“Dance is not only for the talented ones, but for anyone who seeks passion in life. Each soul has its own distinctive quality, it’s one of a kind AURA”
Mona Lai - Instructor | Studio Director
Certified teacher of Beijing Dance Academy Chinese Dance Exam Syllabus | Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) | Barre Fitness Instructor | Pilates Certified
Mona was born in Vancouver and raised in Hong Kong where she started dancing at the age of three. She received her Chinese classical and folk dance, ballet, contemporary and tap dance training at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). Mona completed the full 13 grades of the Beijing Dance Academy Graded Examination at the age of 15 and was selected to perform with the Hong Kong Dance Company in the annual dance production “Journey to the West” as well as a student representative for the “Shanghai Cultural and Arts Festival”. During her study at HKAPA, Mona was chosen out from 200 students to play the role of Topsy in the intensive musical production, “The King and I”. During her study in Vancouver, Mona founded the Chinese Dance Society where she taught and choreographed Contemporary Chinese dance to students. The dance troupe was invited by various community schools and organizations to perform in multicultural events.
Now a certified teacher of the Beijing Dance Academy Graded Chinese Dance Examination Syllabus, Progressive Ballet Technique (PBT) and certified Barre Fitness Instructor, Mona was the winner of local major dance competitions, including 1st place in the National Solo category of the 2012 Raise the Barre Dance Competition, 2nd place in the 2015 Surrey Festival of Dance and 1st place in both National Solo and Choreography category of 2016 Peak Invitational Dance Challenge.
Completed projects and works include “The Living Archive”, a collaborative performance with the New Westminster Museum and Archives together with local new media artists, dancers and songwriters at the Anvil Center. Choreographer and Movement Director for Drama Lover Production’s original Cantonese musical “Love for Sale” presented at the Norman Rothstein Theatre in 2017.
Apart from dance, Mona was trained in music and has achieved Grade 8 of the Royal Schools of Music Piano Examination.
