By PROF JOSEPH GONZALES
Photos by Shi Chi P'ng
The pursuit of dance in higher education and the option of dance as a vocation often lead to questions of employment opportunities and trajectories which are relatively unchartered territories. This essay provides a brief overview of the dance ecosystem in Malaysia, the challenges as well as potentials of which one should be aware.
State-funded groups
All 13 states in Malaysia and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan have one or two professional arts groups each. One, under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, and the second under the auspices of the state governments. Additionally, there are quasi-state organisations such as the Johor Heritage Foundation, Sarawak Cultural Village and Dayak Foundation. Most of these groups focus primarily on traditional dance and the Malaysia Truly Asia repertoire.
Private companies and entertainment entrepreneurship
Malaysia has a thriving commercial industry where freelance dancers and choreographers are engaged on project basis. Companies cater to corporate events, dinner-theatre entertainment, recording artistes, expositions and independent stage productions. Television stations produce reality programmes that have created a lucrative industry for dancers and choreographers. As such, dance artistes can now also look for employment in musical theatre productions that have become prolific.
Companies such as klpac, Enfiniti Productions, Tall Order Productions, Asia Musical Productions, Dama Orchestra and Pan Productions create a constant stream of productions in the Klang Valley. Dance artistes are recommended to develop entrepreneurship, marketing and management skills for long-term success in this field.