Music & Drama Company artiste Afiq Noorazwa (@fiquenoh) started dancing at the age of five. Now 30 years old, he’s made dance a career, helping to choreograph large-scale national events like the National Day Parade and the River HongBao.
In addition to his job as a full-time artiste, Afiq is also a creative producer, choreographer and contemporary dance technique instructor for local dance companies, where he nurtures young dancers.
But what sets Afiq apart from many other professional dancers is that he has a health condition that affects his nerves and therefore his ability to move. Despite this setback, he has no plans to give up his passion for dance and intends to keep moving forward with his career goals as much as he can.
Destined to dance
Afiq started out doing traditional Malay dance. His parents ran a dance school and enrolled him in the children’s training programme. He says that this was their way of keeping him and his siblings with them at all times, because they had no other childcare alternatives. When he turned 13, he enrolled in the school’s pre-professional programme and discovered his passion for being on stage.
At first, learning dance felt like a chore to Afiq, but he slowly grew to appreciate it as a form of art – something that he thanks his parents for.
“My parents are both forward thinking as choreographers and were versatile performers back in their heyday. My dad is creative and what I call a total performer because he’s good at all styles of dance, while my mum has always been very supportive of my dance life.”
Afiq later graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’ dance programme, and in 2018, he joined the Music & Drama Company. In addition to dancing, Afiq also sings and acts.
A shattering health diagnosis
There is no name for what Afiq suffers from. In 2018, doctors told him that his body was weakening at an accelerated rate. He felt it, too, as he often had difficulty walking and using his hands. He began treatment that same year, and says that he’s doing a lot better now, although some days are a little tougher than others.
“Sometimes, it feels impossible to even get out of bed – mentally I may be awake, but physically, I just can’t move,” he shares.
Because of his condition, Afiq never knows what the day will bring – it depends on whether he is able to move or not. As difficult as it sometimes is, he does what he can to live as normal a life as possible. He also says that he tries to be kind to himself and doesn’t beat himself up for not being able to move as quickly as he’d like.
“I’ve made peace with the fact that I have this health condition, although it took me a while to get there. I can still go about my day, just very slowly, and I make no apology for it.
“Now, when I wake up, I’ll reach for my walking stick, prop myself up and make a cup of coffee or take a shower. It takes me a while to execute even the simplest tasks sometimes, but I can only do what my body lets me do, and if that’s what counts as my best for that day, then I have to accept it.”
While changing his mindset has made his health journey a little more bearable, he adds that he’s also emotionally stronger thanks to support from his family and friends.
At the moment, Afiq takes medication every night and has monthly follow-ups with his doctor.
Pushing forward is the only option
Even with his health setback, Afiq says that his love for dance and performing is what keeps him moving forward. He also believes that brighter days are ahead, and it’s this optimism that pushes him to continue doing his best. He says that being able to perform on-stage right now is the most humbling experience for him.
Before his diagnosis, Afiq dreamed of touring the world as a performer. His dreams are a little different today.
“I’m just trying to be present in the moment right now,” he explains.
“When I’m older, I’d love to do dance productions for dance companies around the world, but to be honest, it would be great to just be able to get out of bed in the mornings and have breakfast.”
He also hopes to continue teaching dance students, so that he can share his skills and experience with them and help them become better dancers.
“Having trained for so many years, I get to choose the training methods that worked for me and impart them to my students.
“What I love most about teaching dance is being a part of someone else’s journey. It’s truly magical seeing others bloom and grow, not just professionally but personally, too.”
Want more articles like this, and other lifestyle content right in your inbox? Download the new SAFRA mobile app and opt in for the eNSman Newsletter – you don’t need to be a SAFRA member to subscribe – and never miss another story!
