Previous Story
Cerinn Hwang moves to her own beat
Saipan International School sophomore Cerinn Hwang started dancing at the age of 3. With 13 years of ballet experience, this 15-year-old said her mother initially sought ballet for her so that she would have good posture and body coordination. However, Hwang explained that the underlying purpose of pursuing dance was not only to fire up her burgeoning passion for the art but also to learn English while living in a predominantly Korean-speaking household.
Fifteen-year-old Cerinn Hwang. (Contributed Photo)
The teenager has already gained an impressive community following as an active student leader and entertainer. Hwang said she spends time in the studio at least three times a week.
“I always try to find a balance between academics and extracurriculars by setting priorities and getting through my tasks one by one. Wasting time is a big no for me.”
Besides being the substitute teacher at the Glushko Academy of Performing Arts, Hwang is a Tahitian dancer at Kanoa Resort and entertains audiences at events like the annual Flame Tree Arts Festival and Taste of the Marianas.
She plans to pursue higher education at a university after high school, but said dancing will always be a part of her life.
“I’d love to be able to continue using dance as a means of service and entertainment that I can provide to others through art. I’d also like to continue dancing to stay fit.”
As a quiet and shy 3-year-old, though, she wasn’t initially sold on the idea of taking up ballet classes.
“I was so afraid of meeting new people and trying new things I actually cried the first day at the studio. But ballet opened me up to a big world. Constantly exploring and experimenting, I immediately left my shyness behind and learned how to express myself through movement,” she said. “Soon enough, ballet became more than simply twirling around onstage in tutus and pointe shoes. It became a way for me to communicate with the audience, other dancers, and most importantly, myself.”
That then led the way to cultural Polynesian and Micronesian forms of dance, away from tradition ballet routines.
“Every time I heard the drum beats of a Tahitian otea, I would feel the thump-thump all the way inside,” she said. “I really mean it when I say dancing is my life.”
