How has ADC dealt with the challenges posed by the pandemic? Were there any changes in strategies and plans?

As mentioned, we moved Forging Traditions from a physical workshop to an online platform. Although the uptake has been slow, there are interests and we will continue to develop it. As we are artists, we need to continue producing arts and at the same time engage with new media to do so. With that, we applied for grants from CENDANA to produce online content. We are very happy to say that our dance film "Hymns of the Abandoned" choreographed by Zulkarnain Zuber, and directed by Aaron Chieng received an overwhelming response - about 2,000 views, and was reviewed in the press and on radio. We also submitted two performance videos for participation in the International Arts Festival by ISI Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and the Swan Festival of Lights, Perth, Australia - keeping our international profile relevant in these tough times. This was especially important as we were unable to travel anywhere. Myself, as the Artistic Director, presented talks at "Grey Lines" hosted by Singapore, "Dancing Opportunities" by Rotary Club, "Online Teaching and Learning" by Sunway University, while continuing to write essays and papers on the work of ADC. The most recent yet-to-be-published "Forging Traditional Dance in Malaysia" will be out in the Online Journal of Chinese University HK.

ADC continues to engage with Malaysians and international audiences through webinars and online programmes whenever possible, and use these opportunities to learn more about the arts industry as well as other aspects, where there is a lot of room for improvement.  

Now that ADC is recognised by the Sports, Co-curricular and Arts division of the Ministry of Education (MOE), how has the reception for the FT workshops been among students?

This was indeed a huge accomplishment and took several months of meetings and negotiations. The recognition of the programme by MOE is invaluable and gives it more credibility. The participation and certification may be used to obtain credits towards students' co-curriculum marks. However, ADC noticed a reduction in the participation numbers compared to the physical sessions. In the online version, participants are required to do self-practice first and are given online dance lessons. However, while some participants are able to work independently, others may find this to be too challenging and decide to hang up their dancing shoes.
  
As a dance company in Malaysia that pioneered in providing free online dance lessons and assessments, what are some of the pros and cons of delivering the classes, workshops and assessments online?

There are in fact many advantages in learning online - the main one is that learning is self-determined. You can decide the speed at which you wish to work, where and when you wish to engage with the learning. However, this needs discipline and maturity (besides the talent to dance). Across the world in this time, people are forming online learning communities and connecting with people from across the globe. This international connection costs nothing and the entire world opens up to us.

The drawback of the online learning is primarily internet accessibility, and perhaps working from mobile phones with small screens. This is not easy to do as the participants could miss the details. One other thing is that traditional dance is so much about community and participating as a group with all the joy that the interaction brings. Since dance is very tactile, and a deep sensory experience, much of this can be lost when delivered online especially to the novice.  

Apart from the COVID-19 restrictions, what are some of the toughest obstacles in the work that you do, and what motivates you to overcome them?

It is difficult to contextualise the challenges as there are so many - it appears that every aspect of life in the arts is challenging. Nothing is easy - it comes with pain, sweat, tears and sometimes, even blood. Dancers and artists are like athletes. I like to say that we are "athletes of art" and because of that this machine or instrument, which is our body is finite, and yet we go on pushing it to our limits. So, there are very physical and mental challenges from the get-go - we can be as good as we want to be. Then the challenge is to make the audience realise that this is hard work, and we have invested so much of time, effort and money into it, that we would like them to appreciate the arts, to love it, to watch it, to patronise it. This is hard because Malaysia is not particularly an arts loving nation. The infrastructure is limited, it is not accessible. The list of challenges is just endless. However, our motivation is our passion - to share what we love and what we believe that we are good at.

What are your hopes and dreams for ADC and Malaysia’s performing arts landscape?

My hopes and dreams (and what I have been working towards all my adult life) is to see Malaysian arts on the global stage - not just at Tourism Fairs or Trade Shows but at the international theatres hosting us as artists. I want to see our Makyung, Bangsawan or Randai being played to audiences. I want to see ADC play a significant role in this international propagation of Malaysian arts while ensuring that every Malaysian knows his/her traditional arts. I would love for all cities to have their own theatre district so that everyone knows where to find it.

For ADC, I would hope that we could become more self-sustaining especially that our Dance Centre can fund itself, its teachers and all overheads. I would love it if we had our own independent space that is very accessible via public transport and producing work which the audiences are desperate to watch. I wait for the day that Malaysians and international audiences are fighting to get tickets to performances staged by us.