Soo Ming’s love for traditional Malay dance still strong

Free Malaysia Today

Koo Soo Ming, a self-taught traditional Malay dancer is now passing down her knowledge to other senior citizens.  Story by: Sheela Vijayan Shot by: Fauzi Yunus Presented by: Theevya Ragu Edited by: Selven Razz  Read More:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2024/04/30/soo-mings-love-for-traditional-malay-dance-still-strong/  Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5 Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Download FMT News App: Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46 App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP  #FMTLifestyle #KooSooMing #InternationalDanceDay #Traditional #Malay #Dancer #Instructor

Transcript

00:00 So I have to do like a shoulder to shoulder.

00:03 5, 6, 7, 8.

00:06 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

00:11 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

00:16 It's not the same.

00:17 It's not the same to enter the line.

00:19 In fact, I didn't enter the line.

00:22 Khoo Soo Ming is a testament that no one should stop learning

00:26 or living their life to the fullest.

00:29 At 64 years old, she is a dancer and instructor in traditional Malay dance.

00:39 My name is Soo Ming.

00:42 I am a dancer.

00:45 Khoo, a Peranakan Chinese, was no stranger to traditional Malay culture

00:50 when growing up on the East Coast.

00:52 We have dikai barat, we have makyong, we have menorah, we have wayang kulit.

00:58 All that is the traditional music, you know.

01:00 I grew up with that.

01:02 Even from young, she loved dancing and recalls how she used to mimic

01:07 the moves of traditional Malay dancers she watched on television.

01:12 But she never pursued her passion in real life,

01:15 as back then in her hometown, dancing was considered indecent.

01:21 So she pursued her university degree instead,

01:25 got a job, married, and had kids.

01:30 With her hands full, Khoo never found the time to dance.

01:36 Then at 46, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

01:40 Devastated, she underwent treatment, and her cancer is now in remission.

01:44 Ironically, it was the cancer that brought Khoo back to the dancing she so loved.

01:50 She was 50 at the time and a volunteer with the National Cancer Society Malaysia

01:55 when she formed the Pink Unity Cultural Dancers for cancer survivors like herself.

02:02 She says that whenever she performs, it's as though something comes alive in her.

02:08 I feel like when I'm on stage, I feel like it's where I want to be all the time.

02:15 I want to be on stage.

02:16 And I don't want to be on stage to talk or to give speech.

02:21 I want to be on stage to dance.

02:23 Today, Khoo performs inang, joget, zapin, and tarian asli.

02:31 She also teaches these dances to other non-Malay senior citizens

02:36 who may not have the opportunity to learn traditional Malay dances otherwise.

02:41 Because younger people, they have so many opportunities to go anywhere else.

02:46 There are so many classes for them everywhere.

02:48 The elderly don't have.

02:50 You see, the elderly, if they go and join the normal class,

02:53 they have to compete with all the young people.

02:55 Because there'll be children, there'll be youngsters, you know.

02:57 Your leg can't compete with the young.

02:59 Khoo says that dancing and teaching give her a sense of purpose in life.

03:05 Don't always think that you are old.

03:07 Don't think that you are old.

03:09 You might look in the mirror, and of course, whatever you feel is not the same as what the mirror told you.

03:14 Just don't stop. Don't just think that, you know,

03:17 "Oh, I am old. I shouldn't be doing this." No.

03:21 Life doesn't stop.

03:23 Keep pursuing your passion until the end of the day.

03:28 Until your last breath.

03:32 [Music]

03:40 Divya Raghu and Sheila Bedian, FMT Lifestyle.

03:43 (gentle music)

03:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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