“I am known as the ‘Dancing Lawyer’, because despite having achieved my dream to study, graduate, and become a lawyer – I eventually had the realisation that my real talent lies in the performing arts, doing acting and voice-overs. But when the time came for me to quit my job as a lawyer and pursue this full-time, my parents could not accept it. My dad cut me off and stopped communicating with me for the next 3 years, and they have never gone to any of my shows in the last 10 years.
I was a practising lawyer at a law firm, handling corporate matters and doing litigation work for 6 years, until I realised that something was missing because all this while I had my interest in singing.
Despite feeling afraid, I took singing classes for fun, joined a hip-hop dance class at a gym, and formed a dance group at the gym to promote fitness, before finally ended up on the first season of “So You Think You Can Dance?” competition.
On the second season, I surprisingly passed the auditions and made it to the Top 50 and was sent to a boot camp. This is how I got my name as the Dancing Lawyer, as I was still working as a lawyer at that time.
A TV station interviewed me, and a friend of mine sent me an email about a talent audition that required some acting, singing and dancing skills.
He challenged me, I went for it, and when the doors opened, somebody shouted: “Hey I know you!”. It was Pat Ibrahim, a judge from ‘So You Think You Can Dance’.
He recognised me from the programme and it turns out that it was an audition for ‘Putri Gunung Ledang’. I panicked because I saw their amazing show last year at Istana Budaya. And I got the part!
So I needed to make a decision on whether or not I should quit my job, as the rehearsals are full-time and I didn’t think I could commit.
At first, I asked for a 3-month leave from my boss, only to be refused as there were a lot of cases to handle.
So I immediately resigned, because I was really tired of working as a lawyer and all #ThatCorporateLife. I felt tired and needed a break. I told myself – ‘I am doing this musical theatre as a short break, maybe for 3 months and then go back to being a lawyer’.
I followed my instinct without even thinking of the salary.
My dad did not know about my resignation yet at that time. I was 29 and they didn’t know I had quit, as I told them I was taking a break – and even then they weren’t too happy about it.
Then one day he found out when they came across a newspaper article about me acting in ‘Puteri Gunung Ledang’.
I told the reporter from The Sun to not disclose the fact that I had quit my job and instead just mention that I was on a break because my parents didn’t know.
But that was when, during rehearsals, my story got published on the front page, with the title “Lawyer Ceases Practice To Do Musical”, with a picture and a whole page that featured just me.
That was how my dad found out – and he didn’t speak to me for the next 3 years. I was met with silent treatment at home.
Whenever I called him on the phone, he wouldn’t pick up and instead pass it over to someone else to answer. It wasn’t a big emotional fight – he just cut me off, as I wasn’t staying with my parents anyways.
But everytime when I go back to the kampung, my mom still hopes till today that I will go back to my day job at the office.
So right after I starred in Puteri Gunung Ledang, I went for another audition at Istana Budaya and before you know it, I was working with Fauziah Nawi who trained me, and performed in numerous shows, such as ‘Mahsuri’, ‘Cuci The Musical’, ‘Lat The Kampung Boy’ and ‘MUD: The Story Of Kuala Lumpur’ before moving on to ‘OlaBola’ Season 1 and 2.
My advice to others is to follow your instinct, for we have a very good natural instinct for what we want to do. Trust your instinct and take the risk.
It has been 10 years since I quit my job as a lawyer, but I do miss practising law from time to time, especially when my lawyer friends advise me to find a way to do both.
Right now, I am thinking of renewing my legal practitioner’s license, but with the intention to focus on media and entertainment law. Despite so, my love is, and always be in the performing arts.
And I can see there are more opportunities and growth in this industry – such as producing, directing, and advising up-and-coming actors and actresses.
Dad, if you ever read this post, I really hope that you would understand. You have never come to watch any of my shows for the last 10 years. You know that this is my passion, you were a musician before this (and worked as a government servant). So you know where my talent comes from.
I hope you are willing to accept me for who I am and be proud of what I am doing. Whatever it is, deep in my heart, I do love you and mom so much and I am willing to do anything for both of you and make everyone happy.
I just hope that whatever I am doing after this will bring you happiness and that you don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself and everything is fine”.
Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa
Editorial assistance by Aiman Mustafa
Edited by Sydrah Mustaffa
– Zukhairi Ahmad recently performed in The Working Dead, a comedy-musical theatre about working hard, and working till death literally tears you apart! He plays a raging workaholic at the office, who makes the ultimate sacrifice for his family. Check out the page for future shows!
