Supporting you through dance

Hi, I am Zi Hong Mok, a lecturer in pharmacy, a pharmacist, a researcher in nanomedicine, and a dancer.

The four dance videos I am contributing to the Cultural Cwtsh creative wellbeing resource are:

1. “Our NHS at 75” to celebrate the dedicated and selfless NHS and social care workers,
2. “You Okay?” to encourage people especially men to speak up about their mental health,
3. “Got Your Back” to highlight the importance of friendship and peer support,
4. “Take a Chill Pill” to motivate pharmacy colleagues to find joy amid business.

I hope they will inspire you in some way or another to prioritise your mental health and wellbeing, to take some time out, to unlock your creativity and find solace, relaxation or just fun through dance.

Let me know what you think! You can reach out to me on my Instagram (@mok_matters). Thank you.

Our NHS at 75 | Ein GIG yn 75 oed

This year marks 75 years of the NHS. My family and I have been treated by the amazing NHS staff in the past. For me to be serving for the NHS now, it’s great to have the opportunity to celebrate this milestone with a dance at the “Our NHS at 75” at the Fujifilm House of Photography.

Founded by Welsh MP Aneurin Bevan on 5 July 1948, the NHS was the first universal health system to be available to all, free at the point of delivery. The NHS workforce is the most diverse in Britain, with four out of ten clinical staff coming from visible minority ethnic backgrounds, and I am proud to be one of them.

Choreographed and danced by Damien Anyasi (@the_tda) and me (@mok_matters)

Damien is a very close friend of mine, who started as my hip hop dance teacher in 2013. He’s UK Dance Teacher of the Year (2014), performed in Brit Awards and London’s Big Dance Bus tour, and choreographed for The National Theatre and London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. He’s always got something to offer, whenever you see him.

Join us on a journey to celebrate contributions from people across the Service with photos from various NHS trusts.

Music: Stone Cold, by Anthony Hamilton (@anthonyhamiltonofficial)
Filmed by Martin Mwaniki (@sycamoreseye)

You okay? | Ti'n iawn?

The pandemic, loneliness, grief, rising bills, cost-of-living crisis, unemployment, illness, disability, disorder, conflict, bullying, injustice, trauma, insecurity, perceived failure, overworking, feeling overwhelmed… they all lead to stress, anxiety, and maybe depression.

At any one time nearly 1 in 6 of the Welsh workforces is affected by a mental health problem. This is the same in any given week in England. Opening up to friends or family makes us more resilient in the face of stressful situations. Please don’t be shy to reach out, and let us be kind to each other.

Choreographed and danced by Josh Denyer (@joshdenyer) and me (@mok_matters)

Josh is someone I look up to, who kindly offered me a ticket to watch him as “Neleus” in Mary Poppins at the West End in 2020. Josh used to be “Billy” in Billy Elliot the Musical—my favourite musical of all times—in Australia. He recently went on to become an applauded dancer at Newsies in London. Way to go!

Remember, as Lori Deschene said, “Pain is not a sign of weakness, but bearing it alone is a choice to grow weak.”

Music: Start, by Hayden Calnin (@haydencalnin)
Filmed by Martin Mwaniki (@sycamoreseye)

Got your back | Yma i’ch cefnogi

When I first moved to Wales, I didn’t have any friends out here. I missed my friends from London and from Malaysia. The pandemic makes it harder. Thanks to instant messaging and video calls, I get to keep in touch with them, feeling like they’ve always got my back.

Constant words of encouragement, affirmation, and reassurance from friends helped me to get through as an introverted person living alone. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. Now I value more and more the chances of us getting to meet up.

Choreographed and danced by Angelika Napierała (@angentaa) and me (@mok_matters)

Angelika always has my back. We met as dancers in Manifest Nation in 2017 and have danced together for years since—including the National Theatre—and is great to see her progressing to a movement director. We don’t see each other much now, but we always share our dreams, hold each other accountable, and push each other out of our comfort zones.

A true friend genuinely wants the best for you.

Music: Alone (@toddlat remix), by Jessie Ware (@jessiware)
Filmed by Martin Mwaniki (@sycamoreseye)

Take a chill pill | Cymerwch seibiant

We all have multiple roles in life: full-time/part-time jobs, side hustle, in education, being a spouse, parent, son/daughter, carer, volunteer… with different expectations and pressures in each role.

We often get too dedicated to our jobs, consumed by workload, and feel disconnected from our hobbies. I hold my hands up to that, as you can see in this video. This is a reminder to take some time off, to switch off from daily stresses, and to pursue something you deeply resonate with.

Choreographed and danced by Kieran Lai (@kieranlai.official) and me (@mok_matters)

Kieran, like me, is of East Asian descent. He has appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, many international commercials and “& Juliet” the musical in the West End. Kieran is a street dance freestyler and battler. Watching his illusionary dance forms puts me in awe. Thanks, Kieran, for being inspirational in representing Asians in the Arts in the UK.

I hope that this video will inspire you to pursue your passion amid a busy life.

Music: We were in love, by Ta-ku (@takubeats)
Filmed by Martin Mwaniki (@sycamoreseye)