- Joyce Kei, 17, has also won the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition and the International Young Dancers Competition
- Renaissance College student started Young Talents Support, which has raised HK$110,000 to help young people follow their dreams
Joyce Kei, a student at Renaissance College, was this year’s Performing Artist first runner-up at the Student of the Year (SOTY) Awards. Photo: HandoutAt the age of 17, Joyce Kei, a student at Renaissance College, has already made an indelible mark in the world of dance and youth empowerment. Her journey into that world began at the age of five when she started taking jazz dance lessons.
“It was my way of being happy, and I really liked just dancing to make people happy and create joy,” she recalls.
As she grew older, her passion for dance expanded beyond happiness. She discovered contemporary and lyrical dance, which allowed her to express a broader range of emotions and convey powerful stories and messages through her movements. Dance became her medium of communication, enabling her to connect with others and address important social issues.
One significant moment in Joyce’s dance journey was her decision to start ballet at the age of 14, despite the perceived challenges of beginning late.
“I realised that nothing is impossible, and I really wanted to use this experience to inspire other young people not to be scared to try out new things and just do things because you want to,” Joyce reflects.
Her determination paid off when, after just one year of ballet training, she was accepted into the Hong Kong Ballet as a junior trainee.
A talented dancer and choreographer specialising in ballet, contemporary and lyrical dance, she has now won numerous awards, including the Hong Kong Challenge Cup Dance Competition and the International Young Dancers Competition.
She was the first runner-up of the Performing Artist award at this year’s Student of the Year (SOTY) awards, organised by the SCMP and solely sponsored by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
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Joyce’s passion for dance extends to her choreography, which addresses pressing social issues such as plastic pollution, fast fashion and mental health. She emphasises the power of dance as a means to raise awareness and engage audiences in meaningful conversations.
But her commitment to dance is not limited to her own achievements. She is dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of children facing financial challenges.
She is the founder and chairwoman of Young Talents Support, a social platform that encourages young people worldwide to pursue their dreams and support each other. The platform has garnered over 1,200 active members from more than 20 countries. Through Young Talents Support, Joyce has raised over HK$110,000, establishing the Young Talents Support Dream Fund, which provides financial support to children in need to help them pursue their talents.
In addition to that, she also led the Public Health Advocacy Group at her school. Her goal is to make a positive impact on society by creating medicines and finding cures for various health-related issues.
“I want to encourage other young people to create projects to help their community. So we have young people from different countries using our Dream Fund to support various causes,” says Joyce.