Teachers'
Biography
Quek wan yong (angelyn) - HeAD OF Empire KlanG (HQ)
Started her ballet training at the age of 6 at Dance Space. She has performed in past productions of Dance Space. Her repertoire highlights included the soloist of cygnets and the role as one of the six princesses in “The Swan Lake” (2013) as well as the soloist role in “Giselle” (2015). In 2014, Angelyn completed the RAD Advanced 2 qualification with a distinction. She was a finalist at the TDS Classical Ballet Solo Competition in 2011 and 2014.
She also joined DPAC’s Dancer Training Program in year 2016, which helped her broaden her dance knowledge in various genres and dance related topics. Angelyn also choreographed Dance Space children’s concert “Genevieve, The Barbie Doll” (2015). Currently she is one of the Head Instructors for Empire Klang (HQ) with more than 10 years teaching experience.
tan qiao han (hanaa) - head of Empire Subang
Started dancing at the age of 4. She completed the RAD Advanced 2 qualification with a distinction in 2012, trained in Dancer Training Programme (DTP) at DPAC in 2013 and 2014, and she has completed her Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies in 2017.
She participated in various dance production with Dance Space. Her repertoire highlights with Dance Space include roles as the stepsister and the queen in “Cinderella” (2010), the soloist of the big swan in “The Swan Lake” (2012), Queen of the Willis and Princess in “Giselle” (2015) and main soloist in “Romeo and Juliet” (2016). She also choreographed the children concert “Wonderland” (2015) and “The Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs” (2017).
In 2011, Hanaa joined JS Dance Theatre as a full-time dancer and performed in “1,2,3,4,...” and “Fragile”, a contemporary ballet dance work. She also performed with The KL Dance Works Production, “The World Ballet Super Star Gala” in 2014 and “Carmen” in 2015. She also got the chance to perform on the same stage with the legend ballerina, Tan Yuan Yuan during the production “Carmen” . In 2014, she joined DPAC Dance Company, and has participated in dance festivals working with various, internationally artist from Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany and Japan. She also toured with the company to Singapore, Japan, India and East Malaysia to perform the company repertoire choreographed by JS Wong. She also conducted workshop with the company in different schools in Malaysia to share the arts of dance. She also performed in d'Next Artist project 2015 “Trace” choreographed by a Malaysian dance artist, Mr Kyson Teo. Following these experiences, her passion for the art form was further solidified and she continue pursue her love in teaching, choreographing and coaching students. Currently, She is teaching the RAD Syllabus and sending students for exam every year. She also share her knowledge by sending students for local and international competition. Recently, her students Yeoh Kai Ling won the sunny chan awards in TDS solo ballet competition, Mandy Kwan won the 1st prize in RAD Dance Challenge 2019. She also in love to work with choreography, she choreographed in some commercial shows, students neo classical solo and also ensemble. She also successfully taught the second batch of elite class Jazz and flexibility dance and successfully completed the showcase with positive feedback. Currently, she is a full time teacher in Dance Space and the head dance instructor of Dance Space Empire Subang with more than 10 years of teaching experience. Hanaa’s passion for dance continuous to grow and it’s her desire to pass that passion on to her students. As a highly dedicated teacher, she believes that dance isn’t just about technique, it requires passion, dedication and support.
ch'ng kim ying (michelle) - Head of empire klang (hQ)
Michelle started dancing at the age of six in Dance Space and has completed the RAD Advanced 2 with Distinction. Throughout her dancing years, she had many performance experience with Dance Space and other organizations, one of the highlights is participating in the opening act of World Ballet Stars Gala 2014, one of the soloist for “Giselle” in year 2015 and also one the main soloist for 2 cast, 3rd fairy and Princess Florine for “The Sleeping Beauty” in year 2018. She has also participated in a show presented by Ballet Manila “Tour Fe Force” in year 2019. Other than that, she was also a finalist in the Dance Society of Malaysia (TDS) Solo Classical Ballet Competition in 2012, 2016 and 2018 and won 4th place in 2014. She has also competed in Malaysia International Ballet Grand Prix (MIBGP) in 2018 and 2019. She has won a full scholarship to attend Ballet Manila Summer Intensive Program 2019 (April to May) and Direct Acceptance to The Indonesian Intensive Training 2018 Full Tuition Scholarship in year 2018 . She has won the 2nd place in Senior Division in the year 2019 . She upholds a high spirit to never stop learning . After returning from the Summer Intensive Program 2019 in Ballet Manila, she has gain more insights and knowledge to self improve and teach. She also never stop attending workshops to self improve and keep herself in shape. Currently, she has more than 7 years of teaching experience in Dance Space, and is also the head teacher managing the Empire Klang (HQ).
Lim Jie jing
Jie Jing started dancing at the tender age of 6 under the guidance and tutelage of Dance Space Academy. Currently, graduated with RAD Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS) in year 2017 and passed Advanced 2 with distinction in year 2012, and also trained in the Dancer's Training Program for 2 consecutive years at Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC).
She joined various types of performances varying from classical ballet, contemporary ballet and contemporary throughout her dancing year. Highlights of her dancing career includes, participating in the opening act of "The World Ballet Super Star Gala” (2014) and “Carmen” (2015), which also had the opportunity to share the stage with legendary ballet superstar Tan Yuan Yuan. Furthermore she also performed the principal role Giselle in "Giselle" (2015) and Princess Aurora in “The Sleeping Beauty” (2018). She has also been an apprentice and company dancer with DPAC Dance Company (DDC) from 2014-2016; worked with international choreographers and toured with the company to Japan, India and East Malaysia,
She also took part in dance competitions and won 4th place and The Patron Award to Singapore Dance Theatre at TDS competition 2012, won 3rd place in Category 1 in year 2018.
Through years of experience and exposure to the field of dance, she also has experience in choreographing. Some choreographies includes: Dance Space Children Concert, “Wonderland” (2015), "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (2017) and most recently “When Dreams become Reality” (2019). She also choreographed solos for student’s competition and some managed to obtain prizes and placing. She has a teaching experience of 10 years with Dance Space Academy and is currently the lead educator of Empire Klang Branch.
Zhen-Zhu Chandrasekaran
From a young age the performing arts had always been an integral part of Zhen-Zhu’s childhood, but at the age of 11 what most captured her eye was Classical Ballet. Her dance journey began at Xing Dance & Arts, where soon after she joined Ellie Zhou Ballet Studio. Here, she received the majority of her dance education under the guidance of former professional dancers Ms.Ellie Zhou, Mr.Zhou Gui Xin, and Ms.Alyzsa Lim. Having been trained and mentored under such experienced teachers, ZhenZhu completed the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Syllabus and Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies Program (2019) making her a fully qualified and registered teacher with the RAD. But with a deep passion to teach and understand individuals holistically, she also completed a Diploma in Child Psychology and Learning Disorders Management (2021). Zhen-Zhu is also trained in Indian Classical Bharathanatyam and is a student and dancer with Laasya Arts Academy KL. With her background and education, Zhen-Zhu’s values and principles focus on supporting the overall development of her students through the enriching medium of dance. She hopes to encourage self-discovery and self-expression and to provide students with a fulfilling dance education needed to excel.
Rachel chew zi xin
Rachel Chew is a talented former dancer who has graced stages across Asia, Australia, Canada, North America, and Spain. Born in Malaysia, Rachel began her dance journey at the age of 4 and has since achieved a remarkable career in the dance world. Rachel completed her tertiary studies at the prestigious Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, which helped to further hone her skills as a dancer. Her impressive repertoire includes performances in The Nutcracker, The Slave Princess, Cinderella, Paquita, Chopin Suite, The Secret Bob, Les Sylphides, Now Illuminated, Persisting Memory, Solo & Duet, and Le Corsaire, where she shone in principal roles.
During her time in Malaysia, Rachel participated in various dance festivals such as the D'motion International Dance Festival, M1 Contact (Singapore) and International Ballet GALA 2014. Rachel was invited to be a judge for the Malaysia International Ballet Grand Prix in 2019, showcasing her expertise in the field of dance. In 2020-2022, Rachel is managing Ballet Theatre Malaysia's productions, which is a testament to her leadership skills. Rachel's career as a dancer has been nothing short of inspiring. She has achieved a great deal in the dance world and continues to contribute her talents to the art form.
Jemima Choong
Jemima Choong is a dance educator and movement artist originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She began her dance training at the age of 9 in classical ballet under the RAD syllabus completing Grade 8 and Advanced 1 levels and in modern theater and jazz dance under the ISTD syllabus completing Advanced 2 level at The Ballet Studio, Kuala Lumpur. As she was passionate about pursuing dance as a career, she decided to move to the U.S. in 2014 to continue her dance training which she did at Idyllwild Arts Academy(IAA). After IAA, she furthered her dance training and education at the University of California, Irvine where she received her Bachelors of Fine Arts(BFA) degree in both, Dance Performance and Choreography and was awarded the Honors Award of Excellence in Dance Choreography. In desiring to further expand her knowledge and experience in dance pedagogy and choreography, she went on to get a Masters of Fine Arts(MFA) degree in Dance at Arizona State University where she graduated with distinction and received the K Herberger Dance Award. She has also obtained the American Ballet Theater(ABT) National Teaching Certification from 2019-2022 which has allowed her to teach the ABT ballet curriculum from Pre-Primary till Level 5.
As a dance teacher, she has taught a variety of dance styles ranging from ballet, contemporary/modern, jazz, hip hop, and even to K-pop at several dance studios in Southern California. She has also choreographed and coached students at Urban Edge Dance Co. for regional and national dance competitions in the U.S. where they have achieved outstanding results. Besides teaching at dance studios, she has taught dance at the collegiate level. She was an adjunct professor at Glendale Community College, Los Angeles in Spring 2024 teaching modern dance and beginning yoga courses and was a course instructor for movement-based courses like classical and contemporary ballet as well as theoretical courses to university students as part of her graduate student teaching assistantship at Arizona State University from 2021-2023. As a dance performer, she has had the opportunity to work with and dance for many renowned dance artists excelling in various movement styles. Specifically, she has had the pleasure of working with Lar Lubovitch (Lar Lubovitch Dance Company), Yin Yue (YYDC), Noa Wertheim (Vertigo Dance Company), Dante Puleio (Limón Dance Company), and Koryn Wicks just to name a few during her time in college as well as a freelance artist in between and after her studies. She has now recently returned to Malaysia where she aims to share all the knowledge and experiences she has learned and accumulated over 10 years in the U.S. to her students at Dance Space in helping them grow even more as dance lovers and aspiring artists.
TAN XIN YI
Xin Yi started her ballet journey since 9 years old and joined Dance Space family when she turned 18 years old. Under the guidance & training of DS, she was able to graduate with qualification of Advanced Foundation. And proud to finish off with Distinction for her RAD Discovering Repertoire in year 2018. Since then, she has been taking class regularly to maintain her dance technique.
She also started her teaching journey at DS since 2018 and mainly based in Setia Alam branch. Last but not least, she successfully obtained Silver Medal in a competition, Malaysia Ballet Festival in the group dance category. She was also glad to take part in DS’s production “Romeo and Juliet” and toured with the team to other states to perform.
TAN jia yi
Jia Yi started her ballet journey since 9 years old and joined Dance Space family when she turned 18 years old. Under the guidance & training of DS, she was able to graduate with qualification of Advanced Foundation. And proud to finish off with Distinction for her RAD Discovering Repertoire in year 2018. Since then, she has been taking class regularly to maintain her dance technique.
She also started her teaching journey at DS since 2018 and mainly based in Setia Alam branch. Last but not least, she successfully obtained Silver Medal in a competition, Malaysia Ballet Festival in the group dance category. She was also glad to take part in DS’s production “Romeo and Juliet” and toured with the team to other states to perform.
Emily seo ching si
Emily started her dance journey since she was at the young age of 3, she also took part in gymnastics training since young and was able to gain very good flexibility skills.
She has successfully graduated her Advanced 2 with Distinction in year 2020. She was also selected as one of the Elite Program representative Level 3 (Batch 2019). Through the program she has a wide range of contact with different types of dances: Contemporary, Jazz and many more.
One of her highlighted role with Dance Space was being cast as one of the main role, “Little Juliet” in “Romeo and Juliet” back in year 2016. She also started her teaching journey at DS since 2017 and mainly based in Empire Klang branch.
Yeoh kai xin
Kai Xin started dancing at the age of 6 and joined Dance Space at the age of 15. She enjoyed learning many forms of dance including ballet, modern jazz and contemporary. It's always been her dream to be on stage and she is also passionate about teaching.
She has successfully graduated Grade 8 (2021) with Distinction and completed her Advanced 2 (2022). Also, she has passed her Discovering Repertoire Level 2 (2021) with Distinction. She was successfully selected to be a part of Dance Space Elite Program - Level 4 (Batch 2020-2021). She was also the guest performer in various events of Dance Space. She took an interest in modern jazz since the young age of 8. She has successfully completed her CSTD Modern Jazz 1 to 9 with an impressive straight Honours.
She participated in competitions, receiving Repertoire Solo Open 2nd place in CSTD 6th Malaysia Dance Competition 2019, Senior 2 Ballet 2nd place and Senior 2 Contemporary 4th place in International Ballet Grand Prix Malaysia 2023.
SABRINA Chan miaw ying
Sabrina started dancing at the age of 3 when she joined her first ballet class. Throughout the years, she has exposed herself to different genres of dance such as lyrical, contemporary, street dance, girl style and Chinese Traditional dance. She participated in ballet competitions, earning finalist spots in The Dance Society ballet competition in 2013 and 2015, in Canaan Star competition in 2020 and received gold in The Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition 2020 Easter Holiday Period 2021. She has also won third place in Kuching Got Talent in 2015 with a self choreographed modern ballet piece. She was casted as Dimitri in a ballet production - Anastasia choreographed by Ms Chan LayNa in 2016. She has completed the RAD Advance 2 syllabus in 2017 and Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies in 2021. She also enjoys choreographing dances where she has choreographed pieces for performances and projects. Sabrina hopes to contribute back to the dance industry by sharing her passion to others and inspiring them.
cELINE TAN ZE LING
Celine started her ballet journey in Dance Space since she was at the young age of 3. She has completed the RAD Advance 2 syllabus in 2021. Throughout her dancing years, she has perform in various past productions of Dance Space. One of her highlighted role with Dance Space was being cast as the principle role I'm "Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs" (2017). She hopes to be able to pass on her passion for dance to other youngers and fostering their love and appreciation of dancing .