I Wish I Danced Like An 8-Year-Old

Her name is Julia Franzese, and she's the daughter of Michael Franzese – author of "Blood Covenant," and an ever-popular, always-in-demand motivational speaker. And if her line of descent – that pretty much points 10 fingers to her famous father – isn't impressive enough, be wowed over by this: at the time of competition-slash-recording, she was eight. Only.


The dance you are about to see her perform during the Thunderstruck Dance Competition, was choreographed by award-winning professional choreographer, commercial actress, and owner of MnR Dance Factory, Roni Blak. And sure, as expected given that the choreographer who worked on the piece was Blak, the choreography is good. Very good. But it's this little darling's technique and passion for dance that really captured the long lost dancer in me.

Click to watch. And be amazed
at what this tiny body can do.

Now I wonder why I ever stopped dancing.

*sigh*

And to be honest, I also can't help but wonder why Malaysian dance schools rarely ever include lyrical dance in their list of courses offered. It's always the normal (read: boring) stuff like ballet, jazz, tap, modern and hip-hop, at most. *snore*


You know, I remember the time I got involved in a local production called The Red And Gold Shoe. (Think it was way back in 2000 or 2001. Tak boleh ingat dah.) It was a project by Academician cum Theatre Practitioner cum Artistic Director, Janet Pillai – the founder of Theatre Muda and a committee member of the Five Arts Center. And to be absolutely honest with you, the dance-act-sing musical was a-w-e-s-o-m-e! The whole experience (months and months of 9AM to 5PM training included) was just awesome! I'd so do it again in a heartbeat if I had the chance to. Like, totally.


And fun and friends aside, I have to say that it was mainly because the choreographer who worked on the project was a true blue dancer who offered me what few other dance teachers offered – the chance at doing what I personally call controversial dance, contemporary dance or experimental dance. And I loved it! Very difficult to describe in words but... so feeeel, I tell you! Totally killed me during practices though. Haha. (That's how I got my bad back. Although, in the end, all the pain and bruises I accumulated – as well as the physiotherapy I was made to undergo after that blasted fall that killed my back – was just sooo worth it when seen in totality. =p)


Anyway, that person who singlehandedly changed what dance meant to me was none other than ground-breaking choreographer, Aida Redza. Wish I had more time to train with her. (I was already down in KL by the time she started her own dance school, I think. Can't really remember anymore.) Too bad she's no longer in Malaysia.

*sigh*

I leave you with another version of that same dance
you saw earlier. This one offers a better close up view.





I miss dancing. =(