MALAYSIA - To be frank, the number of local learners of the International Standard Dance has failed to reach a satisfying number. And to make things worse, majority of the followers are the elders.

This is not because the dance is exclusively popular among the elders. As a matter of fact, learning the International Standard Dance involves more than just personal interest; the time and money spent on it are also factors that need to be taken into consideration.

In addition, there are countless choices for different types of dances in the world of youngsters nowadays.

At a time when swinging the body freely can also claim to be a form of "dance," not many young people would want to spend such a long time learning the standard skills of dancing and pass the pro exams.

It therefore came as a surprise to us when we heard that a pair of young students Ye Ben Qin (20) and Chen Mei Yin (19) were lured to the world of International Standard Dance a year ago.

Looking forward to the standard

It was Chen, was had acquired a talent in different types of traditional dances since 10, who suggested that they should pick up the International Standard Dance.

Despite a burning passion for this dance, due to a variety of reasons Chen had not been able to see her childhood dream come true.

She said during an interview with Sin Chew Daily that she had started developing a strong interest in the ISD when she watched the dance show on TV at the age of 11 or 12. She even begged her mum to get her the VCD on ISD back then.

Currently pursuing a course in food technology at a technical college, Chen came to know from her mother's friend only after graduating from high school that she could get a chance to learn the dance at the Kuantan Dance Association.

Sharing the passion

Her boyfriend Ye, meanwhile, admitted that he was learning the Latin dance upon the request of his girlfriend after she had learned the dance for about three months.

Due to lack of understanding of this dance, he initially refused to learn it, fearing that he would be seen by others as being sissy.

However, after practising for a few sessions, he began to change his perception and accepted it. Together, they passed their first test.

Common goal in life

When asked of his greatest reward in picking up the Latin dance, Ye admitted that although he had only wanted to accompany his girlfriend initially, he had since aspired to pursue a higher level of competency and take part in competitions after learning the dance.

He added that he was willing to accept the challenge by getting a better score in the coming tests.

Chen, meanwhile, said her life had become more meaningful now that both of them shared the common goal of mastering the International Standard Dance, instead of spending time watching movies together or eating out. (Translated by LIM LIY EE/Sin Chew Daily)