Shirena Hamzah

Fifteen years in, principal Shirena Hamzah's dream with Dancesteps Studio remains the same -- to make it a place for every child who wants to dance, no matter his or her background. 



Last December, Dancesteps Studio celebrated 15 illustrious years of honing talents and providing a platform for many an aspiring dancer everywhere.

Heartfelt messages of dedications, thanks and gratitude poured in from students across the world, reminiscing the good times they’ve had at the school, the lessons they’ve learnt, and the experiences they’ve shared. Many are nostalgic sentiments telling of life-altering tales at the school, which without a doubt have shaped, touched, and changed many lives.

Founder and principal Shirena Hamzah could not be prouder.

“This school is something really close to my heart, “ says the mother of two who single-handedly founded, built, and grew the studio from a humble shoplot in Desa Sri Hartamas to the 3-storey, fully-equipped studio at Solaris Dutamas it is today.

“This school and the relationships I’ve built here, they’ve never felt like work.”

Perhaps one of the reasons why the school is so successful is due Shirena’s own love for the art, something she herself has poured her whole life into since she was 8. Speaking to her about her passion and dedication to her art brings to mind another world-class full-time dancer, Maria Sascha Khan.

"Dance is so many things to me,” she shares with a faraway gaze. “I love dancing because being able to express in motion what your heart feels is so much fun.”



"I believe in letting every child get the opportunity to dance"

With Dancesteps, she is adamant that every child gets the chance to dance and feel the same inspirations that move her everytime she dons her ballet slipper or tap shoes. 

“I believe in letting every child get the opportunity to dance,” she says. “There are other schools which I know only let the best through.”

“These days, I am not so big on distinctions. If the child wants to try, I will give that child the opportunity. I will not shut the door.”

The Fellowship owner of 2 Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) titles in Tap and Modern dancing, making her the only person in the entire country to hold the titles, refuses to fall trap to the competitive business side of running a dance school.

“When I’m running this dance school, obviously there’s the business side to things – it can get competitive. You start looking at figures and how students are doing in exams.”

But one student changed it all for her.

“I had a student who was on MH370,” tells Shirena, referring to the Malaysia Airlines aircraft that went missing last March and which fate remains a mystery to this day. “She was a student here for only a few years. She was turned away from other schools because she wasn’t a great dancer, to be frank.”

Shirena took a chance on her and under her guidance, she blossomed.

“She actually grew, not as quickly as the other children, but she still grew,” tells Shirena.

That student remains a reminder to her that every child deserves a chance and there should be more to dance schools than just distinction figures.

“When I heard that she was on the plane, I realised that if I hadn’t had the ethos for the school where I give every child an opportunity, then she would never have gotten the chance to dance, to do the one thing she wants to the most."

"We teach the steps, you be the star" 


As painful as that chapter was for Malaysia, Shirena today vows to make Dancesteps a place for children of all backgrounds and ages to learn dance of all forms and stages.

“At Dancesteps, our motto is ‘We teach the steps, you be the star’ and I think that applies to everyone,” she divulges. “Not everyone is a prima ballerina, but that does not mean they don’t get to dance.” 

“If you come to my concerts, you’ll see the awkward kid right in front. Even if she can’t remember her steps, there’s always going to be that chance, because every child deserves that chance.”

Not everyone agrees with her methods and she has had some teachers who hold certain students back due to their lack in faith in the student’s capabilities. 

“I understand there’s also that strive for excellence,” she says of the matter, “but  when it comes to exams, if any teacher is unsure if a child can do it, I just tell them, ‘Let her try’.”

In fact, she believes in a form of dance reverse psychology when it comes to motivating students.

“Just because a child can’t remember her steps, it doesn’t mean she belongs right at the back. What is that going to do to the child?” she implores. “Instead, if you put her right at the front, she’ll take more ownership over her steps and maybe even realise that she better get her act together. “

Her confidence and belief in every child is a result of her countless years of experience with teaching and working with them and seeing what they can do with enough trust placed in their little hearts.

“Kids are so resilient,” she marvels. “Chances are, put under the right amount of pressure, they’ll surprise you.”

 

 

(Photos: Dancesteps Studio)