Biography:
Malaya’s classic lyrical and classic jazz movement is often described as timeless. She has taught for LADF and EDGE for nearly 20 years and travels both nationally and internationally to teach master classes and set choreography on companies in Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Korea and Japan.
Among Malaya’s video, television and feature film appearances are Batman & Robin with George Clooney, a music video for Betcha with Prince, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and an appearance with Celine Dion. Malaya’s choreography credits include many Los Angeles concerts as well as the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, University of Oklahoma, Commonality Dance Company, Naway Dance Company, and the Instincts Dance Company.
Class description:
Jazz shoes are recommended but not required. The style has many direction changes and uses the floor quite a bit.
Malaya’s Jazz Class is catered to a dancer who is willing to challenge oneself in technique, stamina, memory, artistry, and egoless expression. She has trained in ballet, modern, hip hop, jazz funk, contemporary, musical theatre, and jazz. So within her choreography, nuances of different genres will appear. Malaya is focused on creating a nonjudgmental environment whereas the artist can grow at ones own personal development(not comparing themselves to others) and where the dancer can understand that their improvement is constant, meaning getting ”better” is always a journey. There is no destination. There is only reaching for more in awareness and development and learning to appreciate every moment in the process.