Wong Kit Yaw: Keeping True to His Vision

 

Wong Kit Yaw is described by those who know him, have met him or have heard of him in many, many different ways. He is an artist who is a fount of knowledge, a disciplinarian, a tyrant, a gentle giant, dramatic, fun-loving, lovable, hysterical at times, and an always generous man. He is a choreographer, educator, director and a dance pioneer in Malaysia who entered the world of dance in a most unusual manner – leaving the passion for performance nurtured in high school in Teluk Intan for a career in construction and as a site supervisor in Singapore in the late 1970s. He then chose a path less travelled, and relinquished greater financial security of construction work for the love of dance. He enrolled in full-time training at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore in 1980. Here he underwent a comprehensive program of training in Chinese classical and folk dance, Indian classical dance, Malay folk dance and contemporary dance. Over the last decades, he has continued to enhance his knowledge by attending various short-term study programs in China, Taiwan and Malaysia.  

Wong Kit Yaw has a deep understanding and perennial curiosity for the meaning and motivation of dance. For him, dance transcends movement and conventional aesthetics. Paradoxically if is ephemeral, ethereal, visceral and embodied at one and the same time. While specializing in Chinese Classical and Folk Dance, he has constantly questioned what it means to be a Malaysian artist-educator who practices, dances and choreographs within the framework of Chinese Dance. The question of how Chinese Dance could evolve, morph, represent or resonate with the diasporic communities in Malaysia continues to be at the forefront of his consciousness. Kit Yaw asserts that dance cannot have the same function or  possess the identical aesthetics as dances of the various ethnicities of China as practiced by them. Primarily, he sees dance and specifically his own choreography as experiences that inculcate the joy of dancing and an awareness of the environment, of current affairs, and contemporary issues that confront every individual particularly in the adopted land of Malaysia. He draws his inspiration from all this and as an avid reader of news, he has his finger on the pulse of the nation, and of international affairs. At the same time, he has an affinity for nostalgia, often reminiscing through his work, of the carefree times of growing up in Malaysia, about a time when racial and cultural barriers did not exist, and how common identities were forged through shared passions and visions. Kit Yaw possesses a distinctive sensitivity towards dance aesthetics, creativity and depth of knowledge of the arts that places him as one of Malaysia’s finest choreographers, particularly in his work with children and teenagers.   

In 1991, Kit Yaw together with his artist-friends Woon Fook Sen, Wong Yor Lan and Ng Piek Yan established The Performing Arts of Todern. As the Artistic Director, Kit Yaw has led the direction of the team and collaborated with numerous local and international artists in both traditional and contemporary dance projects since its inception. Their artistic blend of tradition and contemporary, creativity and originality has been acclaimed by both critics and audiences throughout Malaysia. The Performing Arts of Todern has proven its commitment to development of Malaysia's dance ecology and contributed towards dance as a cultural form in Malaysia. The works have strong expressive qualities, and often highlights the value of community, and heightened social awareness. As Artistic Director and choreographer, Kit Yaw has created milestone productions and projects namely Kikkik Kokkok, a children dance performance, Malaysia Dance Odyssey of Diversity and  Solo Dance in the temple yard. His committed search for authenticity, creativity and originality has been highly acclaimed by both critics and audiences. For Kit Yaw, dance exists in the human soul independent of music and finds expression in movement of primal emotional release.

From 2000-2018, he worked as a full-time dance lecturer at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA) Malaysia. Besides assisting in curriculum design for the Diploma and Degree programs, Kit Yaw was a vital team member of the faculty, bringing his vast experience to the table. He was tireless in advocating for better education and enhanced student experiences. He also consistently created new works in the Jamu series of contemporary dance, choreographing Ritual I and II, Memory (Zuo tian de zuo tian), Under the moon light, Painted Face, Yellow Flowers Rain, Xing Dong and more. In the creation of these works, he drew on his deep knowledge of Chinese traditions and presented them with a contemporary sensibility and aesthetics. He was unafraid to also tackle the more “serious” issues of nationhood, or challenges faced by today’s society. The results were works that spoke to Malaysians in the 21^st century. He was unfailing in staging traditional works for both the student assessments and the annual showcases Tapestry series including the full-length dance drama Hang Li Po. All this was instrumental in raising the standard of dance and particularly Chinese Dance at ASWARA which then translated into the larger community. For this and all his work, he received the NST-BRDB Dance Artist Award in 2010.

Currently he is the part time senior Chinese dance lecturer at the aforesaid institution while also working as a freelance dance teacher, director, and choreographer in Malaysia. Through his networks in Malaysia and beyond, he has been instrumental in bringing Malaysian students to experience Chinese culture through festivals and competitions, while encouraging the next generation to pursue postgraduate studies in local and foreign universities.

The magic of Wong Kit Yaw is that despite any criticism, he holds firmly to his beliefs about dance, and remains true to himself. His gentle and fun-loving natures belies a steely determination to keep on creating and teaching wherever the call to service may be. He has proven his mettle in the dance ecosystem of Malaysia and cemented his position as a key player for Chinese Dance in the country. Long may he continue to realise his vision for dance.   

* This article appears as one of the sections in his new coffee-table book, A Dance Odyssey is published by Purple Cane. The link for purchase will be made available as soon as possible.