Ballet dancers in Hong Kong lack support; Asian Grand Prix may change that

Waiting nervously by a message board in the Y-Theatre in Chai Wan, Alice Tsang Oi-sim was praying that her hard work would pay off. Could the Swan Lake variation that she just performed be her ticket into the final round of the 5th Asian Grand Prix International Ballet Competition?

At the age of 15, Alice was already an old hand. She has entered all five editions of the competition and last year won a grant to take part in a month-long programme at the New Zealand School of Dance. Although she eventually spent only two weeks at the school in Wellington, it gave her a taste of what professional training was like and fired up her competitive spirit and determination to win a full ballet scholarship.

"The prospect of receiving full-time dance training is truly exhilarating," says Alice, who has been learning ballet since she was seven years old. "The time I normally spend studying in Hong Kong can then be used for [dance] practice and being able to dance all day, every day, is bliss. Their comprehensive courses, facilities and ample opportunities to perform will prepare me much better in case I want to join a company later."

As it turned out she was on point. Alice not only made the finale on Saturday, the international jury (which included respected teachers such as Robert Parker of the Elmhurst School of Dance in Birmingham and Marilyn Rowe of Australian Ballet School) awarded her a full scholarship to attend the New Zealand School of Dance.

And if the experiences of past grand prix winners Tirion Law Lok-huen and Joy Womack are anything to go by, the programme will likely be a springboard to greater opportunities.

Law, too, was awarded a summer stint at the New Zealand school based on a promising performance at the 2nd grand prix and went on to win a three-year programme when she was 16.