Why Can’t You Know?

“I trained in ballet and Chinese folkloric dance for ~8 years, starting at age 5 all the way until start of high school. I danced competitively for ~5 years in Chinese folkloric before self-learning contemporary. I joined the APAC Dance team at SASPX in grade 9, and as of now, have ~4 years of contemporary dance experience. My dance background is pretty diverse, and I'm grateful for what that's taught me. Currently, I still pursue Chinese folkloric and contemporary, though jazz and musical theatre are also part of my interests.”

“WOW, I'm gonna be honest, at the start I just really wanted to perform a solo piece at PASSION because the last time I did it was my first dance showcase in freshmen year at the Puxi Arts Gala. Thus, it was kind of a full circle moment for me. For the piece itself, I've always loved the song "Secret Love Story," and it was actually one of the songs we had considered for APAC Dance 2025. "Why Can't You Know?" is a strong contemporary piece that embodies the bittersweet nature of a fleeting and desperate daydream. I intended for the choreography to waver between soft tenderness to sharp, jarring falls, in order to depict the reality of distance and secrecy. This piece captures the essence of a reverie by portraying a love that exists fully only in the mind. It represents a connection that feels tangible in a moment but a fading illusion in the next.”

“This piece took around a month (excluding brainstorming) to put together and perfect. My biggest challenge was definitely in the originality in the choreography. I've put together many large and small group pieces, but choreographing for a solo is much more difficult because of how big of the stage one person needs to fill. I also mean this figuratively, not just physically. I didn't want to have repetition in my choreography that had already appeared in group dances, and was inspired to challenge myself with new technique and tricks. It took a while to put together the actual choreography because I spent a lot of time teaching myself new elements to put in it. I like to start with the very beginning of the song, skip to the main chorus, then move back and connect both sections using the verses.”

“Passion is taking the motivation and drive you have for something and making a change on it. When we say someone is "passionate," they are more than just intrigued or interested. To me, passion can be a very powerful mechanism, and in dance, it's what gives the piece light and emotion. A passionate dancer can make their performance come to life, touching the hearts of the audience from many rows away.”

“Dance is a HUGE part of my identity, and I don't know where I would be without it. It gives me confidence and a place to express whatever I want. It even made me walk taller and got rid of a slouch! I think dance is so powerful in a sense that not only are you able to use movement and expression to showcase what you as the dancer are feeling, but the audience is able to understand the piece in various perspectives. This allows for multiple interpretations of a piece, and shows how versatile our craft can be.”

“My favorite moment on stage is such a difficult question. Every time I step onstage, I pretend like this is the last time I will perform — thus, I gotta give it all I got. I think something about performing at this last PASSION XIX was really special. Instead of focusing on the choreography and which steps came next, I paid attention to facial expression and really enjoying the pieces I performed. During my duet with Anna "Not Already Gone," I remember a key moment onstage where we looked at each other during the dance, and I felt like I was going to cry. The ambience of the music and lighting mixed with an overwhelming rush of emotion in the performance made the surroundings feel ethereal and unreal. I will remember that feeling for a very long time.”

“Frankly, there's not much I hope for SASPX audiences of dance haha, at least not explicitly. For any audience watching a show, attending an exhibit, or experiencing any other form of art, I think the upmost respect you can show is to fully immerse yourself in the work. Don't watch something that you've already judged 10 times in your head before. Instead, learn to appreciate the work of art in its entirety. For dance especially, new styles, incredibly costuming, over the top choreography are all eye-catching and often controversial notions. As an audience, don't like that stop you from authentically experiencing it.”