With the curly-do of a prince, a fresh-crisp smile, and the physique of a magnificent dancer, Chuang Shih-Hsien leaves a bold and lasting impression on everyone he meets. At the age of 12, Chuang ventured to England where he began self-discovering the art of dance. At age 14 he entered London’s Royal Academy of Dance, and at age 19 graduated and joined the Hungarian National Ballet. Chuang never fails to surprise everyone with his vitality and optimism, which is especially rare considering the countless hours of intense practice and physical endurance that he has undergone. Having spent 8 years of his youth in London, Chuang learnt to be independent and to do things on his own. “I didn’t know how to speak English at first, but had to do everything myself. It was simple things though, like if I were hungry, ofcourse I’d have to go find food and cook. I didn’t have much time to think too much about things then, but looking back now I was so young but had to quickly learn how to survive on my own.” Besides the occasional venture to the theatre or musical show, Chuang spent most of his time rehearsing at school. It may seem like a mundane life to most people, but to Chuang life abroad was full of color. Everyone in Europe seemed to find joy in dressing up for a performance, or to have tea with friends. Even just watching TV and cheering for your favorite football team seemed as an embrace to the simple joys of life. In Europe, art is engrained in people’s lives and has become a habitual part of their daily routine; To Chuang, merely living in Europe made him feel like life was rich and full of adventure. After 10 years in Europe, Chuang returned to Taipei and now teaches at his mother’s dance studio He still participates in many performances and continues to bring a young and motivated spirit to his craft of dance. Ballet to Chuang is like a rose to a prince, it defines who he is and everything he continues to strive to be.
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