My Dearest Dance Teacher: please treat me properly and don’t disappoint me. Again.
Kelly Lee
He dances so well. That’s why I wanted to learn from him. He has won battles. He is well-known in the Hong Kong street dance community. He is nice to his students and he has earned so much respect from them. But not from me, not anymore, after knowing some truths about him.
Here I am, revealing the sexual scandals that have happened in the street dance community in Hong Kong. As a female dancer, I started to lose faith in this field when male dancers did not behave themselves, did not show respect to the opposite gender, and took advantage of their status. It is disappointing when you hear about scandals involving teachers and dancers you used to look up to. No matter how great they danced, their dances became ugly, disgusting, distanced, disrespectful, and disgraceful. Whether I experienced it or not or whether this is a story from my friends…I have had enough of this.
The Hong Kong Street Dance Field
I came across this article by the Lithuanian dancer, Gabija Cepelyte, on Ink Cypher. In it she sheds light on the imbalance of gender and power in the European street dance scene. Speaking of the domination of male dancers in street dance, it is not limited to battles, here I’d like to point out their dominance in the dance studio, on the dance floor and in the dance circle.
I did not enter the street dance field until I was undertaking my university studies. The universities in Hong Kong gather large groups of passionate young dancers through their dance societies and this is where you get to learn from the current active street dancers and university alumni. Imagine that each of the tertiary institutions established their own street dance team. Each year, the ten institutions in Hong Kong come together and hold different dance events, including: Joint University Mass Dance, Intra-Varsity Dance Competition, Annual Performance, Joint University Battle Session and more. Every year, these dance societies nurture hundreds of students and alumni to perform and compete, creating a huge pool of new generation dancers. If each school engages 80 dancers in their events, then the ten universities in Hong Kong have brought together over 800 dancers each year. It is an astonishing number of dancers, right? In addition to the dance societies, private dance studios in Hong Kong also provide street dance training and showcases, which attract dancers, whether they belong to any school team or not, to enter the street dance field.
There are no official statistics on the demographics of the street dance field in Hong Kong. Nevertheless, if you consider the involvement in street dance culture – those who go to classes, watch or compete in the battles, jamming in sessions and parties – the number of street dance participants is large and is rising in demand compared to the academic and theatrical dance fields in Hong Kong.
The Gender Imbalance
But how does this affect the gendered power imbalance?
One interesting fact. While the majority of students are female, the street dance tutors are usually male. Sure, the distribution of male and female dancers varies between the dance styles. However, except for the feminine dance genres, most of the dance instructors of Hip Hop, Locking, House, etc. are men. Take house dance as an example, as I am a house dancer, there are no female tutors in Hong Kong. No female house dancers are giving regular classes, choreography and training in any dance studio or university dance society. I have learnt house dance only from male house dancers, with an occasional pop-up class by some female dancers. When I look at the European house scene, I remember seeing female house dancers like Marie Kaae, Clara Bajado and Toyin Sogunro shining on the dance floor, spreading their love in the circle, and sharing their experience with house lovers. Same as Gabija, I am trying to look for female idols around me. But when I found it difficult to take a house dance class from a female tutor, that was when I started to question the gender imbalance in the house circle.
The house circle in Hong Kong back then was not as peaceful as I had known it. Some male dancers were defining their house as the authentic style whilst pointing fingers towards female dancers, claiming that their feminine groove was not “house” enough. Men started to dominate the dance studio and only male dancers were “eligible” to teach. Only muscular grooves were the correct way to move. Only men judged and won house battles and over time, admirers chased after only male idols.
Learning dance from the opposite gender does not carry any specific meaning and I can exchange, learn and enjoy dancing with dancers regardless of their gender. It is the imbalance of gender in such a huge pool of students that really matters here. Once you enter the studio, you see that the dance classroom has granted power to the tutor and the power struggle is inevitable. I sometimes feel like one of the fish in a tank when I am dancing with a group of dancers, mostly girls, under a male tutor and this feeling gets stronger when I go deeper into the dance field. This insecurity eventually stopped me from pursuing dance with those male tutors. Not all tutors deserve the respect we have granted them, as some are exploiting their power given to them by their gender.
Sexual Misconduct in the Dance Field
So, what have they done?
It was two years ago when I witnessed a mini wave of #MeToo in the street dance community. It emerged on social media and was initiated by a female street dancer. I was shocked when I heard about a sexual harassment scandal involving an active dance tutor. It is terrible and there are more victims than I know who were harassed by the same person. Worse still, this dance tutor continued his teaching and dance jobs, without losing respect or support from his students and admirers.
It is not uncommon to see sexual misconduct in different dance scenes. “The dance community is a place often riddled with job scarcity and a hierarchy of professionals, making it a spot where sexual abuse can easily fester.” Moreover, while dancing is an act of human interaction with one another, it creates room for people to connect, mingle and contact, both physically and spiritually. It is a shame to see dance teachers exploiting their power through sexual misconduct in the US, Canada, and even Taiwan. The allegation in Hong Kong did not create as high an exposure as the incident in Taiwan did, but it doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen.
When I recall my personal experiences in my dance journey, it brings up some unpleasant memories. I remember experiencing verbal sexual harassment, even though it was some seemingly unintentional jokes. Having unnecessary body touch, which I do not welcome. Receiving uncomfortable compliments that have nothing to do with my dance. Not to mention body shaming. Those bad experiences did not trigger or offend me enough to speak out at that moment. But those moments accumulated and so did my disappointment. The disappointment is not against one specific tutor. It is all these past incidents that I encountered with different dance tutors that have let me down. I started to lose trust and feel insecure when I danced with and learned from them. I couldn’t help but start to think, do all male Hong Kong dance tutors behave this way?
What's The Matter?
It is easy to put a filter on the top dancers. I have been there. I used to look up to dancers who danced so well. The appearance of a skillful street dancer can be so fascinating. It is so easy to be captured and attracted by their attitude, power moves and eye-catching grooves and I blindly followed some teachers, following them like a dance celebrity. The culture we embraced has created this superficial atmosphere, where we only appreciate the dance and forget about what’s behind it. This leads me to a question: Does morality matter when we dance?
The longer I stay in the circle, the more I witness, and the more disappointed I get. I started to understand that the ones who truly earned my respect are those who are not only good dancers, but are also good people. Hip-hop is a culture of love, equality and respect. Being a good dancer is hard, but being a good person is harder. You may practice everyday and become a battle champion one day. But when you forget the goodness behind the culture, you actually lose. You have lost the core value of Hip-hop and the culture has lost you.
People in the community support you. Aspiring dancers learn from you. Your crewmates grow with you. If you have decided to behave and hurt people under the name of Hip-hop, it brings shame on Hip-hop. Spread the good message through your dance, through your move, and through your words. Do not shame your people, your students, your crewmates and your culture.
Sometimes I ask myself. Am I overreacting?
Some may seek a dance teacher based only on their technique. Don’t get me wrong. I still respect and appreciate their knowledge, technique and achievement as a dancer. And I believe I can learn good skills from their dance if I continue my pursuit in street dance with them. But it is such a shame that a hostile culture has been created by a minority of dancers. Since “those holding [the power] are in control of values, trends and the direction of the development of our beloved scene. They decide what is celebrated and what is awarded.” (Gabija Cepelyte, Ink Cypher, 2023) What we acquiesce to is what we empower. If a dancer did not have the respect, then the unceasing accumulation of credit and fame would eventually catch the winds of injustice. As part of our culture, we have to take action in order to protect what is truly worth the applause.
Our sense of belonging and security are crucial elements when we open ourselves up in street dance. I’ve found it very difficult to re-enter the circle when I don’t even feel safe to communicate, dance with or connect with others. The tolerance of unethical practices has narrowed the possibility for a healthy and sustainable dance circle. I know I am not the only one who has been disappointed by this and has had to step back a bit from this culture.
The Street Dance Utopia
Sexual misconduct does not happen only in Hong Kong and in our street dance scene. If you pay attention to certain issues in society, it is not difficult to see sexual exploitation happening in every circle. Sexual misconduct is not limited to male on female or a heterosexual basis. Sexual assault happens regardless of gender and geography. I’m just sharing my side of the story as a heterosexual female dancer in Hong Kong. Sometimes I feel small and helpless when witnessing the toxic development in the circle. Sometimes I feel indignant and imagine changing the Hip-hop world. Besides stepping out of the culture, how should we act in order to create the street dance utopia?
Dancing as an art form is supposed to be expressing our authentic selves, sharing our aesthetic senses, and building our artistic world. We train, we practice, we battle. But what exactly are we battling for? The fame? The titles? The respect? If the art we are working so hard for is causing harm to people, then this is not the correct way of doing it.
It is actually a bit tricky to acknowledge the dark side of Hip-hop culture with all the history of misogyny, drugs, and violence. But when we are part of this culture, it is on us to humanise Hip-hop and bring a positive and new meaning to the world. First we are humans, then we are dancers. Let’s teach the next generation good morals and good behaviour before we teach them good dance. For dance educators, you should teach from an ethical and respectful basis. Demonstrate the good values that Hip-hop has taught us. For aspiring dancers, choose your teacher with care. Follow and give appreciation to those who truly do good in dancing and education. Do not tolerate any violation of gender abuse or disrespectful behavior. Gabija is right. Being a “powerful component of the scene”, we have the right to decide our involvement in a dance class, battle, or party independently. “If we don’t agree with the way an event [or a dance class] is organised, we have the right to withdraw and express why we won’t be attending.” (Gabija Cepelyte, Ink Cypher, 2023)
I never planned to leave the circle. But these days of stepping back gave me room to reflect on my dance journey, to learn from the past, and to heal my broken parts. Those precious days have brought me to a critical point where I have become capable of recognising who has earned my respect, and who has not. Despite the disappointment, I truly wish to reconnect with those who have inspired me in the past. Step by step, I am rebuilding my trust in the circle. And bit by bit, I am clearer on what kind of dancer, or a human being, I would like to become. Only if I dance in the way that I respect, will I be able to surround myself with respectful people. So, my dearest dance teacher: please treat me properly. Don’t disappoint me, again.
Some Afterwords
This was not an easy essay to write. It’s not a casual issue to talk about and not a decent story to share. There are always many sides to a story. What I have written are vulnerable thoughts and sensitive feelings which I would love to bury underneath my appearance, my daily life, even underneath my dance, and let nobody ever find out.
There is no purpose to “attacking someone” or naming any one person to make them headline news. This brings no advantage to me. But as a part of the street dance culture in Hong Kong, I really want to express my disappointment against some of those disrespectful people and facts that I have known. It is my simple wish that everyone, including myself, can enjoy dancing in a circle with love, a sense of security and respect.
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This text was conceived during the Hip Hop Dance Writing Laboratory in Hong Kong in April 2025. It is part of Ink Cypher Round 4, published November 2025.
A response to In F(l)avour of Masculine: The Disbalance of Power in the European Street Dance Battle Scene by Gabija Cepelyte.
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Kelly Lee Hiuying
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kelly Lee is a dance artist specialised in Contemporary Dance and House Dance.
Kelly is a dancer who loves to ponder the meaning and feelings in life. Her dance journey began with Modern Jazz, and was impressed by the flexibility and possibility of different dance genres later in the university dance society. During her studies, she was trained in various street dance styles in performance, freestyle and battles.
After her graduation, she started her professional training in Passoverdance with contemporary dance theatre performance experience and choreography debut. Apart from commercial performances and productions, she is now interested in integrating different dance elements based on contemporary dance and developing her unique dance style.
This text is part of Ink Cypher Round 4 and is published in English and Chinese.
中文翻譯按此 - Chinese version, click here
Original translation: ChatGPT
Additional translation and edited: Catherine Yau
Kelly Lee