L-R : Joy Wang, Sarah Kang, Paloma Herrera (Principal Dancer of American Ballet Theatre) and Natalie Lam

An evening with Paloma Hererra was a very wonderful experience. It was also a very rare and unexpected one as I did not expect to meet the dancers in person. Meeting them made me realize that their personalities are not the same as how they portray and present themselves on stage.

Each pas de deux I saw on stage had different moods and emotions to it. During which, I could feel their emotions through their expressions in their movement. I settled into the mood of the pas de deux and was greatly fascinated by each and every ballet.

I learnt that every dancer has his/her own different artistic style and uniqueness to it. Also, I am very grateful for this rare opportunity to be able to meet international principal dancers of different companies.

L-R : Ms Tan Yaling (Cheng Ballet Principal), Mizuka Ueno (Principal Dancer of Tokyo Ballet) and Mr Cheng Hsienfa (Cheng Ballet Director)

Watching “An Evening with Paloma Herrera” was an extremely enjoyable experience for me. The performances put up that night were not only classical ballets; there were also several pieces that were contemporary. Many of the students from Cheng Ballet as well as Mr and Mrs Cheng were also watching the performance. I think it was very nice that we were watching the performance together as it allowed us to bond.

After the performance we went backstage. I was very excited to meet them as it would be the first time I meet professional dancers from all over the world.

From the performance, I learnt that what makes a dancer stand out on stage is not only their technical brilliance but also their personality. Good technique can be obtained through proper training, hard work and talent. However, a dancer’s personality allows the person to shine and makes whatever dance the person is performing their own.

L-R : Sarah Kang and Lorena Feijoo (Principal Dancer of San Francisco Ballet)

On the evening of the 27th October, I went to watch the ballet gala “An Evening With Paloma Herrera”. It was definitely one of the best ballet performances I have been to. A few of my favourite pieces of the night included: the contemporary piece, “Just Us”, choreographed and performed by Lorena Feijoo and Tiit Helimets, which showed off the versatility of a dancers. Both Loreno and Tiit brought the hidden story behind this piece to life, with their brilliant technique, artistic ability, and their amazing chemistry- which made a piece so difficult look effortless.

“The Flower Festival In Genzano”, danced by Iana Salenko and Marian Walter displayed the hidden strength behind ballet and they brought this piece to a whole new level with their phenomenal chemistry.

George Balanchine's “Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux” performed by Ashley Bouder and Simon Ball was such a fast-paced piece and was yet still meticulously performed with such precision , quality and fire, that it was definitely a treat to the eye.

And finally the finale piece, “Don Quixote Act III Pas De Deux” performed by Paloma Herrera and Sascha Radetsky was breath taking, which displayed all the traits of a great ballerina and danseur.

L-R :Mizuka Ueno (Principal Dancer of Tokyo Ballet) and Moeka Minami

Every time I watched a dance performance, I always wanted to meet the dancers who appeared on stage. On Tuesday, October 27th 2009, I had the chance to do so. It was such GREAT experience for me!

I met Paloma Herrera, the principal dancer from ABT, Lorena Feijoo and Tiit Helimets, principal dancers from San Francisco Ballet, Iana Salenko from the Staatsballett Berlin and Mizuka Ueno and Naoki Takagishi from Tokyo Ballet. I also got autographs and photos of all these wonderful people but the best thing was that I got to meet one of my favorite dancers - Mizuka Ueno!

This experience would never have happened if not for my teachers Mr. and Mrs Cheng. Thank you so much for this magnificent experience. It’s a life-time experience that I will never forget!

L-R : Ms Tan Yaling (Cheng Ballet Principal), Tiit Helimets (Principal Dancer of San Francisco Ballet) and Mr Cheng Hsienfa (Cheng Ballet Director)

I really enjoyed watching the item “Tchaikovsky Pas De Deux” - the way Ashley Bouder jumped effortlessly into the arms of Simon Ball was AMAZING!

In the “Flower Festival in Genzano”, Iana Salenko was so charming and excellent!

However, I have to say my favourite item was “Don Quixote Act III Pas De Deux” danced by Paloma Herrera and Sascha Radetsky.

Some of our students with their autographed paraphernalia.

It was an excellent performance. I really enjoyed watching Paloma Herrera, Mizuka Ueno, Tiit Helimets and Ashley Bounder dance. At the end of the evening, I got to meet Mizuka Ueno and Tiit Helimets and I got their autographs! I went with my good friends from Cheng Ballet, Shauna and Kai Hui. We also brought our bears bought from Build-A-Bear Workshop! :)