Faye Leung
Faye Leung was the principal dancer and an icon of the Hong Kong Ballet since 2001, until she was suddenly dropped by the company last month. The 30-year-old Hong Kong Dance Award winner talks to Sarah Fung about how dancing is her life and how her career will be ruined by her former 12-year employer.
My family is from Shanghai. My dad is a writer and my mom used to be a businesswoman. She’s now enjoying life as a housewife in Hong Kong. I’m an only child.
I’m lucky to have supportive parents. A lot of Chinese children have to do what they’re told, but I’ve always been able to choose what I want to do.
My parents are not very rich, but they are satisfied with their lives. They embody the Chinese saying, “You should be satisfied with what you have right now.”
I started dancing at the age of 4. I knew I wanted to dance onstage when I first saw a ballerina. I thought they were so pretty.
Now I know that ballet is not about how pretty you look; it’s about how well you can perform the role you’re playing onstage.
I’m a typical Pisces: we’re really romantic but we have a double personality. We can also be rather dramatic. Then again, couldn’t that character apply to almost anyone?