As a queer Asian first-generation immigrant artist-scholar, my life and work have been shaped by navigating multiple cultural, racial, and gendered identities. Growing up in China, I discovered the transformative power of movement as a way to communicate beyond language and borders. At the age of twenty, I relocated to the United States, experiencing life at the intersection of race, gender, and immigration. I was often confronted with exclusion, stereotyping, and invisibility. These personal experiences, being told either that all Chinese dancers look the same or that I am not Chinese enough, revealed how bias distorts and destroys meaning and value in dance. Those experiences fueled my determination to create art and pedagogy that make space for those who are ignored, where no one is asked to minimize or explain themselves to belong.

At the core of my teaching is a belief that dance is a social, political, and cultural art form, not just as a physical practice. I challenge the dominance of Euro-American dance forms in higher education by centering marginalized bodies and diverse movement vocabularies as foundational, not supplementary. My courses at the University of Alabama and the University of Dayton include Modern and Contemporary dance (with emphasis on the Chinese diaspora), Choreography, Dance Film, Chinese folk and classical dance, Jazz, Dance Appreciation, and Inclusive Dance Studies. I integrate technical training with cultural inquiry, encouraging students to consider who defines value, artistry, and technique in dance. 

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One challenge I regularly face in decolonizing dance studies is when students resist or mock movement forms outside the dominant Western canon. While teaching Chinese folk dance at Florida State University, I heard students say things like, “This is so weird,” or, “This is sexual.” These reactions were often rooted in unfamiliarity and deeply internalized norms about what dance should look like. To address this, I developed a three-step approach: first, introducing vulnerability and the importance of stepping outside comfort zones; second, contextualizing forms with historical, cultural, and social significance; and third, establishing community agreements around curiosity, respect, and reflection. This approach helps students honor other cultures and critically interrogate who defines technique, artistry, and value in dance.

At UD, I was the only full-time dance faculty member, and I took on the challenge of leading major curricular reform to enhance the program’s cultural reach and accessibility through education. I designed courses that not only introduced students to global dance practices but also emphasized community engagement and social justice frameworks. Many students, especially those with competitive dance backgrounds, described how these classes offered them a fresh perspective and the vocabulary to perceive dance differently for the first time.

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In the summer of 2024, I taught at the university’s inclusive neurodiverse summer camp, which served both youth and adults with special needs. I designed adaptive lesson plans, utilized visual and sound sequencing, and incorporated game-based learning to create an environment rooted in joy, agency, and acceptance.

As a RYT 200 certified yoga instructor, I integrate somatic dance forms, floor Pilates, resistance band training, breathwork, and yoga into my studio and rehearsal practices. Influenced by Zen philosophies of body–mind integration, I view somatic work not only as a tool for physical conditioning but as a gateway to deeper embodiment and presence. Through breath, intention, and awareness, I help students reconnect with their bodies not as tools of production but as living archives that communicate, adapt, and evolve.

My creative research explores the intersections of performance, media, and cultural identity. I believe that the performing arts can serve as a tool for social change. My dance film Filtered Realities, nominated for the 2025 Champion for Change Award, addresses unrealistic beauty standards and mental health. My choreography A Touch of Zen bridges Chinese philosophy with contemporary technique. These works exemplify my commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and the creation of new movement languages. Additionally, my paper “An Autoethnography: Teaching Chinese Contemporary Dance as a Catalyst for Inclusive Dance Studies” (published in The Dancer-Citizen, Issue 19) reflects on my journey as a Chinese international student navigating Eurocentric dance academia. Presented at the 2024 Dance Studies Association Conference in Argentina, it received a conference fellowship for research excellence.

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Throughout my academic career, I have collaborated closely with design and technical faculty, theater directors, campus ministries, student affinity groups, and university leadership. At the University of Dayton, I directed the University of Dayton Dance Ensemble, mentoring student choreographers and coordinating with costume, scenic, and lighting designers to produce interdisciplinary performances. My multimedia work At the Table, integrating screendance, live performance, and queer narrative, fostered cross-departmental dialogue around faith, identity, and representation. These experiences strengthened my ability to work across disciplines, foster inclusive dialogue, and create work that resonates artistically and institutionally.

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At Dayton, I also co-chaired the Theatre, Dance, and Performance Technology Program’s Marketing Committee, helped develop a new Musical Theatre concentration, and revised the dance curriculum to include global perspectives and dance technology. As a member of the Women of Color Collective, I supported mentorship, wellness, and professional growth for women of color across campus. At the University of Alabama, I direct student concerts to guide dancers through the creative and production process and serve on the Department Chair Search Committee, contributing to equitable and collaborative hiring practices.

My national service extends through the 2025 Dance Studies Association Program Committee, where I assist in panel curation and foster broader dialogues on equity and inclusion in academic dance. Through this work, I contribute to the evolving conversation about whose voices and practices are recognized in higher education.

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In all dimensions of my work—teaching, choreography, scholarship, and service—I strive to nurture socially conscious, critically engaged artists who challenge dominant narratives and embrace multiplicity. I view teaching as a collaborative act of liberation and imagination, and research and service as extensions of that philosophy.