Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan Liu

Hi Joan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.

I was born in Taipei, Taiwan and started dancing at the age of four. My training started with Chinese dance and martial arts. Later, when I entered pre-professional training, I was trained in ballet, modern/contemporary, and improvisation/choreography. I also took hip-hop, jazz, and tap along the way, though not extensively. My training took me around the world where I was lucky enough to train at prestigious places such as Goh Ballet Academy in Vancouver, Joffrey Ballet Academy in Chicago, American Ballet Theatre in New York…etc. I started my performing career with Taipei Royal Ballet at the age of 15, but that took a hiatus (though at the time I thought I had retired) due to injuries and health issues. I took the opportunity to pursue academics and studied pre-med/life science at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan and Yale University. Upon graduation, I moved to New York to attend New York University, first obtaining a Masters in Biology, then a Masters in Dance Education through the collaborated program between NYU and American Ballet Theatre. It was then I realized that while my body may look very different from when I was pursuing ballet full time, I had different things to offer and actually enjoyed dancing at a deeper level. I was fortunate that several choreographers and directors shared the same values and took me on as dancers including Gwen Rakotovao Company, American Liberty Ballet, Aries in Flight, Chutzpah Dance among others.

While I have always enjoyed working on myself, obsessing over every muscle fiber; it was in choreography that teachers have always found me to have talents. During my time dancing professionally in NYC, people started seeking me out to choreograph for them for various gigs. Through that, I started trying my hands at applying to festivals where I met more of the dance community. When people saw the full length ballet “Pasta” that I choreographed for American Liberty Ballet, many urged me to start my own company. Thus, Axons Dance Theatre was born. The rest is history.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

The road was far from smooth. My first stint as a professional performer only lasted a few years. At that time, I was content. While I love this art form more than I can put into words, I was beyond burnt out both physically and mentally. I had decided that dancing was over, it’s time to focus on science and medicine. But when the opportunity to study dance education came up, my heart yearned and I took a “detour”. I remember being at the end of the dance education program and telling my mentor that I was ready to become a research assistant and go down the path of studying for a PhD and become a scientist. Life threw me another curve ball and gave me a contract as a dancer with a contemporary dance company. While I had been content that I only ever held professional contracts with ballet companies, I had always knew contemporary dance was where I felt I could really be me. I felt it was the universe’s sign to see me on stage again. I listened. But the “detour” that I took, having devoted time on my degrees meant I had a lot of catching up to do physically. I constantly felt I couldn’t keep up with my peers who are almost ten years younger. On top of that, as an immigrant, getting a visa and working legally is like a dark cloud that’s constantly hovering over me. I have no idea how much tears I’ve shed, how many panic attacks, how many times I’ve thrown up from anxiety over this issue. Family and friends ask me all the time, is it worth it to literally give your health (and at times it felt, life) to stay in this country making art?

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

Currently, I consider myself as a dancer/choreographer/educator. As a dancer, I am a freelancer engaging in various projects that inspire me; as a choreographer, I am Artistic Director for Axons Dance Theatre as well as choreographing commissioned works; as an educator, I am on faculty at Ballet Arts at New York City Center and teach upon invitations. With my science background, I specialize in infusing scientific knowledge into the arts. Some people know me as having a keen eye for alignment; some people know me as paying attention to the slightest details; some people know me as drawing inspirations from all kinds of things…etc. What I am most proud of, is that Axons Dance Theatre is known as the company that laughs a lot. I believe we can be serious, get a lot of work done, create good art while having fun at the same time!

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.

I am scared of risks. I do not like them. I do not enjoy taking them. However, if you ask anyone that knows me, I take them. To me, risks are necessary evil if you wish to grow. Growth is very little when always kept in a comfort zone. It is in the greatest risks that we see the most transformation. I am not at a place that I can confidently say I seek out risks, but I have grown enough to appreciate the necessity and the benefits of it. I would not be where I am today if I had not taken multiple risks (that made absolutely no sense at the time).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://joanjcliu.wixsite.com/home
• Instagram: @joanymacaroni
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoanLiuDanceAndWellness
• Other: https://www.axonsdancetheatre.org/

Image Credits

Jan La Salle, Renfang Ke, Julie Lemberger, Alice Chacon Photography