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For Allyna Wong, learning Indian classical dance was never about chasing awards or turning her passion into a career. It simply began with a video that made her want to try something new.
Seven years later, it became a journey of discovering her own discipline, confronting self doubt and continuing to do something she loves.
Today, the 27-year-old works as a full-time content creator and event emcee. Alongside her working life, she continues making room for dance.
Speaking to WeirdKaya, Allyna shared how her curiosity about Bharatanatyam brought her into an unfamiliar art form and why she kept going, even when she became the only one left from her original group.
A dance video sparked her curiosity
Allyna’s love for cultural dance began long before she attended her first Indian classical dance class, where she started learning traditional Malay dance at the age of 11.
Throughout secondary school, she actively performed and participated in competitions, developing an interest in Malaysia’s cultural dances along the way. However, Indian classical dance was something she had never had the opportunity to learn.
That changed one day during college, when she decided to look up videos of it.
Among the videos was an Alarippu performance that left her in awe. Soon, one video followed another as she found herself watching more Bharatanatyam performances.
I just remembered thinking to myself, ‘Wow! I need to learn this’.”
Rather than leaving it as something she admired from a screen, Allyna began researching classes and eventually enrolled.
Learning to express unfamiliar sides of herself
Although Allyna already had experience performing, Bharatanatyam introduced her to a different way of dancing.
Before starting lessons, she hadn’t realised how much storytelling and emotional expression the art form involved.
Through her training, Allyna encountered the nine emotions known as Navarasa, which dancers explore in some of their performances.
For someone whose previous dance experience had never required her to express herself in those ways, it initially felt unfamiliar.
Over time, the learning extended beyond movements and choreography, with dance beginning to reveal sides of herself she never knew existed.
As Allyna’s curiosity continued to grow, so did her venture with Indian classical dance, where she moved on from Bharatanatyam to Odissi towards the end of 2025.
Finding her connection came with challenges
Still, being interested in the dance did not mean every part of the journey came naturally.
For Allyna, one of the hardest aspects was connecting with it on the deeper, spiritual level she observed among her fellow dancers.
Having grown up without the same familiarity with Hindu mythology, she found herself learning stories and cultural references that were new to her. At the same time, she sometimes questioned her own abilities.
“There were moments where I wished I had started sooner. As someone who was also balancing work and other responsibilities, I often compared my flexibility and strength with where I wanted them to be.
Sometimes I do feel like I’m experiencing imposter syndrome.”
Yet those feelings did not take away her desire to improve.
Allyna describes herself as someone who enjoys a challenge. Even when she feels she is falling short, that part of her gives her a reason to return.
While the motivation to continue came from within, her family’s support helped her get started, with Allyna saying her parents often support the things she wants to pursue, even when they are unsure about them.
At the start, that support included her father accompanying her to dance lessons because she did not have a car.
Concerned for her safety, he would take the train with her and walk her to the academy. He would then wait until class ended before they made the journey home together.
Looking back, Allyna is not entirely sure whether her parents fully understand her passion. However, seven years of continued commitment says a lot about how much it means to her.
Her best friend is also another loyal supporter who makes it a point to attend all of her performances.
As a Malaysian Chinese woman learning Indian classical dance, Allyna has also encountered assumptions over why she became involved.
One that comes up frequently is whether she has an Indian boyfriend.
“I usually take on the question by laughing before explaining that learning classical Indian dance is entirely based on my own decision and free will,” she quipped.
Persevering even when she’s the only one left
When asked which part of her journey means the most to her, Allyna pointed to the persistence she discovered in herself.
“Even when my dancemates were dropping out one after another to the point where I was the only one left, it didn’t affect me and I still showed up for myself.
“Looking back, I never knew I possessed that level of discipline, and it’s fascinating to see how committed I can be to something I care about when given the opportunity.
“I believe my younger self would find the current version of me pretty cool, especially as someone who continues pursuing her interests without allowing other people’s opinions to decide on her behalf.”
Making room for the things she loves
Despite the years she has dedicated to dance, Allyna does not measure the journey through a particular achievement she hopes to reach.
What matters most is that she still gets to dance and perform, just as she enjoyed doing when she was younger.
While working life has brought new responsibilities, she wants those interests to remain part of her life.
For anyone who wants to explore another culture’s art but worries about belonging, Allyna’s advice stems from the same willingness that led her to sign up for her first dance class.
“I encourage everyone to consider the possibility of never trying something you’ve always wanted to do because fear kept getting in the way. Or as my personal mantra goes: ‘Won’t die, just do.”
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