First full-length classical ballet treat
Published on: Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Kota Kinabalu: The city will host for the first time ever, a full-length classical ballet on Aug. 29.The charity show at the Tun Raffae Auditorium, Yayasan Sabah, is being put together by a team of zealous organisers comprising KL-based Living Hope, Rotary Club of Tanjung Aru, SPArKS (Society of Performing Arts Kota Kinabalu Sabah) and SRJK Chung Hwa KK.Veteran producers said the main show at 7pm entitled "The Slave Princess" would be of "professional quality". Rotary Club Tanjung Aru President, Brendon Keith Soh, doubles up as the concert's Organizing Chairman.
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Journalists at Monday's press conference enjoyed the first peep preview into the beauty, elegance and grace of principal dancers Chew Zi Xin and Lu Wit Chin who have just returned from the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, backed by several local ballerinas - Marianne Hsieh, Jasmin Leong, Nora Ridzwan, Lim Pei Ern and Tan Lii Ern of Alpha Ballet School.Besides principal dancers Chew and Lu, they will be joined by a slew of professional dancers such as Low Ming Yam from London, and some of the past TDS (Dance Society of Malaysia) Solo Classical Ballet Competition winners like Teo May Jean, Tan Sheih Mei and Ellya Sam Mun-Yee who are part of the 17 dancers flying in from KL to team up with 18 dancers from the Alpha Ballet School, KK, owned by Joan Lu.Given such high calibre ballet dancers, the concerts (main show and student show) will raise cash for the needy on the one hand as well as raise the quality of the performing arts in Sabah, noted Jonathan Kwan, Treasurer of Jireh Home. The Slave Princess, premiered in 1999 and was performed at the Istana Budaya KL, in 2007. It is produced by the Dance Society of Malaysia headed by current President Sunny Chan Hean Kee.
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The show is choreographed by Ms Lee Yupin, a graduate of the Royal Ballet School, London, who subsequently joined the Vienna Festival Ballet Company as its dancer and toured both Germany and England, dancing roles of the Fairies and Blue Birds in "The Sleeping Beauty". Yupin, founder and Director of 25-year old Sri Wilayah Ballet Centre, has already flown three trips to KK to train the 18 local ballerinas for their parts in The Slave Princess, according to Datuk Adeline Leong, President of SPArKS.
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She is assisted by Rehearsal Mistress, Ms Goh Siew Hiong, who is also a versatile professional ballerina who danced the role of "Emerald Princess" in The Slave Princess.Kwan said the fundraising target is RM100,000 and proceeds will go to SRJK Chung Hwa KK School Building fund, Living Hope , Pacos Trust and Jireh Home - a foster home for the neglected, under-privileged and abused rural children studying in KK.Adeline said the "idea" of bringing a full-length ballet production to KK came from Dr Peggy Wong of Living Hope whom Jonathan approached after Daily Express Special Writer Mary Chin, helped set up the contact.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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