Ms Ivy Chung
President & Artistic Director
Ivy started her professional ballet training at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) in 1989. In 1993, she graduated as an honorary student with Highest Distinction in her class and was awarded the Overseas Scholarship by Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund.
She began her career as a professional dancer at the Universal Ballet Company of Korea, Ontario Ballet Theater and the Hong Kong Ballet. She worked with various renowned ballet artists including Galina Kekisheva, Roy Tobias, Stephen Jefferies, Wayne Eagling and Galina Ulanova etc. She was also awarded the Favorite Dancer Award thrice by the Friends of Hong Kong Ballet.
In 2002, she founded her own school, Ivy Chung School of Ballet and Ivy’s Ballet Company in Hong Kong. In 2013, Ivy was appointed Honorary President of Hong Kong Youth Art Appreciation Association and Adjudicator of Hong Kong Dance Federation. In 2018, she received Award for Outstanding Dance Artist from Hong Kong Dance Federation in recognition of her work in the development of dance in Hong Kong. Her productions were invited to perform at the "Hong Kong Original Dance Works Spectacle" of 2010 Hong Kong Dance Festival, the Hong Kong Ballet Group's "Young Ballet Stars Gala Performance", the Hong Kong Dance Expo 2011 and the National theatre of Malaysia – Istana Budaya 2020 and 2021.Ivy was appointed as Associate Executive Director of the Kirov Academy of Ballet Washington DC.
In 2017, Ivy founded Asia Ballet Academy (ABA)in Malaysia which focuses on the Vaganova method of classical ballet training. ABA has been voted as Top 1 ballet school in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia by Tally Press. In 2021 , Ivy was selected by British Publishing House to be featured in the Successful People in Malaysia in recognition of her work in the development of Ballet in Malaysia.
Ivy has obtained the Registered Teacher Status of the Royal Academy of Dance The Commonwealth Society Teachers of Dancing and Russian Ballet Association. She is also a mentor of the Certificate of Classical Ballet Teaching Studies. She has served on the jury for numerous international ballet competitions, including National Ballet Competition of Taiwan, Malaysia Grand Prix, Miami International Ballet Competition , Youth Arts Festival Singapore etc. In recognition of her dedication to teaching, Ivy has received awards including a 2009 National Outstanding Arts Teacher Gold Award, Elite Society Award, Silver Award at The Second Youth Arts Festival - Arts Education, Silver Award in The Second Toddler Arts Festival - Arts Education, Gold Award in Arts Education, Excellent Instructor Award in the 6th Dé‧Yì‧Shuāng‧Xīn Hong Kong Selection, and an Outstanding Instructor Award in the 4th China Youth Arts Festival – Hong Kong Selection by the China Artist Association and Best teacher Award by 8th World Ballet Arts competition Grand Prix etc. Ivy was also presented the Best Choreography Award for Modern Dance Section at the 39th and 40th Hong Kong School Dance Festival and the Outstanding Choreography Award of the Star of Canaan Dance International Ballet Competition Malaysia 2019.
In 2014, Ivy founded Canaan Dance which is an international dance education organization. Under the direction of Ivy, Canaan Dance organizes workshops, auditions and international ballet competition to nurture young dancers in Asia, and provide them with scholarships and opportunities to study professionally abroad. She founded the Star of Canaan Dance International Ballet Competition, which is supported by the American Ballet Theater , Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida , the Royal Ballet School, the English National Ballet School, Elmhurst Ballet School, Orlando Ballet School, Kirov Academy of Ballet Washington DC, the Universal Ballet Company of Korea, the Shanghai Dance School, Houston Ballet, the Vassiliev Academy of Classical Ballet, Ballet Centre of Fort Worth, the School of Cadence Ballet in Canada, Urdang International UK, Ballet Theatre UK, Cheng Ballet in Singapore and Soki Ballet School in Japan.
In 2014, Ivy co-produced the musical Golden Lotus in Hong Kong which won the Best Original Work Award at the Hecklers Awards. The production was filmed live and made into feature length film and released in 2021. The film has won dozens of international awards for Best Musical Film, Best Original Score, Best Song, Best Producer, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup & Hairstyling and Best Actress from festivals such as the New York International Film Awards, New York Movie Awards, Hollywood Gold Awards, San Diego Movie Awards, Naples Film awards among others.
Ivy actively participates in charitable events. Her students have taken part in performances for charity shows such as Dancing from our Hearts and Si Chuan Earthquake Donation supported by the World's Vision, Dance for Light organized by Lifeline Express, Ginger Bread Dance organized by Children's Heart Foundation and Joyful (Mental Health) Foundation, ballet performance organized by Against Child Abuse Ltd, Dance with me, Wish with me by UNICEF and many more.