Datin Jane Lew

For all her gentleness and ladylike mannerisms, this dancer by training is no delicate flower; her core is made of steel, discovers Lily Ong.

Even though she was dressed casually for our interview, there was no mistaking that the woman crossing the room to greet me was Datin Jane Lew.

Aside from her slender figure and flawless porcelain skin, what left an impression on me about the CEO of Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC) was her soft-spoken, easygoing demeanour and the girly giggles that would erupt from her every time she found anything amusing.

Yet, for all her gentleness and ladylike mannerisms, this dancer by training is no delicate flower; her core is made of steel.

 

Driven by a single dream

Venturing outside her comfort zone is a norm for Datin Jane Lew, who first put on a pair of dancing shoes at the age of nine.

“I have always liked anything that was graceful. My interest started with figure skating before I took up ballet. In those days, dancing as a profession was not encouraged. The old way of thinking then was ‘it is not a career’, but I loved to dance… I loved how it allowed me to express myself. So yes, I was focused. I took up dancing after finishing Form Five and never looked back,” she shares.

In her teens, Datin Jane joined the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Kwang Si Dance Troupe to explore contemporary dance, and toured with the company around Malaysia, Thailand and China. This led to her eventual decision to enrol at the New York Joffrey Ballet School.

At the age of 19 and with only two bags in hand, she flew to Manhattan to pursue her cherished dreams.

Was she afraid?

“Yes, of course I was. I did not know what would happen. But I went anyway, because I knew I had to or I would regret it,” she admits.

Auditions, practices and performances soon filled up her daily schedule during her time in New York. As punishing as her days were back then, Datin Jane toughed it out without complaint.

“A dancer is trained to remain composed and calm at all times. During rehearsals, we constantly feel pain from physical injuries and sometimes, we are ‘hurt’ emotionally by comments from the creative director or rehearsal director. But we are trained to remain stoic and put on a smile even at times of adversity,” she says modestly.

After a while, Datin Jane realised that she wanted to do more than just dance. She packed her bags and came home.

At the age of 22, she decided to obtain her teaching certification from ISTD and RAD and then established the Dance Space Academy in Klang. Today, the academy has a total of four schools and a count of approximately 1,200 students. 

 

DPAC -- A platform for dancers from a dancer

While she has transitioned slowly from dancing to teaching and then to administrating, Datin Jane could not shake off the feeling that there is more she could do for her students, whom she has lovingly nurtured and cared for like they were her own children over the past two decades. 

“My students’ parents asked me, ‘What can they do next after they finish their dance studies?’ Not all our students wanted to be teachers, there were some who longed to be professional dancers. It was extremely difficult for Malaysian dance students to progress in the art as most of them could not afford to travel,” says Datin Jane.

She used to discuss her concerns regarding the students with her husband Datuk Sean Ng of the Mammoth Empire Group, and it crossed her mind to create a platform which her students could use to become performers. It was no surprise that when he offered her to utilise a space in his Empire Damansara development, she already had DPAC in mind. 

“My students needed a place where they could realise their ambitions to become professional dancers. But it was not only my students I wanted to help, but anyone who has chosen the field of arts as a career: dancers, singers, actors, visual artists and so on. The arts industry lacks a proper platform and avenues for these individuals to do what they do, so we thought DPAC could cater to this special community,” she explains.

She then adds, “I see myself as having a responsibility towards my students and the artists who believe in me to see things through. Artists sacrifice their wellbeing to earn meagre income. In order to inspire others through the offerings of their blood, sweat and tears plus their precious time, artists from every discipline often give up financial security. As an independent organisation, the least we can do for them is to support and nurture their means of giving our society value in our own unique way.”

DPAC and her dance schools are not the only things Datin Jane oversees. She is also the owner of the Hermes timepiece boutique in Starhill Gallery and she has dabbled into fashion and retail projects as well. Meanwhile, me-time for this dedicated mother revolves around yoga and exercise. 

While she only dances for leisure now, Datin Jane ensures she is there for her students for guidance and advice. Her years of performing taught her valuable lessons that she continues to practise today. “Learning ballet has taught me good work ethics and along my journey, I have learned that discipline can only be born from passion and high self-esteem,” she says as we wrap our interview on an inspiring note.

 

This article previously appeared in the May 2015 issue of Malaysia Tatler. 

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