Artistic team
Choong Wan Chin
Artistic Director
Choong Wan Chin, Malaysian, is Founder and Artistic Director of Danceworks Production (now KL Dance Works) and Ballet Theatre Malaysia. A graduate of the Shanghai Dance School, she has danced with the Singapore Dance Theatre and Shanghai Ballet Company. Upon receiving her Master Degree of Fine Arts in Dance and Integrated Media at California Institute of the Arts, USA, she joined Ena Ballet Studio, Japan as Resident Choreographer and Principal teacher and co-founded Ena Ballet Studio Company.
From 2003-2010, Wan Chin worked in cooperation with the State Ballet School of Berlin (Staatsliche Ballet Schule Berlin) on a pre-professional training programme for talented Japanese students. In 2009, the program extended to include a partnership with Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy.
Wan Chin has been on the panel of adjudicator of The Dance Society of Malaysia’s Solo Classical Ballet Competition for 7 years (between 2004-2013). She also created the compulsory variations in Category 3 for the competition.
Since 2010, Wan Chin has been invited to bring her choreographies back to Malaysia. She has staged 10 major productions, full-length ballet repertoires and International Ballet Galas at the National Theatre (Istana Budaya Kuala Lumpur) and in 2015 collaborated with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in creating Carmen in Dance and Paquita Grand pas Classic.
During her tenure as the Artistic Director and choreographer at Ballet Theatre Malaysia, she presented ‘Impromptu’, ‘Bruch Violin Concerto’ (3 movements), ‘Carmen’ (full-length), ‘Traffic’, ‘Die Fledermaus’ (excerpts) and ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (full-length).
Wan Chin has been invited to guest teach and present her choreographies in USA, Japan, Colombia, Thailand and Singapore.
Rino Fujihashi
Principal Teacher
Classical ballet, repertoire
A graduate of Ena Ballet School’s Pre-professional Programme in Japan, Rino furthered her training at the State Ballet School of Berlin, Germany.
She has danced with Ena Ballet Studio Company and invited as guest artiste within Japan as well as Malaysia performing classical ballet roles such as Kitri/Kitri’s friend in ‘Don Quixote’, Aurora in ‘The Sleeping Beauty’, Swanhilda’s friend in ‘Coppelia’, ‘Flames of Paris’ Grand pas de deux partnering Kevin Jackson of The Australian Ballet, ‘Grand Pas Classic’ Grand pas de deux partnering Charles-Louis Yoshiyama of The Houston Ballet.
In 2015, she performed as a Soloist dancer in ‘Carmen’ and ‘Paquita’, a production by KL Dance Works in collaboration with Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and also in ‘La Bayadere’a production by KL Dance Works and The Dance Society of Malaysia. In 2018, she performed the ‘Peasant Pas de deux’ in ‘Giselle’ by KL Dance Works Production.
Her most recent guest appearance is with Ballet Theatre Malaysia’s (BTM) International Ballet Gala performing ‘Diana and Actaeon’ Grand pas de deux partnering International Principal dancer Taras Domitro and ‘Talisman’ Grand pas de deux partnering BTM artiste Dominic Lor.
She was ballet and rehearsal mistress with Ballet Theatre Malaysia from 2021-2022.
Kong Ke Xin
Teacher
Classical ballet, repertoire
Ke Xin began learning ballet at the tender age of 5 and completed her Vocational Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus in Advanced 2 with Distinction.
She won first prize in The Dance Society of Malaysia Solo Classical Ballet Competitions in Category 2 (2017) and Category 1 (2018). This achievement awarded her the opportunity to attend the Cecchetti Summer Ballet School in 2018. Being a ballet enthusiast, Ke Xin attends workshops conducted by well known ballet educators such as Bat Erdene Udval, Han Kee Juan, Lisa Macuja Elizalde just to name a few. This has enhanced her knowledge in many aspects in dance and education.
In 2018, she joined Ballet Manila as a company artist and performed in a number of classical ballet productions including Lisa Macuja Elizalde’s Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, Le Corsaire, La Bayadere, Les Sylphides and The Nutcracker; and original folk tale/modern ballet choreographies such as Ibong Adarna, Carmen, Carmina Burana and La Traviata.
Ke Xin is now a full-time teacher at KL Dance Works Ballet Academy.
Casandra Chan
Teacher
Classical ballet- Pre Ballet, Preparatory
Founding Directors
Chen Wei
Sunny Chan Hean Kee
Choong Wan Chin
Managing Director
Vincent Choong