Civil engineer, model and dancer Anisha Thai flaunts her skills at InnoCell

Paris-born half-Vietnamese and half-Comoran Anisha Thai is a Hong Kong expat success story. Even after winning the 2021 TVB show Dance Champion, she is far from done. She talks to Hill Choi Lee about her search for new things that push her as an artist and how spaces such as InnoCell bring vibrancy, warmth and fun to the mix

From France to Hong Kong, from engineering to dance, Anisha Thai’s background is as surprising as it is diverse. She attributes this to her constantly striving for new challenges, finding growth through new experiences that life can offer.

“I want to keep proving myself that if I want to, I can too,” she says laughingly. “But the key thing is I have always had that little voice inside that has always told me to ‘reach the highest version of myself that I could ever have’.”

“Dancing is definitely one of the best avenues for me to reach that concept of a ‘higher level’ as there are no rules and I love how it gives everyone the possibility to be true, 100 percent and unapologetically themselves.”

As Thai transitioned from a hard science career as a civil engineer to a creative path as a professional dancer, she continues to be inspired by the choices she’s made to get where she is today as a pursuer of dreams and a global citizen.

Surprisingly, her engineering background has fed into and helped her dancing.

“In the creative world, I have been told a few times that the way I’m thinking is definitely coming from an engineer – I often approach things from a rational, analytical angle.” She elaborates with a lighthearted smile, “I tend to use excel tables for everything – from when I have to choose between two shopping purchases to big decisions in life.”

Being a dancer, however, gives her a sense of freedom. “Dance to me is like a best friend, a lover. We are connected for life and we never let each other down to navigate through the challenges, surprises, and celebrations of life.”

Also see: Engineer and dance contest winner Anisha Thai wants women to have it all

As she continues looking for new things and ways to push herself as an artist, athlete and “human being” in her own words, she is very particular when looking for a temporary abode or workplace when travelling for work or competition. At InnoCell – Hong Kong Science Park’s 17-storey multi-functional spaces, co-living residential building for long or short-stays and MICE services – Thai can’t help but observe the property with the discerning eye of a civil engineer.

“I was very impressed about the space management as it is a key challenge in Hong Kong,” she says. “Every room is designed in a way where each room has its purpose. My first feeling when I entered each room was ‘each space is enough, simple and smartly thought of’. I also really enjoyed discovering the shared common spaces – they bring a lot of vibrancy, warmth and fun to the whole environment.”

It is easy to see that the environment that InnoCell advocates is one that is conducive to a creative and ambitious mind such as Thai’s. The property located in Pak Shek Kok (north of Sha Tin) offers the opportunity to cultivate new connections with multicultural and entrepreneurial mindsets.

“Meeting new people with new perspectives, learning from a new lens, experimenting with things that I wouldn’t expect, attracting surprises and creating opportunities to surpass myself in general” are all hallmarks of who Thai is. As such, Thai says she has fallen in love with Hong Kong and what this business hub of Asia represents and offers.

“The city matches me on so many levels. From the architecture, the energy, the structure of the city, the safety, the weather, the natural beauty, the open-mindedness, rawness and authenticity of the people, I find a well-being being here that I haven’t found anywhere else.

“I feel like I can explore my full potential, starting a foundation here, then I can enrich, expand and grow more by travelling around,” she says. “Paris is also very multicultural and I consider it the most beautiful city in the world. But [when it comes to] my own personal growth and journey, Hong Kong provides the perfect environment and space for me to flourish and feel at my best state.”

Explore and get inspired by InnoCell now.

CREDITS
Creative concept and production / #legend
Videographer / Billy Elvis
Hair and make-up / Kidd Sun
Venue / InnoCell at Hong Kong Science Park
Wardrobe / Sandro

Also see: Entrepreneurs Kayla Wong and Kenji Wong on choosing InnoCell’s innovative facilities