Geraldine Su recently made Sarawak proud with her achievement at the Asian Elite Dance Competition (AEDC) Malaysia. Sharing with the writer about her feelings, journey and future, Su also talks about the challenges she faces as a ballerina.
Graceful Pursuits
Making Sarawak proud, young Geraldine Su won the gold medal in the National Solo category during the recent Asian Elite Dance Competition (AEDC) Malaysia. The competition, which took place in Kuala Lumpur in early March, saw the ballerina being the only Sarawakian to participate in the competition.
In expressing her win, Su shared that she felt grateful and proud to bring pride to her state — Sarawak.
“At the same time, I am thankful to my teachers for their full effort in guiding me, and to my family for their endless support.”
A ballet student under Tyng Dance Academy, Kuching, dance coach and choreographer Chan Tyng Tyng disclosed that Su’s dance movements at the competition were named “Wind and Rain”, inspired by a Chinese fan performance.
Sharing further, the 16-year-old talks to New Sarawak Tribune about her endeavours, feelings and future.
“As a kid, I was always inspired by the television reality series ‘Dance Moms’. Because of that, I started dancing at eight years old by joining my primary school’s Chinese dance club.”
During her time, being immersed with every step she took, Su stumbled upon a ballet theatre titled “Swan Lake”. As she saw how graceful the ballerinas were during the play, she began to feel a deep passion towards the dance genre — ballet.
“After watching the show, I wanted to start taking ballet classes. I was 10 years old when I took my first class.”
According to the lass, she loved ballet because it is beautiful and every movement is done gracefully.
“When I am dancing, I like to follow the music and flow with the rhythm. My favourite move would probably be port de bras, meaning carriage of the arms, where I am able to create beautiful lines with each and every movement,” said Su.
However, like many passions, there are certain things about ballet that are a challenge for Su.
“There are times when I see no progress or improvement. But that does not stop me. That’s where I learn from my mistakes and of course, I have my teachers from Tyng Dance Academy, Ms Tyng Tyng to give me advice and help me to step out of my comfort zone.”
Sometimes, she would feel tired, stressed, or lose confidence. Nonetheless, being a person with perseverance, Su often reflects on events and finds a way to solve them.
“The quote ‘you are now where you used to dream to be’, reminds me that progress takes time and that I should not give up because every little step counts as a step closer to my goal.”
When she isn’t a dancer, Su is a student from a private school in Kuching. And with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination coming through, she conceded that it isn’t easy to balance between studying and her passion for dancing.
“Nevertheless, I would prioritise whichever is more important. For example, during exam season, I will reduce my training and focus on my exams first. Besides, a good time planner is crucial in managing time for both study and dance,” she added.
Asked what she would like to pursue after graduating from secondary school, Su shared that she would want to dip her feet into ballet as a part time professional teacher, teaching the arts of the dance movement. But for now, she is chasing her dreams one goal at a time.
