By KEVIN TAN
alltherage@thestar.com.my
A lot of people only find out what they want to do in life after secondary school or graduating from college. Well, the lucky ones at least.
But not Elaine Ng, 24, who knew she was born to dance at the age of four.
“My parents told me when I was very young, I would naturally move and sway my body whenever there is music playing,” she said with a laugh.
Currently a dance and performing arts degree student at Faculty of Film and Video of National Academy of Arts, Culture & Heritage (Aswara), she is also a professional Bharatanatyam (a classical Indian dance) and contemporary dancer.
Many people are surprised when they find out that Ng, being of Chinese heritage, is an accomplished Bharatanatyam performer.
Well, they can’t be more surprised than the audiences who watch her perform on stage.
“Some even think I can speak Tamil, because they say I interpret the meaning of the songs through dance so well,” she said.
Her parents saw the dancer in her at a very early age, and sent her for ballet lessons to develop her talent.
After her SPM examinations, all she could think of was pursuing a career in dance. And to her surprise, her parents were supportive of her decision, allowing her to pursue her dream.
“I love dancing because I can express myself in ways that words cannot, and I just love the freedom of expression I have through it,” she said.
Ng particularly enjoys Padam, which is part of the Bharatanatyam dance performance. It is one of the most lyrical parts where the dancer plays different roles and characters according to the music and lyrics.
“Padam is very expressive. It allows me to enter into another world, become different persons, and tell people stories. This is also why I chose to learn Bharatanatyam.”
Ng performs Bharatanatyam solo most of the time. Each performance lasts between 90 minutes and two hours, so it requires a lot of stamina.
Apart from being a student, she is also a senior apprentice of the Aswara Dance Company, where she assists students and graduates of Aswara who are also performers.
Recently injured from an accident, which is preventing her to practise or perform, Ng realises how much dancing means to her, and how important it is to take care of her body; her instrument.
“I realise just how much dancing means to me. It’s hard to accept that I can’t dance at the moment.
“For dancers, our bodies are like instruments. If musicians’ instruments break, it can always be repaired or replaced. But for us, we can’t replace our bodies. We really have to take care of our bodies,” she said.
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