Most of my works are reflections of my own life, those around me, and those events and emotions I know and feel intensely. Although my work is often personal, I have a passion for sharing to see if my choreography stimulates thought and appreciation from the audience for the stories and emotions behind the presentation.
When developing a new dance production, I start from a concept that is often based on a true experience, story, or some concept very important to me. I frequently look for ways to try new things, to take the work to another level by exploring and developing my own style of movement. I am curious and obsessed with the possibilities of integrating dance styles.
At the outset, I take the necessary time and thought to develop and present my vision. Then I search for the best talent for the stage and backstage. The greatest inspiration is through emotions, both my own and those of others. When selecting dancers, I want to know their background, what is important to them, what motivates them, and what concerns or frightens them. Physical vocabulary is important but the emotional state of mind is the focus. From my dancers, I seek devotion to the theme and immersion in the role. I want them to find the emotion that drives the action I envision. But I also want to provide dancers the space to explore and create within the realm of the concept. I share my creative voice with them through a continuous conversation, and I draw energy from them to inspire new dance concepts and movements. I push dancers to identify their physical limits and to develop detail and precision in their technique. I seek out collaborators who will respond to my vision with their creative contributions, putting us in fruitful dialogue to arrive at a mutually rewarding product. From the technical crew, I present my concept but then encourage a fully creative approach, allowing them to explore their own interpretations of the story.
As the production reaches its final stages, I direct the team to fine-tune and focus as needed to ensure a cohesive, unified performative experience. Dancing in a room binds people together and energizes them to move as one. I consider designers and technical crew to be performers as well; together we create a creative environment of sound, lighting, scenic, and costume design that is fully synchronized with the dancer’s emotions and movements. Throughout the performance, an engaged, stimulated, and entertained audience is the ultimate evidence of success.
Photo Credit to Jonathan Hsu and David Andrews
Ghost Bride – 40 min production
Choreography: Rose Xinran Qi
Performer: Amber Daniels, Rose Xinran Qi, Grace Zhang, Casie Curry, Vicki Zhang, and Carissa Kwan
Lighting Design: Eric Pitney
Scenic Design: Alexander Shiryaev
Costume Design: Channing Tucker
Projection Design: Taylor Kennedy Verrett
Projection assistants: Zavier Taylor and Jacob Hughes
Sound Design: Veronica Lancaster
Stage Management: Maria De Barros
Video by Nel Shelby Production
Music credits to Yo-Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin, Zhengdao Lu, Ozley ASMR, Chris Davey, Mark Isham, Zhengdao Lu, Olafur Arnalds