By Alexis Ong
Selina Mao is an incredibly talented dancer whose movements can mesmerize any audience. However, this is only her first year where she has been able to show off her talents at Collingwood. She has been dancing several varieties of dance - jazz, ballet and Chinese traditional dance - since she was only four years old. Selina admits that ballet is her favourite genre of dance because she explains that “every position in ballet is an intricate sculpture, every movement silky, smooth, strong”. But the dancing that makes her the happiest is when she’s simply free-styling: messing around with music and fluid movements to find what feels right.
Selina Mao is an incredibly talented dancer whose movements can mesmerize any audience. However, this is only her first year where she has been able to show off her talents at Collingwood. She has been dancing several varieties of dance - jazz, ballet and Chinese traditional dance - since she was only four years old. Selina admits that ballet is her favourite genre of dance because she explains that “every position in ballet is an intricate sculpture, every movement silky, smooth, strong”. But the dancing that makes her the happiest is when she’s simply free-styling: messing around with music and fluid movements to find what feels right.
Dancing may be her ultimate form of artistic expression, but she also enjoys a few others. She is an amazing writer, and has recently taken up visual art. Writing is such a large part of her life that she says that she is currently “working up the courage to submit to a [writing] competition.” Selina says that the reason why dance appeals to her so much is because it acts as an escape from rigid everyday routines. Dancing isn’t planned down to the second like most of her life is. She does not believe that she is experienced enough to give advice, but she does believe that if you want to be a dancer, you have to “throw thinking out the door and rely on instinct.” Her natural talent and love for dance are traits she says were passed down from her mother, a former professional ballet dancer. “Growing up in a home filled with the art my mom loved so much invoked an innate interest and curiosity for dance [in me].” Her mother is her ultimate inspiration. Dancing will always be a part of Selina’s life, but she hopes to follow a career path in literature after her life at Collingwood. I am sure my words will not do her justice, so make sure to check out Selina at upcoming dance showcases or even at a writing competition. Good luck out there!