Learning dance can be a challenge. But moving abroad and learning a new language adds another level of difficulty. However, that didn't deter Nickson Lai in his pursuit to master the art of dance. His hard work paid off; he got the chance to train and perform as part of Just Jerk, a prominent dance crew in South Korea. You might want to check out the previous episode to learn more about this particular experience. But in this episode, Nickson discusses how learning dance abroad may improve one's local dance scene. What you will learn from this episode: the realities of learning dance abroad ..read more

Nickson Lai is a member of Just Jerk, an internationally renowned dance crew from South Korea. He got accepted into Just Jerk in 2016 after working hard on building his dance and Korean language skills. He was and still is (at the time of publishing) the only foreigner in the crew. Throughout his time with Just Jerk, he had the opportunity to perform at big stages such as America's Got Talent 2017 and Pyeong Chang Winter Olympics 2018. Nickson continued to compete with the team and also had the chance to teach at Just Jerk Academy for a year before heading back to Malaysia in 2020 for a heart ..read more

Being in the dance industry for more than a decade, Shrizz has a lot of tips and advice for those of you who are aspiring to become industry dancers. This includes tips to learn choreo quickly, rules to live by, and how to network with other dancers. To hear more about his overall career, do give the previous episode a listen so you get a better picture of his dance journey. Oh and in case you didn't know, we have a video version of this and other episodes of Season 2 on our YouTube with the channel name Shoes Off No Cap. In this episode, we talk to Shrizz about: his first job as a dancer wha ..read more

Today’s guest is a prolific mainstay in our scene, Shahrul Rizza, or more affectionately known as Shrizz. A real gem, he started his career in dance in the early 2010s when he was an Engineering student. After championing Astro Battleground in 2013, he has continued to win numerous other competitions and performed with some notable local artists like Joe Flizzow and Stacy, to name a few. In this episode, we discover: how Shrizz found his calling as a dancer his method when it comes to teaching classes some tips he’s gained over his long dance career If you enjoy this episode, please give us ..read more

During the 2020 pandemic, Malaysia was on lockdown not once but three times up until 2021. Businesses were severely affected and Mustang Dance Academy was no exception. But thankfully, they have managed to keep afloat and now is up and running again. In episode #25, Marvin shares about: the situation during the pandemic how he kept the business alive despite lockdowns the biggest lesson learned throughout this crisis If you find this episode of value, please subscribe and rate 5 stars! Also, if you're in Kuala Lumpur, do support Mustang Dance Academy so they may continue to strengthen the d ..read more

The big bawse of Mustang Dance Academy (MDA) has finally graced us with his presence on this podcast! Marvin has been a part of MDA, located in Kuala Lumpur, since its inception in 2009. A few years later, he took up a much bigger responsibility and steered the business to what it is today — a dance studio with a strong community and various dance styles. In episode #24, we talk about: how Marvin started getting into dance what is needed to start a dance business the first years of MDA the pivotal moment in 2013 how he hires amazing dance instructors If you enjoy this episode, please give us ..read more

Hi friends! We would like to say THANK YOU for supporting our little podcast this year. This podcast is made for dancers by dancers so your support means a lot and we hope that you’ve learned something in each episode. This is our season one finale episode and we’ve taken the opportunity to record this special one LIVE at Shaun Studio. You can watch the video version here. In episode #22, the Shoes Off, No Cap team talks about: The inspiration for starting this podcast Favourite episodes and gems of knowledge The good and the bad that happened in 2021 How they stayed motivated with dance duri ..read more

Maybelline Wong is not just a dancer, instructor and choreographer but she’s also the co-founder & creative director at Babel Dance – one of Malaysia’s newest and most exciting dance academy and agency. Having spoken to her about her dance life and teaching experience in episode 19, we also wanted to ask her about running a dance-related business. In episode #21, Maybelline talks about: How and when Babel Dance started The values and mission of Babel Dance Ups and downs of running a business Cultivating business skills for individual dancers We hope you enjoy this episode and if you do ..read more

Rahman a.k.a Twenty a.k.a Colossal Zik is a Krump dancer from Sarawak, Malaysia. He represents several crews including KrumpKatz, Vanthrillaquist, Exodus Dance Crew, and Covenant Dance Crew. He was the semi-finalist at the King of Buck International Krump Battle 2020 and had earned the Champion title at Kuching Youth Jam 2019 and SS15 Dance Rebels 1v1 Krump 2017. He’s been active in building up the Krump community in Sarawak via the Kuching Youth Jam, organising battles, workshops, sessions and cyphers. With 10 years of dance experience, he continues to hone his dance skills with an aim to sho ..read more

Being a teacher is an extremely challenging profession, and teaching dance is no different. You have to gauge students’ levels, package your lesson in a way that is digestible for learners, and also make it fun for everyone! On this episode, we have a super amazing dance teacher who is a renowned dancer and choreographer. She’s worked with big name artists like Mizz Nina, Joe Flizzow, SonaOne, and so many more. It’s none other than the creative director at Babel Dance, Maybelline Wong! In episode #19, we talked about: Maybelline’s early dance days Her time working with Mizz Nina Tips to conne ..read more