Dance with Zeal Dance in Zeal
Karen, Lei Hio Ieng
Street dance is not new in Macao and has become more popular. Many people, especially teenagers, learn dancing and the street culture is spreading widely and rapidly. In many ways, ZEAL Dance Studio plays an important role in the local development of street dance. ZEAL provides a space for dancers to practice, a space for people who are interested in street dance to make their first step, and also a space for street dancers from different countries to exchange their ideas and experiences.
“ZEAL is a dream place for me, physically and spiritually: a stable space for me to dance heartily and freely, and a home for dance,” said Jun Loi, one of the founders of ZEAL Dance Studio, who has been a street dancer for 10 years. He experienced how street dance has developed in the recent years.
“Street culture in Macao was barren,” Loi said. He has started dancing since high school and street dance was not popular at that time. He just brought some VCDs and imitated the dances, instead of having formal lessons. Later he chose to continue the higher education in Taiwan. He then joined the dancing club in school and had his first formal training.
After coming back to Ma-cao, Loi continued his danc-ing career - joining dancing competition overseas with several partners with the same interest.
They used to apply for the government subsidy but just received a small amount of money. “We didn’t have any groups or organizations to support us,” he said. “No places for us to practice. We could just dance in street which was not stable at all.
Street dancers usually practice at the “Red Bricks”, a public space which is near the Golden Lotus Square. Street dance is just for “adding more fun”, according to Loi. Some organizations invited them to perform but many of them were for “charity” and dancers were not paid. “Street dance is kind of art. We are devoted to this art which is valuable but many people don’t respect it,” said Loi.
“People who want to learn dancing have no way to know more about it. No social activity for the others to understand the street culture. Just several of us to promote is not enough,” he said.
Once street dance being commercialized, more people can know about the street culture and it can be enhanced and expanded. Thus, they need to build up an image, a brand, in order to strive for the support. “That is why ZEAL is here,” Loi said.
“ZEAL” represents “passion” and “aspiration” in their dancing. To establish a dance studio is not easy in Macao Dancers in foreign countries can find jobs in the dancing companies. However, as Loi mentioned that, “Street culture in Macao was barren”, so they are forced to establish one to go on.
Loi and four other partners finally established ZEAL Dance Studio in March 2010, which is the first local dancing and entertainment company in Macao. It provides professional training for people who want to forge a career as a dancer. Kid-dance and courses for adults can also be found. Besides teaching street dance, ZEAL also holds dancing competitions and promotes street culture including graffiti and beat-box. Moreover, ZEAL has been invited to perform in concerts, universities, and even kindergartens. “Promotion of a culture is boundless,” Loi said.
Loi defined ZEAL as a “half-public” and “half-private” space: it is open for all people who are interested in street dance, but all those should be serious in dancing and be respectful. Their slogan is “build for sure,” which means the dancers can build up their confidence in ZEAL.
Now Loi is a full-time auditor in casino. In order to arrange time for teaching dancing, he has changed his job several times. “Dancing may not enable me to earn a living, but I chose it,” Loi said. “So I should find a stable full-time job.”
Loi has some plans for future in his mind. “To enhance street dance culture in Macao so that the atmosphere and level are similar to those in foreign countries. Secondly, open a shop on the ground floor. As ZEAL is located upstairs now, we need to organize activities more frequently to get others’ attentions.”
To popularize a culture is not easy. There is still a long way to go.