HIS NAME IS ERIC and he's a dancer, with glitter in his hair and a shirt open down to there. Eric Ting Hon-leung may not merengue like the showgirls at the Copacabana, but he can cha-cha with the best of them. He is a junior Latin dance champion and the sparkle and tight-fitting costumes are par for the course.
'Some friends tease, but it doesn't bother me much,' says Eric, 13. 'I'm OK with the flamboyant clothes; just don't ask me to put on makeup.'
His partner, 10-year-old Michelle Hau Ka-yan, feels the same way. 'I hate heavy makeup,' she says. Some sprucing up is unavoidable, however, and Michelle arrives for an exhibition performance in a spangly, ruffled dress, with silvery mascara on her lashes and feathers in her ponytail.
The precocious pair started dance lessons four years ago and have since garnered more than 10 awards at district and school competitions. It's clear why: when the music comes on, Eric and Michelle display as much style and grace as many experienced dancers, and probably more energy. They hope to grab their next prize at the President's Cup Ballroom Dancing Championships at Queen Elizabeth Stadium on New Year's Eve.
Youngsters' interest in ballroom dance, especially the Latin variety, has blossomed of late, thanks largely to the Hong Kong Ballroom Dancing Council's promotion. It was spurred by official recognition of ballroom dancing as a sport: at the East Asian Games in Macau last year, for example, events included the waltz, tango and samba. In 2001, the council started giving free Latin dance lessons to primary schools under a pilot scheme. Now, at least 50 primary and 20 secondary schools are offering such classes.
The buzz is reflected in private dance schools. According to Eric and Michele's dance coach, Kenny Leung Kai-chuen, the number of teenage dance students has risen at least 70 per cent over the past two years. His youngest student is just three.
