Odgerel Ganbaatar said he found his passion for fire knife dancing while studying at BYU– Hawaii. He shared how he worked hard to become a fire knife dancer at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). After his graduation, he returned home and later created his own crew that has performed in different events, including the Mongolian National Holiday Parade.
How did you find your passion for fire knife dance?
“My first job as a dancers’ wardrobe organizer gave me the opportunity to watch fire knife dancers a lot, and I was amazed by their skills. I developed a strong interest in fire knife dancing and dedicated many hours of practice to learn.”
How did you become a fire knife dancer?
“I auditioned many times to become a fire knife dancer at the ‘Hā: Breath of Life’ evening show at the Polynesian Cultural Center. My first audition was unsuccessful due to my low weight, but I did not give up and continued to work hard to gain weight and auditioned again. [My second audition] was unsuccessful as well because of the neutral face expression I maintained during the performance, even though my dancing skills were good. I continued practicing to become an authentic Polynesian fire knife dancer in every way. After my third audition, I became the very first Mongolian fire knife dancer in the history of the PCC and Mongolia. For Mongolians, it is a very new thing.”
Why do you like fire knife dancing so much?
“There is something special about dancing with fire. I have a deep love and respect for Polynesian cultures. I had a chance to perform in the King Kamehameha Day Parade in Honolulu in 2015 while I was working at the PCC.”
When you left for Mongolia, did you leave your fire knife dancing as well?
“No, I did not. I took what I had learned from my days at the PCC to Mongolia. I created my own fire knife dancing crew, Ahi, and trained my crew members. My crew members are my brother, Odbayar Ganbaatar; my friend, Tamir Ganbold; and Gankhuyag Tsogoo, an alumnus of BYUH. At first, six of us started practicing, but eventually, two guys gave up. The Ahi crew introduced fire knife dancing to the people in Mongolia. Several TV stations became interested in us and did broadcasting segments on us. We performed our fire knife dancing at many events by invitation and shared the Polynesian culture with Mongolians. We participated in many big shows and events. The biggest one was the National Holiday Parade.”
How did Mongolians receive your crew’s performance?
“In the beginning, people were scared, but after our performance, audiences began to express their emotions through a loud round of applause. People are usually blown away by it. They love it.”
Were there any struggles to bring fire knife dance to Mongolia?
“Yes, there were many challenges. Some of our crew members gave up in the middle of the road. It’s really hard to be good at fire knife dancing. You have to practice every day if you want to become good at it. Another problem is we couldn’t find in Mongolia the naphtha gas, which makes the fire burn bigger and brighter, so our fires are smaller and not bright enough.”
If you have a chance, will you dance at the night show again?
“Of course, I will. I came back in 2017 for a business trip and had a chance to dance for a few nights at the evening show. It was amazing, and brought back my memories of my student years.”
How did your experience at BYUH help you?
“Studying at BYUH and working at the PCC were amazing experiences that blessed my life in many ways. I majored in supply chain management and graduated in 2014. Currently, I work in a Mongolian copper and diamond mining company, Oyu Tolgoi, as a mine control supervisor, and serve as a bishop of the Bayanzurkh Ward in the Ulaanbaatar East Stake. [The] academic and spiritual educations I gained at BYUH are still blessing my life.”
What does family mean to you?
“Family means everything to me. I am blessed with a wonderful family. I live with my beautiful wife and three children. My wife, Batchimeg Bukhchuluun, is also an alumna of BYUH. My younger sister, Zulbayar Ganbaatar, graduated from BYUH as well.”
