Trained in a wide variety of dance styles including ballet, contemporary, jazz and traditional Asian dances, Bilqis Hijjas currently writes about dance, produces, choreographs and performs in Malaysia.

She started performing with Sutra Dance Company and commercial company Dance Republic as a teenager in Malaysia. While studying at Harvard University for her Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies, she worked with a number of campus dance companies. In 2002, Bilqis completed her Graduate Diploma in Choreography at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, and began her formal dance career with the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2005.

In 2006 Bilqis moved home to Malaysia to fulfill a lifelong dream by establishing Balletbase. Bilqis also directs the dance program at private arts centre Rimbun Dahan, which offers residencies for contemporary dance choreographers. Since 2006, she has directed and choreographed five major productions for Balletbase, and helped to produce the works of four resident choreographers at Rimbun Dahan.

Bilqis has a Masters degree in applied anthropology and international development, and is currently the Secretary of MyDance Alliance. Her writings on dance in the Klang Valley can be read at http://kldancewatch.wordpress.com.

Last updated 9 Sept 2009.
Copyright Balletbase 2006.