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Elaine Yau

Kenji Po Kwong-wood, 35, dance instructor
Young Post: How did you become a Latin dance instructor?
Po: I joined a Latin dance class at Creation Dancing Academy when I was in Form Three.
I fell in love with  the passionate music and energetic dance steps. After completing my Form Seven studies, I joined the academy as a Latin dance instructor.
YP: Is Latin dance difficult to learn?
Po: No.  Anyone can grasp the basic steps  given proper guidance and sufficient practice. Beginners have to learn how to move their legs.   Next they  learn to co-ordinate  their hips and waist.
The basic steps are not difficult to learn, it takes a lot of talent and practice  to master Latin dance.  Latin dancers also  need a strong sense of rhythm.
YP: What do you  like about Latin dance?
Po:  It's a very lively  dance. I feel happy when I express myself  through my dance steps and forget everything else.
YP: Is Latin dance popular in Hong Kong?
Po: With growing media interest  in Latin dance,  its popularity  has risen  in recent years.  For example, TVB Jade is showing Steps, a drama series  about local people doing Latin dance.
Movies about Latin dance  such as Shall We Dance - both the Japanese and Hollywood versions - have aroused people's interest.  Latin dance centres are doing  a lot of business.
YP: Latin dance champions in international competitions are usually  of South American or Spanish descent. Do  they have an advantage over Asians  learning the dance?
Po: Yes, definitely. It has more to do with  personality than physical attributes.
Compared to Asians, many foreigners are  more expressive and natural performers.
Asians are  shy and reserved. Some Asian learners are also put off by the revealing  costumes.
Some women  compare the costumes to swimsuits. Some  men  find the tight-fitting satin shirts a bit embarrassing.
YP: Latin dancers  perform in pairs.  Is it hard  to find a partner?
Po: A Latin dancer usually stays with his or her partner for years. They practise and take part in competitions together.
They need to have excellent communication.  It also takes time to build trust.
I  was very lucky to  find my partner several years ago.
YP: With so many pairs  performing at the same time on the dance floor, how  do you make an impression on the adjudicators?
Po: The most important thing is to find a spot on the dance floor  where the adjudicators can see you clearly.
With so many people on the floor, it's easy  to be blocked  from view.
As there are no fixed rules  as to where the contestants can stand, dancers have to  choose their positions carefully.
The same applies when the competition is in progress. While spinning around the floor, contestants have to move smoothly among each other.
Career file
Resume
1983:  Took up  Latin dance classes at Creation Dancing Academy
1985: Completed Form Five studies
1997-99: Champion in the Hong Kong Latin Open
1997: Awarded first-runner-up prize in the Shanghai National Latin Open
Getting started
School: Creation Dancing Academy
Classes: Latin dance classes
Duration: 30 lessons
Characteristics: Learners are taught the basic steps  of Latin and ballroom dancing. Professional instructors (winners  of international Latin dance competitions) design tailor-made courses for learners.
Enquiries: www.creationdance.com.hk
School: Dance Routine
Classes: Latin dance classes for young people
Duration: HK$320 for four consecutive weeks
Characteristics: The course is open to young people aged above 16.   You learn the basic steps and get an introduction to different types of Latin dance, including rumba, cha-cha-cha, jive, samba and paso doble.
Enquiries: http://www.danceroutine.com.hk/
Career prospects
Graduates can become professional Latin dancers and  perform  at  commercial  openings and on festive occasions. As Latin dance gains in  popularity,  more and more Latin dance training centres are springing up around town.   Trained dancers can also  take up teaching jobs at the centres, or work  as dance instructors at  schools and social centres.



Everybody: step up