a very young age. However, looking back from this point in my life, I regret nothing. The ten years of learning and dancing with Madam Tan, three years studying to teach dance at the College of the Royal Academy of Dance, 16 years of teaching, dancing and choreographing at my own dance school. All these would not have been possible without my passionate and dedicated parents! If I had a different father, my life would never be the same. I am proud to be his daughter, and if there is really a next life, I would want to be his girl again. I consider myself very blessed for what I received, and hope that this book will offer something to the young dance-lover in Sarawak, and contribute to the development of ballet and culture in the state.