We were lucky to catch up with Yang Sun recently and have shared our conversation below.
Yang, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?
I have never seriously considered taking a career path in choreography and dance until half way through College. Before junior year in college, I was quite the opposite. I majored in economics and was on my path to find summer internships in investment banking and consulting. Dance, back then, has always been there for me but didn’t take up my main focus. Things start to shift during the Pandemic. Being trapped in remote meetings makes me rediscover my relationship with dance. I used to improvise a lot in cafeteria, river banks, side walks, etc. back in high school years, and the pandemic led me back into my improvisation journey in dance. Only this time, I felt a deeper connection and craved to share and involve more artists in the creative process. In an effort to bring a sense of artistic group together under the pandemic, I thus started creating and presenting solos, duets, group works, and curating dance film installations locally in the town of Amherst. Though masked, the joy or connection I felt from the people who stumble across these performances led me to a deeper connection with dance myself. That was a pivotal moment when I realize that the community needs dance, we need art. I went on with my choreographic journey from Western Massachusetts to Torino, Italy and later in New York, meeting so many inspirational individuals along the way.
I think my creative career started just at the right time, not too soon not too late, just at the right moment when the passion and meaning starts to align.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Yang Sun, an award winning dancer, choreographer, and director, working in the intersection of movement, color, and poetry. My strong bond with movements started with improvisation practices in the field, cafeteria, corridor, riverbank and other non-traditional spaces. Grew up in China and later found my path in the U.S., I hold a Summa Cum Laude Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College. I am also an alum for Jacob’s Pillow ChoreoTech Lab 2024, Trinity/LA MAMA Performing Arts Program, NUOVAX Professional Dance program in Torino Italy.
As a dancer, I won 3rd place at ImpulsTanz Freedom is a Dancer Dance Battle in 2023, Vienna. I have worked with choreographers including Shen Wei, Jonathan Frederick, Alleyne Dance, Jordan Demetrius Lloyd, Jenna Riegel, Elena Puchol Sola, Michael Getman, etc. Currently, I am performing with Yoshiko Chuma and The School of Hardknocks as well as Petra Zanki.
As a creator, I have curated a series of public interactive installations Project 2020 in the town of Amherst spring 2021. From 2021-present, I presented choreographic works at Arts on Site, Kirby Theater, American Dance Festival Informal Concert, ACDA Northeast Regional Gala, La MaMa ETC etc. My most recent solo work Poet was selected as one of the 16 finalists to be considered for New York Live Arts Fresh Tracks Residency 2024. In 2024, my dance film Poet was selected by numerous international exhibition & festivals:
Cinédanse Sept-Îles, Prix Lumière nomination, 2024
FASS FORWARD Dance Film Festival Official Selection, 2024
Experimental, Dance & Music Film Festival, Winner of Best Story, 2024
Portland Dance Film Festival Official Selection, 2024
London Contemporary Exhibition, ItsLiquid Group, 2024
Venice Anima Mundi Exhibition, ItsLiquid Group, 2024
In 2024, I started her group Yang Sun & Poets, making interdisciplinary works in dance, installation, poetry, and film.
Dance for me is a speech, and a visual poetry sung by the body. I value the sincerity in movement that captures all the liminal spaces words fail to express. I draw my inspiration from deep observation of the people, the environment, and the self. I believe in the art’s power to heal, reveal, and make a difference.
“ I am a drifting soul searching for sanctuary in movement, color, and poetry, and dance has indeed provided me a home.”
Website: https://www.yangsunmovements.com
Instagram: @yang_sun47
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Becoming by Michelle Obama has inspired me deeply and continues to give me a sense of grounded strength through all the rejections and failed attempts along the way. As exciting and vibrant as New York art scene is, finding residency, funding, or venue opportunities among hundreds and thousands of world class talents can be frustrating and sometimes demoralizing. Numerous failed attempts are bond to happen, and it can be hard to see past disappointment. I am glad I encountered Becoming when I am lost in doubts. Reading Becoming and hearing Michelle’s life path, goals, and dreams unfold slowly but steadily, I find comfort in the doing, one steps at a time. It is good to see and dream a light house far away, but what matters more is the solid steps one takes right now, right at this moment.
Becoming helped me staying grounded and return back to the doing. Changes take time.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I think public awareness and appreciation for dance and arts in general would foster the best support for the dance community. Especially for dance, I have heard many expressed the feeling that concert dance feels like an elitist form that they don’t quite understand. An art form can’t thrive without public awareness and appreciation. I don’t believe in the elitism in dance. Dance is a communal activity after all. It stems from and goes back to community.
Part of the reason I started Yang Sun & Poets is also to promote dance outside of a concert hall or a proscenium stage scenario. I want to bring dance to site specific locations in public spaces closer to everyday life and the communities around.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yangsunmovements.com
- Instagram: @yang_sun47
- Linkedin: Yang Sun
Image Credits
Solo Photo: photographed by Kalea Ramsey
Photos from my recent piece The Stranger: photographed by Rachel Keane Collaborations