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MALAYA
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Malaya
Teacher/Choreographer - The Edge, Los Angeles
One of the most popular teachers in Los Angeles today, Malaya's class is a favorite of students and industry professionals alike. Malaya teaches private workshops both nationally and internationally as well as regular classes at the EDGE Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, CA. Her own performing expereince in television and videos include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and “Betcha” with Prince. She was also featured in the blockbuster film Batman & Robin starring George Clooney. We sat down with Malaya to find out what catches the eye of one of the nations top teachers.
| Q: | When did you decide that you wanted to be a teacher? | | A: | When students were always asking me questions in class when I myself was taking the same class. Dancers would also ask me if I had a class that they could take. I also wanted to offer a kind of class that I would like to attend myself. |
| Q: | Do you still perform? | | A: | Yes, whenever an opportunity arises. Or for work. |
| Q: | Have you ever been offered a performing contract that tempted you to leave teaching? | | A: | Yes, I was offered to go dance with Celine Dion in Vegas when the show was first coming into production. I told myself what I would be willing to leave should the contract be worth it. Unfortunately, we were unable to negotiate but fortunately I am still free to teach my classes at home and all over the world.. |
| Q: | Your choreography feels so wonderful to dance. You use space and levels and music that feels so good to dance to. What inspires your choreography? | | A: | To me, it?s all about the song. My steps come from how the music moves me, how the vocals move me, and how the silences moves me. It all intoxicates me and influences my movements |
| Q: | Your warm up is extremely technical and challenging and technique is an important part of your choreography. Does that stem from your early training? | | A: | Yes my early influences were definitely ballet based and a bit of Graham and Horton. I think ballet and modern at the beginning of a dancers training years is highly important. This is when we, as dancers, learn how to hold our bodies in the correct positions to achieve the most beautiful lines. All the modern is so important for body awareness and to find center by experiencing non-central work. Not only does technical work promote beautiful lines and pictures, it also promotes strength and safety. Learning how to hold ones body in the correct positions while dancing will prevent injury and sustain a dancers facility. |
| Q: | How important do you think a strong technical base is for a dancer in the professional world today? | | A: | For each medium, technique is more required in one than in others. It is a given that if one is choosing to do company work, technique is a daily practice and is at up most importance. Theatre work also requires that the dancers be well trained as far as picking up choreography and being able to pick up styles depending on what era the dancer will be dancing in for the show. Also some theatre shows are more dance oriented than others. As far as the commercial world, I am sad to say that technique is not at the top of the list of requirements. It?s all about the product and we know what sells(according to what we are seeing on television and movies these days). So as of now, find good looking people who can retain simple steps and you pretty much can work in the commercial work of dance. It is my wish that we go back to the days of technical dancing in commercials, television, and movies. I don?t expect it in everything, but it would be nice to have working dancers wanting to stay in class because of the technical difficulty required of them in the industry. |
| Q: | What catches your eye in class? What do you look for in a dancer? | | A: | Clean technique, musicality, and positive energy. |
| Q: | What advice would you give to a dancer in an audition situation? What gives a dancer an edge? | | A: | I would say to have a great time and to be themselves as much as possible. Casting directors already know what their looking for so trying to figure it out at the audition is pointless. Just be yourself and have fun. |
| Q: | How important do you think it is to continue training even when dancers begin to reach their goals as performers or teachers? | | A: | If your body allows you to keep dancing, I don?t know any reason why one would stop training. It?s an art form. Like life, it is always evolving. |
| Q: | Those of us who love your classes hope you?ll be teaching for a long time but where do you see yourself in the next 5 years? | | A: | Teaching is a part of my life that I am truly blessed with. I see myself still teaching. Hopefully choreographing for the commercial industry and choreographing company work(my own or others). |
| Q: | For dancers who can?t make a trip out to LA to study with you at The Edge, is there anywhere else that they might be able to catch you teaching? | | A: | I am always open to making in house visits for workshops and actually do that quite often. |
| Q: | What would be your one piece of advice for dancers who hope to make dance a career? | | A: | I would say to have no expectations. And to always remember why it is you chose to have dance as your career. It is a gift and we must always treat it as one. Just like any gift, it is not ours forever and can be taken away at any time. Enjoy every moment. From the ups and the downs. Have patience and find your place in the dance world and if you can?t seem to find your place, create one. Just don?t stop dancing! |
Malaya teaches regular classes as The Edge in Los Angeles and on the convention circuit for LA Dance Force. For more information on Malaya email us @: info@stagedooraccess.com
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