Odyssey Magazine Article - December 2023

When the subject of ballet arises, the collective perception often gravitates towards the grand theatres or the captivating pas de deux moments where the male dancer elevates his partner to celestial heights. However, beneath this lies the demanding training and the tapestry woven behind the scenes, which makes ballet seem mesmerising and effortlessly graceful. The unwavering dedication and relentless commitment of ballet dancers blend, creating a fusion of discipline and rigour. Yet does anyone ever talk about what goes on behind the scenes? How do ballerinas manage to thrive in such a competitive industry? Most importantly, how can aspiring ballet dancers afford to be a part of the art?

Chance to Dance, founded by Chinese International School student Ava Tandiono, is an organisation based in Hong Kong which provides less fortunate children with the opportunity to attend ballet lessons. 

Chance to Dance found that Hong Kong’s wealth inequality has increased more and more over the past few years, with the city’s richest earning over 47 times more than those on the poverty line. It has been proven that an average child’s well-being is affected negatively due to environmental and financial factors, in which many children coming from families with lower income are not given the opportunity to chase their passions and pursue their interests. Additionally, the schools these families opt for may not offer extracurricular programmes that can provide these children with a well-rounded education, including exposure to physical education or performing arts. Due to a combination of these traditional school systems and the financial challenges underprivileged families face, an estimated 230,000 children in Hong Kong are unable to participate in activities such as ballet. Not only do extracurriculars in general help enrich the experience of school and allow students to gain skills like stamina and endurance needed to perform academically, but the arts in particular also teach students about self expressionism and the importance of self confidence and the need for individual identity. Therefore, without these opportunities, underprivileged students are incapable of developing skills that can allow them to strive for ideal academic performance. For that reason, Chance to Dance was created as an outlet for these students to channel their inner creativity, as well as provide equal access to new extracurriculars completely free of charge. 

In April of 2023, Chance to Dance began networking amongst underprivileged schools in HangZhou. The organisation not only maintained consistent contact with these schools to arrange in person lessons during class hours, but also provided scannable QR codes for the students containing video demonstrations of basic ballet steps. According to the founder of Chance to Dance, Ava Tandiono, “I hope that through the process of teaching these children ballet, I am able to empower them to chase their dreams, exercise and improve their growth and development. Personally, I was able to build strengths such as diligence, confidence, concentration, commitment, and coordination through ballet at a young age, therefore I hope I can pass on everything the art has taught me to the kids.”

After only one in person lesson at ‘Zhejiang Hengfan Primary School’ in May of 2023, students who participated in the free dance class already learned basic steps such as Arabesque, Battement, Plié, Pirouettes, Port de bras etc…, as well as learnt a simplified and self-choreographed version of the La Bayadère Gamzatti Variation by Tandiono herself. Throughout the lesson, the young girls began saying things such as “Will you come back next week?”, “I love dance but I had to quit 2 years ago because it's too expensive,” and “I will ask my mommy if I can start ballet lessons'', showing first and foremost that Chance to Dance is not only successful in fulfilling its intended mission, but has also helped boost the morale of the students and ignited a passion for dance within the students during the short time frame. Through the help of various fundraising events such as bake sales and used book sales, as well as the student dream fund from Chinese International School, Chance to Dance is able to supply all students who attend their lessons with complimentary “ballet goody bags”. These bags include all the necessary supplies needed for the young girls to feel like a professional ballerina, despite only having attended classes. Soft shoes, leotards, tights, and hair supplies, as well as custom Chance to Dance wristbands, are all provided by the organisation ensuring no families are further financially impacted by the elective. 

As of this moment, Chance to Dance offers 1-hour classes every other Saturday at ‘Our Lady Of China Catholic Primary School School’ in Kwun Tong and has provided complimentary ballet supplies to the children. In addition to their current agenda, members Bernice Chan and Cassandra Cheung have also reported that Chance to Dance is currently in the process of reaching out to other schools in areas such as Tuen Mun, in order to find out if they could organise classes there as well. Furthermore, proposals such as bimonthly recitals, a used ballet supply drive possibly in collaboration with the CIS primary school, and multiple other events held in and out of school are also in the works for Chance to Dance, and the organisation has reported that they hope to achieve their ambitious goals before the fall of 2024. Tandiono has also mentioned that Chance to Dance hopes to host annual ballet performances with renditions of famous ballets such as ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Swan Lake’ to showcase the children’s growth, progression,  and give them the opportunity to stand before the bright stage lights and channel their inner ballerinas. 

Chance to Dance hopes to empower young girls through the world of dance, one leap at a time.