Cover Mui Cheuk-yin at the ‘Double Happiness: The Promise of Red’ performance at Freespace (Photo: courtesy of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority)
Mui Cheuk-yin at the ‘Double Happiness: The Promise of Red’ performance at Freespace (Photo: courtesy of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority)
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The classical dancer-turned-Canto-pop-choreographer finds inspiration for her dance moves everywhere, from cats to the movement of waves
When Mirror’s Keung To “floated on waves” in his solo concert in August, fans were dazzled by the this interpretation of the shui xiu (water sleeve in Mandarin) dance move. But some might not know is that it was choreographed by Mui Cheuk-yin, one of Asia’s most well-respected choreographers.
In her long career spanning more than 40 years, she has brought the best of Chinese dance styles to the international stage, capturing the essence of Chinese folk and classical dance through modern presentations, as well as choreographing classic western pieces such as Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of Spring (1913) and cross-cultural dance shows such as Whispering Colour (2000).
Recently, she has been taking on the Canto-pop world by designing dance sequences for singers such as Keung To, Hins Cheung and Andy Lau. Here are five things to know about the renowned choreographer.
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1. Chinese classical dancer to modern dance choreographer
Above Mui Cheuk-yin at the rehearsal of Hong Kong singer Hins Cheung’s 2019 concert (Image: Instagram / @hinscheung)
Mui Cheuk-yin at the rehearsal of Hong Kong singer Hins Cheung’s 2019 concert (Image: Instagram / @hinscheung)
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Before Mui became an independent choreographer and modern dance teacher in the ’90s, she had already broken out in Hong Kong’s dance scene as a trained Chinese classical dancer. She also won the Hong Kong Young Choreographer Competition in 1985 and received a scholarship to study modern dance in New York. Since then, she has choreographed and performed at several dance festivals and institutions across the world, such as Belgium, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Denmark and Japan.
2. Ambassador of Chinese culture
Above Mui Cheuk-yin at the ‘Double Happiness: The Promise of Red’ show at Freespace (Photo: Instagram / @freespace_wk)
Mui Cheuk-yin at the ‘Double Happiness: The Promise of Red’ show at Freespace (Photo: Instagram / @freespace_wk)
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While choreographing modern dance sequences, she hasn’t forgotten her roots—instead creating her own style by blending Chinese folk dance elements with modern dance. She has also portrayed Chinese customs, culture and familial relationships in her dance performances, but rather than presenting these themes through traditional lens, she has put a modern spin on these topics.
3. Mui and Keung To
When Mirror member Keung To planned his first solo concert—In My Sight, which took place in Hong Kong in August—he invited Mui to be his choreographer. Mui designed the choreography which dazzled fans with a unique shui xiu (water sleeve in Mandarin) dance move that imitated the movement of waves. Paired with lighting effects, it looked as if Keung was floating on waves when he was lifted up by the supporting dancers.
4. Choreographer for Andy Lau
Mui is a long-time collaborator with actor and singer Andy Lau, who is known for his signature pop dance style. In 2008, Mui choreographed a 20-minute dance sequence for Lau’s Wonderful World Concert Tour in China, which earned him the moniker “new dance king”. In 2010, he invited Mui to choreograph his Unforgettable Concert, which celebrated 30 years of his singing career.
5. ‘Catwoman’ Mui
One of Mui’s most poignant works is Diary (2021), in which she uses the metaphor of stray cats in a playground to explore the theme of survival in an urban space. She was inspired by her own experience to create this dance performance—when she was 30, she came across an abandoned kitten in a box by the roadside in pouring rain. Nobody nearby claimed the cat to be theirs, so Mui took pity on the animal and took it home. Since then, she has adopted four stray cats.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
