Business Spotlight: Imperial Ballroom
Tell us who you are!
We are Ming and Irene, the proud owners of Imperial Ballroom Dance Studio, which has brought the Chinatown community together since 1995. As Chinese immigrants from Vietnam and Malaysia, we fell in love due to our love of dance and started our business together. We, as well as our talented instructors, have years of professional dance and competition under our belts and aim to share our passion for dance with the world.
How did Imperial Ballroom get started?
At the age of fifteen, Ming started his passion for dancing while he was still living and teaching in Vietnam. When he arrived in America in 1989, he began working at an eyeglass factory, but his heart wanted to follow a different path. As he continued to have lessons with world-class dance instructors, he saved up enough money to open his own studio. Soon after, Irene entered the studio as his student, and the pair fell in love. From then on, she turned her hobby for social dancing into a serious career and became a co-owner of Imperial Ballroom.
Why did you decide to open a ballroom studio in Chinatown? What does it mean for you as Chinese / Chinese Americans to have a ballroom studio in Chinatown?
We have always been immersed in the Chinese community since we arrived as immigrants. Since Flushing already had a few studios, we decided to open up in Chinatown. We are proud to have been the first Cantonese-speaking studio and introduce the world of ballroom dancing to that community. As a result, we have been able to meet new people everyday and have created a close knit community centered around a shared love of dance. Our daughters have always mentioned how they love seeing us greet so many people while we go about our days on the streets of Chinatown. After 25 years, we are proud to still have clients who still come to our studio since 1995.
What do you love most about ballroom dancing?
Personally, we first fell in love with ballroom dancing as a graceful art form since it allows one to move their body like no other. As dancers, we are acutely aware of our body’s movements and have found it to be incredible at expressing emotion. It helps us connect with music and though we have turned dance into a career, it never truly feels like work. Above all else, it’s fun! We think it’s a great stress-reliever and wonderful form of exercise.
What do you love most about Chinatown?
The food! When it comes to food, Chinatown really can’t be beat. We love having lunch with our daughters at Bo Ky or ordering something quick from M Star Cafe. In addition, we started our business in the heart of Chinatown since we could see our own culture while living in America. It’s incredibly diverse and has many different Chinese people, including those who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Fuzhounese, and Wenzhounese.
How can people support you and your business?
First and foremost, we would love to see you at the studio! However, due to COVID-19 and the social nature of our business, Imperial Ballroom has been unable to operate normally since March 17, 2020. As such, the best way to support us is to donate to @imperialballroom on Venmo. If you would like to learn more about us, please visit our Facebook page or our new website, or by emailing us at imperialballroom@yahoo.com.
Our space will also be available for rent, and dozens, including fashion designer Alexander Wang, have hosted birthdays, parties, weddings, and modeling auditions here!
