“DANCE is my life,“ declares Michelle Jueney. She fell in love with dance at a young age, and ever since, she has dedicated her time and career to the beautiful art of expression, especially Indian classical dance, Odissi. Growing up in an artistic environment, she learned about various arts and was exposed to different styles of dance from around the world.
As a dancer, Michelle never looks at dance or dancers through the lens of race or ethnicity. She never saw herself as a Chinese learning an Indian dance; instead, she observed her chosen practise of dance through an artist’s eyes.
Her interest in Odissi began around the age of 12 or 13 when she watched a performance by a renowned Odissi dancer in Malaysia, Ramli Ibrahim. She was completely captivated by his expressive exuberance and artistry of movement.
Little did she know that one day she would meet Ramli in person and learn the Indian classical dance from the master himself.
Before she became an Odissi dancer, she was enrolled at the Federal Academy of Ballet. She had also pursued a graphic design degree at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art and Design in London, but upon returning to Malaysia, her soul felt a void.
She then met with dance master Ramli and proceeded to join the Sutra Dance Academy.
Since then, there has been no turning back for her. She had found her calling.
She has since been selected to perform in many countries and also got to thoroughly enjoy an adventurous time in India that was part of her training.
Her love affair with dance continued as she also learned Bharata Natyam, Latin ballroom dance, and contemporary dance.
During a photoshoot with theSun, Michelle showcased her strength and beauty in every movement, gracefully moving from one pose to another with emotive expressions.
Dance teaches about life
“The dance movements actually tell you how to live a life,“ said Michelle.
In Odissi, the ‘lotus hand mudra’ is always outward and giving. It’s quite the same when it comes to ballet, where both hands are opened outward.
“Dance is about giving. You need to give in order to receive, and that’s why dance instills good values like generosity, and dancers are often very giving people,“ said Michelle.
She shared how dance helps connect her with the mysteries of the cosmos, and every time she dances, she feels healing within herself. She confessed that she has danced through pain, stress, and suffering.
“Dance is a medium that allows you to let it all out. When I dance, I am transported into a different realm, and that little moment is precious for me.”
“It could be just three seconds, but that is enough to feel liberated and free every time I dance,“ said Michelle.
Despite this, she does not limit her artistic expression to only dancing but also through other mediums like painting, playing the piano, and practising pilates.
Recently, Michelle, who has 23 years of experience in Solo Odissi, performed “Poetry in Motion” , an Odissi performance, at the Goodman Arts Centre in Singapore. She also takes pride in teaching classical Indian dance to Tamil primary school students who aren’t able to afford professional classes for free.
However, Michelle is particular about who she teaches and chooses not to engage certain students who approach her classes as mere hobbies. She expects passion and commitment from any student she agrees to teach. Apart from classical dance, she also teaches ballet and contemporary dance choreography.
Creating a global dance community
At the height of the pandemic, when she was unable to perform, she found a way to stay connected to audiences by actively kicking off her YouTube channel with Move: The Official International World Dance Day Online Festival in 2021.
The aim was to offer a respite through despair and negativity from the isolation of the lockdown, finding strength and hope to break free from the perilous gridlock of the pandemic through dance and art.
Historical dance figures, icons, and legends were honoured on the platform while recognising talents regardless of age, race, nationality, school, or discipline.
At the same time, the platform educates dancers around the world on the characteristics and styles of dance.
Michelle spends hours finding the right creative people, whether by connecting through emails or reaching out in other ways.
“I started this channel to share the beautiful world of dance with everyone and slowly try to educate the public on different styles of dance,“ said Michelle.
The channel was launched on April 29, 2021, in conjunction with International Dance Day 2021, featuring dancers from around the world.
It was a success right from the start, but she soon learned a lesson about operating an online platform.
“Serious art has such a niche audience,“ she said, but that never stopped her from continuing with her vision.
This year, the courageous performer took it a step further by collaborating with remarkable dancers for the “League of Legends” Legacy Category.
Among them was footage of Merce Cunningham’s first performances with Andy Warhol as his stage designer.
Unfortunately, there are setbacks as she struggles with a lack of funding to sustain the channel with rising costs of production, research, editing, and other related work.
She does all the work by herself, including spending many months on research, organising, curating, and designing while also paying video editors for their time.
Michelle hopes to eventually receive a grant or funding to cover all payment and cost-related issues.
She aspires that the platform will attract more dancers to come along, be part of the community, and inspire the younger generation. Michelle can be reached at klmovementdancetheatre@gmail. com
