Today we’d like to introduce you to Winnie Mu.
Hi Winnie, 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?
My journey as a visual artist started with dance. I started training in ballet when I was two years old and soon after began training in Chinese traditional and folk dance, which helped me feel connected to my identity as an Asian-American and express myself to others. In 2022, I graduated with a BFA in Dance Theater from the AMDA College and Conservatory of the performing arts in NY and LA. While I was in college, I began to take the Artist’s Film Lab with Cain Devore, an amazing filmmaker, mentor, and human. I fell in love with filmmaking and ended up taking the class every semester, which propelled me into developing my own library of dance on film. After graduating, I began creating more film work, and my passion for capturing movement through the lens translated into developing my own photography business, WINNIEMUVISUALS, with the goal to create work that disrupts visual normalcy, embraces diversity and inspires unity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the most challenging moments for me as an artist was defining my identity, and this is still something that continues to transform as I explore different parts of my creativity. My college program had an emphasis on the commercial dance space, and so that’s where my focus was when I first moved to LA. As I began to meet more people through school, being on set, and working in production, I began learning more about different avenues of work I was interested in and became inspired to lean into my identity as a creator. I was overwhelmed at first on which path I should take, but I’ve learned that regardless of where I go first or end up being, all of the visions, creativity, and magic will still exist inside me. I can be, and am, more than a “label” of who I’ve been told I should be in the industry. So now I lead with the title of artist. I am not only a dancer, but I am a creator of all kinds- filmmaker, photographer, creative director, and beyond that I am a friend, daughter, mom (to my cat) and so much more.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about WINNIEMUVISUALS?
As a dancer who’s been on the other side of the camera, my goal is to step into the visual dance space through my business WINNIEMUVISUALS to redefine the way that dance is captured on film, breaking visual stereotypes and reshaping the experience of those being captured. After entering the commercial dance industry as a female Asian-American performer, I had a deep desire to reshape the experience of performers on set, particularly those who are less represented in those spaces. I strongly believe in creating film and photography environments that are energy-giving and safe, as those are the environments that nurture the best results (and will probably get you the best shots of yourself ). Headshots, dance shots, class photography, dance reels, dance films, and creative direction in film and photography are examples of the avenues of creation I lean into to support this vision for WINNIEMUVISUALS.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
I believe success arrives in the small moments on your journey when you feel aligned with your goals and dreams. I see myself as someone who is forever evolving, transforming, and learning, so instead of the idea of one ultimate success, I lean into the idea of arriving at many different points or destinations and seeing those as the many successes along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.winniemuvisuals.com
- Instagram: @winniemuvisuals
Image Credits
Photos by WINNIEMUVISUALS, featuring in order shown: Iman Chan, Stephanie Landwehr choreography at Stage and Screen 2022, Kaley Logan, Vanessa Ramirez and Sasha Serdyukov, Ground Grooves, Lu Arróspide, Winnie Mu, Soul de Soul Dance Convention Aligned Tour.
