Soaring Beyond Borders: Dancer Tirion Law’s Journey from Hong Kong to The National Ballet of Canada
Dancer Tirion Law’s Journey from Hong Kong to The National Ballet of Canada
In this day and age, many professional dancers will step outside their hometowns to explore new career opportunities in dance. Sharing her experiences as a Corps de Ballet dancer with The National Ballet of Canada, Tirion Law tells us her tale of dancing in two cities.
Tirion’s tale begins in Hong Kong, where she started dancing ballet at the age of four. Not too long after, she joined the Hong Kong Youth Ballet Academy where her adventures as a bunhead kicked off, or better yet grand battement off!
How has your training and upbringing in Hong Kong shaped you as a dance artist?
During my early training, my teachers shared their dance experiences with me and gave me the best advice. When I was young, I got to watch their performances with the Hong Kong Ballet. I looked up to them and they motivated me to become a ballerina. There were also a few different ballet competitions in Hong Kong that I did back then which helped me gain such rich dance experiences. My eyes were opened by these opportunities of meeting and even competing with a lot of talented dancers in Hong Kong, which in turn, drove me to improve.
One of the most important keys that have shaped me into the dance artist I am today are my supportive parents. They have never missed any of my shows or competitions and always support my decisions. They also taught me to be a humble person, which is so
important because I get to learn so much more from others.
What was the deciding factor in joining The National Ballet of Canada?
Hong Kong is my hometown, I enjoyed dancing here and working with Hong Kong Ballet, but after three years of dancing with them, I started to think that I should challenge myself. I wanted to explore the world, experience new things and meet different dancers while I was still young. Working at a world-renowned ballet company has always been a dream for me. I watched a lot of videos by the National Ballet of Canada when I was young and had always wanted to be a part of them. Also my brother and relatives lived in Toronto, so I thought to myself, ‘why not step out of my comfort zone and give it a try?’. So this is how I decided to join the National Ballet of Canada!
How is dancing in Toronto similar to Hong Kong, and how is it different?
Dancing in Hong Kong and Toronto are similar in the fact that professional ballet dancers work eight and a half hours a day, taking class in the morning and rehearsals all afternoon. What differs here in Toronto, is that I have about double the amount of performances with the National Ballet of Canada, and I also do a lot more contemporary dance works here too! One other thing is that company class at The National Ballet of Canada is not compulsory, so it really depends on a dancer’s self discipline.
What was the most challenging thing about moving to Canada? And what was the most rewarding?
The most challenging thing about moving to Canada was that it was like I was starting a new life. Everything was new to me, for example living in a new place, working with new people, and making new friends. Also in Hong Kong, I lived with my parents so they did a lot of things for me. But moving to Canada meant I had to be more independent, so I now do all the cooking, laundry, and cleaning.
The most rewarding thing would be getting to meet a lot of different talented dancers and stars from around the world.
And also getting to work with a lot of worldknown famous choreographers such as William Forsythe, John Neumeier, and Crystal Pite!
My tip for beating homesickness is to FaceTime with your parents. I FaceTime with them once a week which is great because we get to share our life and funny moments together. Or sometimes when I feel depressed, they will listen and cheer me up. Seeing them visually, makes me feel like they are with me. Also when you are free, hang out with friends or find a new hobby to learn or do, as this will help too.
That way, you will be keeping yourself busy rather than focusing on homesickness.
Dancers may be known as artists, but they are explorers too! Exploring their craft, their art, and their full potential both at home and across borders is not always easy. So if you’re ready to go on your own journey, or just curious what it’s like for dancers working abroad, it’s great to hear from the different points of view of professional dancers. A special thank you to Tirion Law!
One of the biggest challenges is Canada’s winter. The winter here is so much colder than Hong Kong and it snows a lot too.
TIRION’S TIP FOR BEATING THE HOMESICK BLUES