Twenty-eight-year-old Christine Lau had just finished her regular Sunday morning Chinese dance class when she turned up at Tatler's photo shoot in early July, and was excited to demonstrate what she'd learnt. "Dancing makes me happy. I have been learning ballet since I was four. My favourite production is Swan Lake," she says.
Tatler spoke to Lau and four other members of the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association (HKDSA) to get a better understanding of the challenges faced by people with Down syndrome in Hong Kong, a subject that is not widely discussed outside of the community of families and caretakers. They were joined by HKDSA president and Tatler's Asia's Most Influential honouree Victoria Tang-Owen.
Dancing isn't just a hobby but a serious business for Lau. Over the years, she has studied jazz and modern dance, and has represented Hong Kong in international events, including the 2016 International Abilympics Bordeaux, the world's largest vocational skills competition for people with disabilities, and the Pyeongchang Special Music and Art Festival in South Korea in 2014. Today, Lau-with an intermediate foundation level in ballet issued by the Royal Academy of Dance under her belt-is a teaching assistant for the dance groups at Rotary Club of Hong Kong Island West Hong Chi Morning Hope School-Shine and HKDSA.
She is a rare Hongkonger-particularly one with a disability who has been able to turn a hobby into a career. HKDSA's director Erica Lee says while many members of the association take an interest in and show an aptitude for dance due to the prevalence of hyperflexibility among people with the condition, very few of them find work as dance professionals. More commonly, they find manual labour jobs; those with only mild intellectual disability may find work with large companies such as office mail delivery, cleaning, packaging or as an office assistant. "These aren't a lot of options," Lee admits.
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2023 edition of Tatler Hong Kong.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE LAST WORD
Every issue, we ask our cover star a round of quickfire questions that give us a little more insight into their personalities. This month: Takashi Murakami
GOING WITH THE FLOW
How does one approach the ancient philosophy of feng shui in a modern way? Three leading Hong Kong-based designers share their thoughts on this revered art of placement and how to introduce its principles into our spaces
SCENE MAKER
Italian architect Antonio Citterio reflects on his enduring collaboration with Maxalto and how far the furniture brand has come since its early beginnings
MODERN FAMILY
Kourtney Kardashian's California sanctuary by famed designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, is where elegance meets comfort
A TO Z COSMETIC TREATMENTS
From Botox to glass skin facials, here are the most talked-about cosmetic treatments to know
CHANGING THE GAME
Our world is ever-changing, and so is the way we experience it. Tatler explores how the travel industry is adapting to the needs and values of a new generation
ACTS OF SERVICE
Go on, then. Ask Vea and Wing's chef-owner Vicky Cheng what his love language is
THE BIRTH OF A MOVEMENT
More women are taking back their birthing experience and their power by challenging the institutionalised norms surrounding childbirth, honouring the healing process and leaning on the magic of sisterhood
THE RIGHT INGRDIENTS
Oscar nominee Tran Anh Hung, who won Best Director at Cannes last year, evolves the language of cinema to present the simple beauty of Vietnam
THIRST TRAP
Marilyn Minter takes an exclusive self-portrait for Tatler and reminds the world why raw, honest, non-conforming beauty is the most compelling kind