WHEN I was growing up, the television show Fame was a staple (remember this line, “fame costs ... and right here’s where you start paying ... with sweat”?).

At a time when most Malaysian parents were hammering in the values of doing well in the sciences, Fame allowed children the chance to dream of actually attending a school where arts-based subjects like dance, drama, music and even comedy were emphasised.

Decades later, while we still might not have our version of the school in Fame, we do have a fair number of institutions that offer Malaysian children a chance to further their dreams in the creative arts – and, now, there’s a new kid on the block.

Ben Douglas, 30, is the founder of Fusion Academy that was established in 2004 in the London suburb of Surbiton. A performer since he was a child, Douglas is determined to use his expertise to give children a unique introduction to the world of the arts.

Champions of the arts: Ben Douglas is working with Shantini Venugopal to set up a Malaysian version of his London arts academy for children, Fusion. – S.S. KANESAN / The Star

“I started dancing when I was five or six, initially by tagging along to my sister’s classes, and I was lucky that it came naturally to me, but I believe that arts education is very important and talent must be nurtured and guided.

“A few years ago, having spent nearly 20 years in the business, I realised that I was perfectly placed to set up the arts school that I would have liked to have gone to.”

A former dancer with the renowned Ballet Rambert, Douglas was able to call upon his many friends in the arts world to help support Fusion. His list of patrons include Alexandra Jay, Celia Imrie, Cherie Lunghi, Dame Joan Plowright, Ewan McGregor, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Michael Attenborough and many more luminaries of the British stage and television industries.

“I wanted my students to be able to learn from the very best in the creative industries. It’s one thing to learn from a teacher who has a lot of theoretical knowledge and passion, but having people who’ve actually experienced great success in the arts come and teach is priceless.”

Well, Douglas did have to invest upwards of £25,000 (RM140,000) initially. But within a short few years, his school has developed quite a reputation for its innovative approach. In another bold move, Douglas is now expanding to the East Asian region.

Over the latter half of this year, he has spread his wings to Hong Kong and Thailand, and now has Malaysia firmly in his sights.

To bring his vision to Kuala Lumpur, he is teaming up with theatre aficionados Shantini Venugopal and Sabera Shaik and will conduct a workshop from Nov 30 to Dec 12 in Bukit Tunku.

“It is wonderful to see kids from different backgrounds come together to learn about each other, learn about themselves and, most importantly, have great fun,” enthuses Douglas.

“ My dream is to offer our pupils the very best training available, but let me be very clear – we are not here to produce clones who will become stars. We look at each child as an individual. We want to help them grow and develop their confidence.”

Douglas does admit that he has encountered his share of pushy parents, though.

“For me, the warning sign is if the parent says that he or she always wanted to do it, but didn’t have the chance to. We don’t want students who are forced to be there. We want students who are eager to learn something new.”

Douglas himself is quite a livewire, whose passion for travelling can have him “skiing on glaciers one moment and then traipsing through the Amazon the next”. Citing Bill Cosby as an inspiration, he tells of how his own unique life situation has helped him learn to seize the moment.

“My mother was originally from Barbados and thought she had fatal cancer and gave me up to an English family. Her cancer then went into remission and I now have two families, one in England and the other in the Caribbean,” says the avid Chelsea football club supporter.

His passion is what attracted Venugopal to work with him, says the theatre veteran.

“Over the years the situation (in Malaysia) has improved by leaps and bounds but I think there is a huge market here for what Ben has to offer. I went to a show that his students put on in Bangkok and I was very impressed.

“His passion for nurturing a student’s overall development and his access to some of the top names in his field means that Fusion is a very exciting opportunity for those taking their early steps in the arts.”

The Fusion workshop will be held from Nov 30 to Dec 12 at No. 25D, Jalan Tunku, Bukit Tunku, KL. For further information call 03-2698 3566 or go to fusionacademyglobal.com.

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