Rising star excels in song and dance
He’s one of the country’s brightest rising stars.
Wellingtonian 10-year-old Shanwen Tan will not only dance in a rendition of The Nutcracker by the Royal New Zealand Ballet, but has also been selected to sing in performances of La boheme by the New Zealand Opera which is on at the Opera House this week.
He has been active on stages around Wellington since he was five years old.
‘‘I love it because I can make something nice and also I can make other people happy when they watch me,’’ he said.
‘‘When I see myself dancing and people applauding and praising my dance, I feel very happy.’’
Shanwen said he enjoyed dancing ‘‘almost anywhere and at any time’’.
Later this month, he will perform as Fritz in the RNZB production of The Nutcracker.
He was delighted to be given the opportunity, and has been having eight dance lessons a week along with more practice at home.
He was surprised to be offered a role in La boheme as well ‘‘but at the same time I was a bit worried if I can sing well in Italian’’.
He also sings with his mum, such as during the Chinese New Year Celebration in the Michael Fowler Centre earlier this year.
‘‘I am really busy but at the moment I feel that I am fine with whatever I am doing.
‘‘Besides dancing and singing, I also do swimming and piano . . . I think I just need to be very organised and of course my mum and dad help me a lot on that.’’
So what does a young man who has achieved so much already hope to do when he’s older?
‘‘I think I might be a dancer, a singer, an actor, a piano player, an Olympic swimmer or even a flight attendant.’’