Using power of dance to bring people together
Universal language: Malaysia's largest street dance event will be held on June 2 to promote unity among Malaysians.
KUALA LUMPUR: For performers like Sherry Tay Ee Xue, the beauty of dance lies in its universal language of bridging diversity among the people.
'Despite the different style of every dancer, they come together to learn, collaborate and share each other's uniqueness through it,' she said.
Reflecting on her recent experience performing in a unity-themed concert, she described it as a deeply meaningful venture.
'It reminds me why I dance in the first place: to express and connect. It's powerful to be a part of something that promotes togetherness, especially when the world feels divided,' said Tay, 31.
And that, in essence, is the significance of Malaysia's largest street dance event to be held on June 2, aimed at promoting unity among Malaysians, in which Tay will be one of the dancers.
This is the biggest version of the United Dance Concert (UDC) which took place with about 250 performers led by 17 instructors, each choreographing routines in various street dance genres.
'We named it as such because we wanted an event to bring the young together in the spirit of unity.
'There is no better way than to gather and dance,' said founder and director of UDC Sien Mar Vin.
He said the dance event had been progressing since its inception eight years ago.
The event, he said, was initially aimed at breaking boundaries between classes and cliques within the academy.
'Even though we had quite a number of students, they were always separated into their own groups. There was no real sense of unity.
'So we came up with this idea – to bring everyone together, not just within our academy but also from outside.
'One night, one show, all together. It brings meaning back to the art form,' said Sien, who heads a dance academy specialising in street style moves like hip-hop.
The scale of the production was huge this year, he said.
He said the show will take place at Zepp, which could fit about 1,800 people.
'For a street dance concert, that's huge,' he added.
Another highlight is UDC's collaboration with REPZ – short for 'Repz Your Style' – Malaysia's leading street dance festival.
Sien said the street dance scene in Malaysia was growing and taking on a whole new scale.
'When we come together like this, it gives everyone a sense of purpose. It's what keeps the community alive,' he said.
Dancer Trezshur-Ann Leong said the beauty of dance lies in its universal language.
'It is one that transcends barriers and brings people together through shared movement and emotion. Dance ultimately boils down to the connection between people and their bodies,' said Leong, reflecting on the unifying power of the art form.
'When dancing, whether observing or doing, whatever baggage you have from life can be set aside for a moment, and you can just connect with the movements.'
Recalling a standout moment from her dancing journey, Leong, 21, pointed to the 2023 UDC concert – the first held after the Covid-19 pandemic.
'Preparing for that piece was challenging as I hadn't gone through the tough training in years.
'But in the weeks leading up to the concert, the team's bond strengthened and everyone was motivated to put on a good show. The concert was one of the peak moments where we felt like one,' she added.
Tickets for the concert can be purchased via repzyourstyle2025.web.app by selecting the 'United Dance Concert' under the concert tab, where seat and standing options are available.
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