1 minute read
HK dance
Raise the Barre Put on your all access pass as Melanie Cox speaks to Ugaeri Kayo, Director of Ballet Blanc
I started learning Ballet at the age of six,
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having been influenced by my mother teaching Japanese dance.
Eighteen years ago, I was recruited as instructor by a ballet school in Taikoo Shing
and have been teaching across Hong Kong, Japan and Shanghai ever since.
My dream has been to be a ballerina since
childhood. However, I hurt my knee and lumbar spine after studying abroad in Central School of Ballet in England and was told I could no longer dance professionally.
I was devastated, but I found the strength
to begin exploring alternative options, working as a tour dancer through Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and also as a choreographer. This is when my new dream to teach ballet began.
Ballet Blanc came to life in 2011 due to a high demand from the mothers of my children’s schoolmates.
As a ballet teacher, my proudest moment is helping children grow, be happy and love ballet.
As a studio owner, I am proud of our studio’s
prime location in Causeway Bay and top facilities.
I wanted to offer a different environment to Japanese students who eventually return to Japan to continue their education, but also fill a gap I had seen in the ballet scene in Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong, it is common to take grade
tests and get the certificats, but sometime important training is overlooked in improving ballet.
My dream is to spread my own style of body conditioning while students are still young with fun and proper lessons that still educate children in the form of beautiful dance.
Ballet is a great way to understand
discipline through a strict practice, but also respect of rules and etiquette. This enables children mental growth, such as strengthening patience, as well as physical benefits such as strengthening the core and improving posture.
Ballet is fundamental to all kinds of dance
and is the only dance with barre lessons which is very effective to train and strengthen the body to build up trunk muscles and improve physical balance.
