When did you start dancing?:

I began training ballet under Ms Josephine Wang from the age of 7.

Current academic / work position: 

I am currently working as a research assistant at a psychology research lab, and am commencing my PhD studies in August 2020.

Why do you love to dance?:

I’ve always loved the challenge (and satisfaction!) of mastering difficult techniques and developing my own sense of artistry through dance.  Each lesson or rehearsal pushes me to be completely present and focused without the distraction of devices or other thoughts, which has made dance a nice respite from my other responsibilities.

How has ballet benefited you:

Through my ballet training, I became more mindful of my physical and mental abilities. Having this holistic body awareness has not only benefited me in expressing myself through dance, but helped me to be a healthier and more well-rounded person outside of dance. Ballet also provided invaluable foundational techniques that were a strong foothold as I ventured into other genres of dance such as contemporary, cultural genres, and street styles.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

Training in ballet definitely helped to build my discipline and resilience, as I learned the value of consistent practice from a young age. Since ballet is such a demanding sport, it trained me to not only challenge and overcome my mental and physical limits, but also to be aware of your physical and mental space & to know when to rest or take things down a notch.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

Having to manage a busy schedule of both school, ballet classes and rehearsals from a young age, I learnt the value of time quickly and hence had to use my time effectively. I would say dance incorporates cognitive training as well because we are trained to become familiar with new movements and routines in a short duration and mentally adapt to changes (e.g., in timing, choreography) quickly.

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Ms. Jo is an effective and caring teacher with a genuine heart for dance education and making a difference. She goes out of her way to ensure that every student reaches their full potential and achieves the growth they deserve. I’m truly grateful to her for all the mentorship and opportunities she has given me, which played an important role in my growth as both a dancer and person.

When did you start dancing?:

I began training ballet under Ms Josephine Wang since 2002.

Current work position: 

RSAF Pilot

Why do you love to dance?:

I get to express myself through movement.

How has ballet benefited you:

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

Ballet has taught me how to be disciplined, perseverant and confident. It has helped nurtured me while growing up, helped me through my tough training towards being a pilot.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

Ballet has helped me as an avenue to relieve stress from school. It rest and refreshes the mind.

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Ms. Josephine Wang has taught me for the longest time and it has been my greatest pleasure to be learning under her. The amount of dedication and passion she has towards ballet and teaching is extensive. She never fails to inculcate life lessons and values to us. Teaching and nurturing us to be a better person on top of being a better dancer.

I started dancing because my mom enrolled me in ballet classes at a young age of 4 years old. Under Ms Jo’s tutelage, I grew to love the art, the physicality of it, the grace and discipline required, and the way it made me feel. I’ve always been a kinesthetic learner, and ballet allowed me to put this to good use. Learning ballet taught me much about how I should carry myself, literally and figuratively, and has honed much of my resilience and grit. Especially when it came to pointe work in the Vocational grades, when our feet would get blistered and it was extremely painful – on top of the exhaustion – to continue dancing, I learned to push through and persevere through the class. Ballet is not the most forgiving sport, with many of us not possessing the ‘ideal’ body type of a ballerina. I remember feeling insecure, as a young ballerina, because I wasn’t the skinniest, didn’t have the longest legs, or wasn’t the best at turning. These struggles eventually faded away as I learned that hard work was the most important factor in being a good dancer, and this helped me become a more confident individual.

Over the years, I was blessed to be given numerous opportunities to compete and perform under the scholarship programme. At AQ, I had the chance to compete at the CSTD Dance Competition and Get The Beat, as well as the Asian Grand Prix in Hong Kong. We had the chance to learn different genres such as Jazz and Contemporary under various inspiring and encouraging teachers like Ms Elle, Ms Sarah and Ms Danielle. I have very fond memories of each performance or competition opportunity. The preparation process was intense and tiresome, with choreography that was challenging. They pushed us to work hard, but also celebrated our achievements with us. Each opportunity was a tremendous learning experience, and I saw and felt how much I improved with every competition. Although there were times when we felt dejected or disappointed with the results, our teachers always believed in us, and we always came back stronger the next year. They taught me to always strive for excellence, and to be confident and not be intimidated by other competitors. Despite being a smaller studio, I always loved going for competitions with our close-knit and highly supportive troupe, who cheered for not only our teams, but also other competitors on.

There were also overseas summer school experiences that were provided to us at AQ. I’ve travelled to Australia for Dance Immersion programmes on 2 separate occasions, and each experience was a unique and enriching one. It was very eye-opening for me, as a young aspiring dancer, to take classes at pre-professional Australian ballet schools, and be exposed to the dance scene abroad. I still keep the itinerary book that was prepared for the trip, and recall fondly how excited and innocent I was back then.

Furthermore, I was given the chance to assist and teach some classes at AQ. Being on the other side of the class was a different challenge altogether, one that taught me much about myself, and broadened my perspective on dance education. I learned to be more patient, and learned that different age groups required different methods of teaching. It also made me realise that dance is an extremely personal journey, and that growth was not linear. The important thing was to find joy and to keep dancing.

I think I’ve loved dancing for a long time. Now, dance is more than a means in which I express myself, it has become a way of life. Having danced for almost 17 years now, I’ve explored various other genres, such as Contemporary, Hip Hop and Funk styles, all of which have deepened my appreciation for dance: the different cultures they originated from and the values they embody and impart. It’s safe to say that my ballet training has allowed me to pick up steps from different genres much more quickly and has been a very crucial foundation in my dance training.

I am extremely grateful for the experiences I’ve had at AQ, and the teachers who believed in me, all of which has been pivotal in shaping me into the person I am today. I really could not imagine my life without dance.

I’m Li Yan and I’ve been learning ballet under Miss Josephine since I was 10. So you could say that I was the “Pioneer Generation” here at AQ. Currently, I’m working as a Manufacturing Biotechnologist.

Ballet has always been a form of escape from my studies and work. It has provided me a safe haven from the pressures of academics, and allowed me to express myself artistically. Having danced for a number of years prior to training full time for my secondary school’s track and field team, ballet has not only buildup my stamina to withstand the long and arduous training regimen, but also improved my coordination and agility. I even had the opportunity to try different track events such as hurdles and high jump because of my ballet training.

Ballet has definitely moulded me into who I am today: a disciplined individual, who handles her time well by managing a multitude of activities such as track, ballet, academics, and part-time work. I have learnt to be more resilient in nature as syllabus work requires dancers to rigorously repeat techniques and steps until Miss Josephine is satisfied. Ballet has also helped improve my memory and coordination, as both skills are essential in the execution of ballet movements.

Ballet has also taught me how to work in a team in my formative years, and this has translated into my daily life as I have to work in teams to fulfil tasks in my current job. Having to dance with a partner has made me spatially aware as well, and this is important as my occupation requires me to be aware of hazards in the production floor so that I am able to avoid putting my safety at risk.

Fun fact: I met my current work buddy back in 2016 during our Adv 1 exam. We were partners then, and we are partners now. Ballet brings people from all walks of life together. Join AQ, kids 🙂

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

2013

Current academic school: 

SMU Faculty of Law

Why do you love to dance?:

Dance is my escape from academics and a way to express my feelings and emotions through my body.

How has ballet benefited you:

It has made me stronger, more confident in my body and discover the benefits and importance of exercising regularly, something I hope to carry on even when I enter the workforce.

What opportunities & experiences have you gained from the AQ Scholarship Programme?:

I didn’t get the opportunity to compete nor try other genres before coming to AQ so joining the scholarship programme really pushed me out of my comfort zone as it offers both. It helped me explore genres beyond ballet that I have come to love and continue to pursue to this day. The regular competitions and performances not only built a stronger sense of camaraderie amongst the team through instilling in us all the importance of teamwork, it also gave me a great sense of accomplishment and joy to see how far each of us progressed throughout the years.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

My biggest takeaway from my dance training thus far is resilience, it doesn’t matter when you choose to join but it’s about how hard you’re willing to work at it and how badly you want to excel at it.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

It relieves stress, gives me a better work-life balance and makes me more disciplined as juggling ballet on top of school and its activities forces me to focus and buckle down to make more effective use of my time.

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I went to other ballet schools before AQ but finally settled on staying here as it was the best fit for me! 🙂 

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

2011, I was 6 years old.

Current academic school: 

New Zealand School of Dance

Why do you love to dance?:

I love to dance as after watching my sister in dance class, it made me realise how enjoyable it is. Dance allows me to express my emotions through movement and artistry. It helps me to relieve stress and makes me happy. I soon realised I wanted to pursue dance as a career and I’m now working towards it with determination.

How has ballet benefited you:

What opportunities & experiences have you gained from the AQ Scholarship Programme?:

I’ve learned to be more confident as performing makes me use my full potential on stage and I get to improve on my technique when the Instructors correct me and it makes me learn, adapt and improve on them.  Going to competitions also helps to build up my portfolio. The overseas experience taught me how different or similar other countries train and how good their technique can be.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

I’ve learned to have discipline and resilience as sometimes when dancing, things don’t go how you want it to be but that doesn’t mean you give up. Hence it made me more resilient and disciplined in achieving what I want. I’ve learned how to communicate with others through teamwork and it helped boost my communication skills.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

2012

Current academic school: 

School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA, Dance)

Why do you love to dance?:

I love dance as it allows me to express myself and gives me an outlet to release any stress or anxiety that I may have. Dance is something that I have grown up with and has made me a more resilient, empathetic and creative individual.

How has ballet benefitted you:

Ballet has given me a strong foundation in dance and hence, has aided me in learning other styles, such as jazz and contemporary. My years of ballet training has allowed me to gain strength and flexibility, as well as stamina and endurance. Overall, ballet has helped me develop holistically and was definitely beneficial to both my physical and mental well-being. 

What opportunities & experiences have you gained from the AQ Scholarship Programme?:

The AQ scholarship programme has given me competition and performance opportunities, both local and overseas. Through the programme, I was challenged to learn more difficult steps and explore different genres of dance, which not only developed my skills but also deepened my appreciation for dance. The teachers at AQ were very patient and affirming throughout the entire process, which allowed me to gain confidence in my capabilities.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

Dance training has taught me teamwork and resilience. The group items that I have been in over the years have allowed me to foster bonds with my teammates and have allowed me to recognise the importance of working cohesively and collaboratively. Aside from that, dance has instilled resilience in me as although it can get tiring to go for class after school, I had to push through and put in my best effort. Ultimately, I think it was those tiring days that were often the most fulfilling to me and made me realise my passion for dance.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

Dance has made me more disciplined and conscientious as I wanted to continue my dance training at AQ even after entering SOTA. Hence, I had to exercise self-discipline in order to juggle dance at AQ as well as my school commitments.

Dance has been an outlet for me to release stress and has simultaneously given me clarity of mind which I feel has helped me to do better in my studies.

When did you started dancing at AQ?:

I have started dancing ballet since I was 5 years old with Ms Josephine.

Why do you love to dance?:

My passion for dance has started since young and it has only grown stronger. Dance is fun, creative and challenging. I love that dance is not limited to only type of one genre. It can be so different but still allow for the freedom of expression. I could be creative and express my emotions other than using words. Although I started off with ballet, I was able to explore so many other interesting genres such as contemporary, jazz and musical theatre. This allowed me to grow and discover new things about dance as well as myself. It also was a stress-reliever for me as it was a different platform where I was able to escape from my stressful everyday life. It was a place where I was able to meet like-minded friends who also love to dance and create lifelong friendships.

How has Ballet benefited you?:

Ballet, being a very graceful and elegant form of dance, has allowed me to inculcate a greater understanding of rhythm, flexibility and strength. Starting ballet from a young age, I was able to develop a good posture and core, and also improve my coordination and balance. Over the years, it has pushed me to keep progressing and improving myself.

What opportunities and experiences have you gained through the AQ Scholarship Program?: 

Through the AQ Scholarship Program, I was fortunate to be able to get the opportunity to attend and win several awards at the Get The Beat Competition over the years and also be a guest performer at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. I was challenged to perform different genres of dance such as jazz and musical theatre and learn harder routines which I have never attempted before. Thankfully, the AQ Scholarship Program gave me the opportunity to actually experience it and widen my dance knowledge. Competing and performing in front of a large crowd has allowed me to let go of any insecurities and fears and gain confidence.

What life skills / soft skills have you learned from dance training?: 

I have learnt more about discipline as constant practice is necessary to memorize and execute the correct movements. I had to practice the routines outside of class to ensure that both my body and mind can recall the movements. Perseverance is needed to ensure that you are constantly improving yourself. Dance has also taught me to not give up so easily. If a routine or exercise is difficult, I would practice it over and over again until I get it right. Commitment is another skill which is extremely important, especially when preparing for exams or competitions. Thus, I would try to make time for practices even when I am busy. Such skills that I learnt since young has been instilled in me and until today, they have benefitted me in my daily life.

How has ballet and dance benefitted you in your academic studies?: 

I juggled academic studies and having dance practices, especially nearing competitions or performances, at the same time. It was crucial for me to learn how to manage my time properly. This has also been translated into my everyday life where I would try not to procrastinate and make use of my free time accordingly.

Anything else to add?:

I hope that I would be able to inspire the younger kids and allow them to learn what I have experienced too. I hope that they would grow to continue to love dancing as I did.

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

2012

Current academic school: 

United World College of South East Asia (East)

Why do you love to dance?:

I love to dance because it provides me with an escape from the stresses of daily life, and allows me to express my emotions through different movements whilst also providing me with a challenge both physically and mentally.

How has ballet benefited you:

Amongst many other things, ballet has allowed me to gain a lot of strength in muscles that other sports or types of physical activity would rarely reach, in addition to flexibility and learning good posture. Ballet has also taught me body awareness, because ballet calls for each position to be done in a very specific and clear manner and has therefore required me to become conscious of all the muscles I am using in order to successfully complete a movement.

What opportunities & experiences have you gained from the AQ Scholarship Programme?:

The AQ Scholarship Program has given me so many opportunities to improve myself as a dancer as well as mentally. Learning harder choreography and different genres has not only led me to push myself out of my comfort zone, but has also helped tremendously with my training for the ballet examinations. Additionally, I have made so many strong friendships that have grown as a result of the group items I was a part of. Having the ability to work through hardships as a group has taught me the importance of teamwork, and has allowed myself and my peers to bond through the support we have provided for one another.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

Dance training has given me an immense amount of resilience and perseverance. There are many times that I have faced setbacks in dance, however, with the help of my dance teachers and peers, I have learnt to overcome these challenges and push through, and have come out the other side an even stronger person as well as a better dancer.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

Ballet and dance has given me a strong work ethic, because in order to see results, one must put in a lot of hard work and dedication. This has translated into my academic studies where I have learnt to put in the effort required to reach a goal. Additionally, having to quickly learn choreography has significantly improved my memory and has allowed me to consistently exercise my mind, helping me in my studies.

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

2018

Current academic school: 

School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA, Dance)

Why do you love to dance?:

Dance is a platform that allows me to express my emotions through movements
when I am not able to express it in words. Dancing gives me an opportunity to feel
the music and move around freely. It also gives me an indescribable feeling
whenever I am able to improvise and move according to how I want.

How has ballet benefited you:

Ballet has not only allowed me to relieve stress but it also helped me in keeping fit. Ballet has motivated me to keep working harder on both my flexibility and strength. Ballet also gave me knowledge about my own body and letting me understand my body and muscles better. With this strength and knowledge about how my body works, I have the ability to improve my posture when doing daily things, like walking and even standing.

What opportunities & experiences have you gained from the AQ Scholarship Programme?:

Last year, I had the opportunity to be able to travel overseas to experience dance in Australia. This experience has broadened my knowledge and skills to improve on my ballet technique. I was not only able to experience ballet but also different genres such as improvisation, contemporary and body conditioning. As we attended the class with the professional students over there, it has shown me a lot and also motivated me to work harder. Though the lessons content may not be something I have learnt before, the challenges such as quickly adapting to the class and learning harder steps have allowed me to improve in a short amount of time. Not only that it has also allowed me to experience what it is like to be dancing professionally.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

Through the 2 years of dance training at AQ, it has taught me to become a better person as it not only serves as a form of motivation for me to push beyond my limits and work harder, it has also taught me to persevere and be more resilient. This form of motivation has not only positively affected my dance training but it has also brought positive influence in my learning in school.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

Dancing has allowed me to be more creative and more confident in my studies. It has also taught me to be more focused and disciplined which has increased my productivity when studying.

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

2018

Current academic school: 

Dunman High School

Why do you love to dance?:

How has ballet benefited you:

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

2014, when I was 7 years old.

Current academic school: 

Temasek Junior College (IP)

Why do you love to dance?:

I love to dance as I feel a sense of enjoyment from moving to the music, as well as performing, both in the classroom setting and on stage.

How has ballet benefited you:

I feel that Ballet has kept me fit throughout the years as it is a physically demanding art form. It has also made me more flexible. Ballet (and dance in general) has become a hobby in which I can focus on asides from studies and other aspects of life.

What opportunities & experiences have you gained from the AQ Scholarship Programme?:

Through the AQ Scholarship program I have been able to participate in many competitions and performances outside of the usual concert, which are experiences that I appreciate. I have also been able to explore other genres of dance such as contemporary, lyrical and jazz, which has pushed me beyond the ballet syllabus.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

Through dance training, I have learnt to have better teamwork and team cooperation during group practices. Asides from that, I learnt to have better self-discipline and be more focused.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?

I have learnt to manage my time well, as I have to work around the weekly ballet classes, or extra practices during performance season.

When did you start dancing at AQ?:

When I was 4 years old.

Current academic school: 

CHIJ Katong Primary

Why do you love to dance?:

I love to dance as I find dancing a way to express myself, and it allows me to reduce the amount of pressure and stress on myself. I also love to dance as it helps me to relax and lessons at AQ dance are always highly enjoyable.

How has ballet benefited you:

Ballet has benefited me in many ways, as it helps me with my posture and takes time away from my studies. Furthermore, ballet has also helped me to be musically aware to count the beats in music, as well as improve my core, strength and french terminology.

What opportunities & experiences have you gained from the AQ Scholarship Programme?:

Through the AQ scholarship program, I have received many opportunities, taken part in many competitions, such as GTB and many more. Going to the AQ scholarship program has introduced me to other genres of dance, such as Contemporary, Lyrical and Jazz. I have also improved in dancing through these scholarship lessons and my experience of dance has increased vastly.

What life skills have you learnt from dance?:

I have learnt resilience from dance training, as in dance there are always some steps that I have yet to master, thus, I cannot easily give up and I must keep on working hard, putting in effort to achieve my goal.

How has ballet and dance benefited you in your academic studies?