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"Dance is the hidden language of the soul"
-Martha Graham-
Mui Ka Hei (27)- Male belly dancer
Location: Yau ma tei park
Date of publication: February 12,2022
On a sunny Sunday, February 13, I met Mui Ka Hei (27) at a park near Yau Ma tei Station. He is a male belly dancer active in Hong Kong, performs in various places, and also a teacher who teaches students his belly dance skills.
When it comes to belly dancers, it is easy to think of women, but as a male belly dancer, he had an ambition to promote belly dance throughout Hong Kong. His bag was full of various accessories and costumes. All of them was collected while traveling around the world. After a short interview with him, he showed me a belly dance after changing his costume.
The rental of the practice room was canceled due to COVID-19, so we had no choice but to proceed in the park, but when he danced, everyone in the park paid attention to him.
He danced while enjoying people's gaze more, and everyone looked at him with cool eyes. The park quickly became a performance hall, and he was like the main character of this park.
He had a great sense of professionalism in his job. He said that he goes on a strict diet three months before the performance. As it is a job that is shown to the audience, He has to give up the pleasure of eating to show the audience a more sharper dance line. I bought wine as a thank-you gift for him interviewing me, but he says he doesn't drink to control his diet.
He said he decided to become a dancer after watching a TV dance contest when he was nine years old. The performance he watched then is still unforgettable. And when he was in secondary school, he learned jazz funk and street dance. He is still dancing to the dance jazz punk, since he met his teacher, Suzette.
And the dance style he is currently pursuing is a genre that combines street style with belly dance.
Establishing/ Introduction
His ultimate goal is to promote the tribal fusion belly dance widely in Hong Kong. And there are many genres of belly dance, and his goal is to express various genres of belly dance.
Informal Portrait
He is said to feel great pride when the audience enjoys watching his performance. He also teaches his students, and he is proud to see students improve their skills while learning dance from him.
Working and Relationship scene
His dance is a Tribal fusion belly dance with street dance and contemporary dance. He is inspired by various genres.For example, Folk dance, yoga, flow etc.
Environment
Originally planned filming was his practice room, but due to covid-19, the practice room was closed and proceeded at a park in Yau Ma tei. Due to COVID-19, all performances were canceled and performance practice was difficult.
But he said, "It doesn't matter. The world is my stage".
Closeup/ Detail
"Costumes are often with layers of fabrics, antique tribal jewerly from many cultures" He travels around the world to buy accessories for performances. His favorite accessories are DIY silver and copper accessories, which he produced himself.