Dance on the Screen, Movement beyond the Lens

Ng Sai-fun

A lively character in his 80s, Ng Sai-fun wielded a pair of wooden sticks used in yingge dance. While he said he is good at demonstrating dance, he is even more adept at teaching it. He received training in ballet, and studied folk dance while on the mission of collecting folk materials in China. Ng worked for the Great Wall Movie Enterprise for more than 30 years, during which he created choreography for countless films and conducted training for actors. He was an active presence both onstage and backstage, and his work encompassed Cantonese opera, Mandarin-language films, Cantonese-language films and musicals. In the 1990s he retired and emigrated to Canada, where he has lived a leisurely life since. Today, he still brightens up while talking about dance. Anyone who has the opportunity to watch him demonstrate dance moves and listen to his tips for studying dance can see why he became the dance teacher to various stars.

Date of interview: 23 October 2016
Location: Ng Sai-fun’s apartment in Vancouver
Recorded and noted by: Lam Heyee
Translated by Nicolette Wong