Today we’d like to introduce you to Karen Chuang.
Hi Karen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started dancing when I was six at a local studio in Mountain View, CA. My mom flipped open the Yellowpages and chose the first studio listed. At eight, I was invited to be a part of the studio’s competitive dance team. Throughout my childhood, I had several teachers at various schools and pre-professional companies that were instrumental in shaping my perspective on dance. These included: Sioux Lehner, Chris Jacobsen, Sonya Tayeh, Jen Bradford, and Cindy Salgado. These teachers (and many more) not only instilled in me a strong work ethic but also challenged my creativity and artistry. They geared me up to attend a dance conservatory and to dance professionally in the concert dance world.
When I graduated from high school, I chose to attend UCLA because the university seemed like the perfect place for me to continue my dance pursuits despite studying a non-dance major. While at UCLA, I was introduced to the SoCal collegiate hip-hop dance community, which connected me to some of our dance community’s most talented leaders. It was during this time that I also was invited to join Entity Contemporary Dance, which would eventually become one of my greatest sources of support and inspiration in LA.
I was hired for my first tour (Nicki Minaj) a few months after I graduated from UCLA, and when I came back from tour, it took me a while to get my bearings straight. The first few years of freelancing was extremely stressful, but I was grateful for the organizational and time management skills I learned as a college student. I had monthly schedules and yearly budgets and was hyper-focused on my career. When I look back on those years between ages 22-26, I feel like I was a textbook definition of a “workaholic”.
In the last several years, I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities that expand my skill set in the dance community. I’m currently in my sixth year as faculty member for Hollywood Vibe Dance Convention, a freelance choreographer in the educational and professional dance communities, and (despite feeling like an aged dinosaur) I am still a freelance dancer. It thrills me to see how my career has rooted and grown in the last decade, and I am eager to see how it continues to change with time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I scale back and look at my journey from afar, I’ll admit that I’ve been lucky. Especially compared to my parents, who are Taiwanese immigrants, I’ve had much fewer obstacles and barriers in my way. I’m fluent in English, I grew up in an upper-middle class household, and I’ve always had access to resources. Even my exposure to dance was remarkably vast.
But that doesn’t mean that I haven’t had my share of personal struggles to overcome. When I was a senior in high school, I developed body image issues and had a horrible relationship with food. It’s surprisingly common in the dance world, but no one ever talks about it. As such, I quietly dealt with the problem on my own and over the years, it mentally wore me down. I was anxious, irritable, and I was never fully present. I finally started seeing a therapist in my mid-twenties, and after years and years of unpacking, I was able to get out of the mental cloud.
Another barrier that I still come up against is that internal struggle of “authentic self” versus “industry self”. My “industry self” has led me to being the traditionally-feminine-heels-
In those instances of self-doubt, I always remind myself to think of the advice I give to my students: Follow your curiosities and always be authentic to your interests. The industry is constantly changing so it is impossible to predict what kind of dancer/performer will be needed tomorrow. The best practice as an artist is to follow the things that make you feel alive.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in contemporary dance and specifically utilize contemporary and hip-hop vocabulary. It feels like just about everyone is meshing these two genres together, but my background in commercial and concert dance gives me a different perspective when it comes to the union of the two movement practices.
What I am the proudest of in my career is having experienced so many facets of the dance community. I’ve toured with artists like Lady Gaga and Kanye West in arenas across the world, but I’ve also performed in evening length performances in proscenium theaters. I’ve choreographed for pre-professional dancers for the competitive circuit, but also for music videos for artists like Carly Rae Jepsen. These varying experiences give me an appreciation for dance in all its forms and allows me to have more range as a teacher and choreographer. My dream is to continue having my hands in both the commercial and concert dance communities so that my understanding of both continues to deepen and mature.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories is when my whole family went on a cruise for the first time. On the cruise, we all had these little cards with our names on them, which gave us access to our rooms as well as to other amenities on the ship. My mom had purchased a special drink pass for my brother and me, and it was shocking when I learned that I could drink unlimited ginger ale!
That might sound like an odd thing to get excited about but growing up my parents were strict about junk food and soda. I basically drank 2% milk with every meal until I was probably 10. So this magical card that gave me access to unlimited soda was the most incredible thing I had ever experienced! Funny enough, I think it was also on that trip that I experienced for the first time the idea of diminishing marginal utility. Nonetheless, nothing will ever take away that memory of excitement and endless soda opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.karenchuang.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenschuang/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenschuang
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenSChuang
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KarenChuang
Image Credits:
Camryn Eakes, Kenzie McClure, Lindsay Rosenberg, Mike Esperanza, Tiffanie Marie
