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SCMP Reporter

A TAP-DANCING  penguin has taught Canto-pop stars Stephy Tang Lai-yan and Justin Lo Ting-wei the importance of keeping their feet on the ground.

The two singers are providing the Cantonese voices in Happy Feet, a computer-animated comedy drama to be released on December 21.

The Australian-produced animation, directed by George Miller, is based on the interesting fact that Antarctic emperor penguins court their mates with their unique calls.

The story revolves around Mumble (Lo), a young emperor penguin that is born tone-deaf.

Incapable of singing but talented at tap dancing, Mumbo cuts a lonely figure in the colony and becomes a scapegoat for a fish famine.

The penguin embarks on a fearless journey to investigate the real cause of the food shortage and to prove his worth to his best friend and love interest Gloria (Tang), a beautiful penguin with an extraordinary gift for singing.

Featuring catchy music and vibrant visuals, the film is more than just escapist family entertainment. It is also a fable about being loyal to one's nature and the importance of accepting other people's differences.

This is a message that Lo identifies with after spending time in the United States when he was young.

'Sometimes, I was rejected because of my different skin colour, and people told me jokes about Chinese people,' said Lo.

'I think that happens in every country and it's not going to change.'

Tang, whose father left when she was a child, also felt for Mumbo.

'To me, it was painful,' she said. 'Why did other children have a father and I didn't? Was I different from the others?'

Tang's solution was to be brave and independent.

'I ignored what other people said and persisted in my principles. Life is all right if I'm happy. I don't need to have what other people have because I have my own life and people have theirs,' she said.

But friendship is also important to Tang and Lo, who said singers and actors - adored by thousands of fans - are prone to lose their real self or sense of direction in showbiz.

While Mumbo receives support from his family and Gloria, Lo and Tang have their own circle of close friends.

'I have a group of very close friends who I knew before got into show business. They keep my feet on the ground,' said Lo.

Tang added that, as a singer and actress, it is important to be able to detach yourself from work. She said she has close friends she has known since secondary school that she shares her feelings with.

'They are my real friends,' said Tang.

'Once I'm with them, or with my family, I get back the feeling [of life] that I used to have before.'

Happy Feet also carries a strong enviornmental message.

The fish famine is the result of over-fishing near the Antarctic.

Tang urges us to protect the environment, or innocent animals will become victims of our wrongdoings.

'If we keep destroying the environment, not only animals will be harmed. In the end, we will all be affected by it,' she said.

Win! Win! Win! E-mail your name, address and answer to the question - What is Mumble's unique talent? - to win a gift (door hangers, pin badges or A4 clear folder) from Happy Feet. First come, first served.



Tap those Happy Feet