There’s a quote from the local movie “The Way We Dance”: How far are you willing to go for the sake of dancing? Lady Banan, member of the Hong Kong Breaking Team, is striving for a spot in the Paris Olympics, can give you the answer. Her dancing journey is fairly dramatic.

During the day, she works as a beautician and dance teacher. At night, she puts on a headscarf, changes into stylish attire, and dances tirelessly to the intense rhythm of the music. She spins, flips, and handstands, with countless movements that can only be described as dazzling.

It's hard to imagine that the graceful and well-mannered Lady Banan was once a "troublesome student." Starting from junior high, she started skipping classes and her friends were disinterested in studying. They would hang out on the streets until late at night. Looking back now, at the age of 27, she said, "Breaking saved me."

Many artists often say that they entered the industry by accompanying their friends and ended up becoming successful themselves. Lady Banan is no exception. When she was in Form 4, breaking instructors from Youth Outreach were invited to perform in school. Her first impression was, "When I saw them performing on stage, I thought they were very cool and stylish." A few friends urged her to join a breaking interest class together, and she reluctantly went along. Initially, she only intended to attend a few classes to socialize with friends, and the difficulty of the moves made her want to give up after the first few sessions. However, she was the only one who persevered until now. 

"I was always active when I was young, and I have talent in sports. I played basketball, volleyball, and participated in athletics. I learned swimming on my own through the Internet. But breaking was a sport that I wanted to give up on quickly. Just learning the stretches and the movements like handstands that lifted the body off the ground made me feel like my limbs were broken when I woke up in the next morning. At that moment, I didn't want to continue learning. But thinking about its challenges, every time I learned a new move, the sense of accomplishment was immense, something I couldn't find in my studies." As a secondary school student, Chiu Wai, because of breaking, was able to distance herself from bad influences. After school at 3 pm, she would go to the dance studio at 4 pm, followed by training at the Youth Outreach. She often practised until the last MTR train. Day after day, she gradually distanced herself from her bad schoolmates.

She started to use the name "Banana" (similar Cantonese pronunciation to her name "Chiu") in the Breaking Rookie Competition after learning for three months in Form 4. Until now, people in the field still call her Lady Banan (originating from her more feminine movements and removing the last "a" from the word "banana"). Over the past 12 years, she has gained invaluable experiences from breaking.

Breaking has taught her nothing is impossible

"Apart from the sense of accomplishment, I was a more timid person, reluctant to try many things, lacking confidence. When I started learning breaking, my first reaction was to shake my head whenever the instructor asked me to do a new move. But after attending three or four classes, I realized that I could actually do that. Just like in one-on-one battles, I had never experienced that kind of nervousness and fear before. But the excitement and encouragement from the audience and the ambience made me keep going. Breaking has taught me that once I take the first step, nothing is impossible." 

Similarly, who would have imagined that breaking would become a competition event in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games? Lady Banan has also never dreamed of it. She now temporarily sets aside her beauty work and focuses on striving for the Olympic points. She said, "The Olympics only happen once every four years, and I'm not getting any younger. I really want to seize this opportunity, work hard to compete for a spot in the Olympics. I may earn less money by reducing my beauty work, but it's worth it." Currently, her training and participation in overseas competitions are relentless, including 4-5 hours of breaking practice every night and at least two days of physical training per week.

In the Breaking for Gold (BfG) International Series held in Montreal, Canada in early June this year, Lady Banan achieved her personal best and ranked 21st. Along with her continuous participation in BfG competitions in recent months, she is currently ranked 77th in the Paris Olympics ranking and the first among Hong Kong B-Girls. She said, "The gap between foreign breakers and us lies in the difference in competition experience. But with our continuous participation in BfG competitions, we are gradually narrowing the gap."

DanceSport Association of Hong Kong, China will organise the finale and highest-level "Breaking for Gold World Series" in Elizabeth Stadium, Wan Chai from 15 – 16 December. Approximately 200 elite dancers from 50 countries or regions are expected to come to Hong Kong to compete for points. Lady Banan hopes to reach at least the quarterfinals or even semifinals by taking home advantage. She also calls on Hongkongers to buy the tickets and support this unprecedented event.

WDSF Breaking For Gold World Series – Hong Kong 2023

Date: 15-16.12.2023

Venue: Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Ticketing: Free admission,Free Seating.(Stay tuned for further announcements regarding registration details)