Three Renowned Dance Companies Celebrate Asian and Asian American Ballet

Phil Chan is an artist “committed to eliminating outdated and offensive stereotypes of Asians (Yellowface) on our stages.” Chan and Georgina Pazcoguin, a ballet soloist, founded the Final Bow for Yellowface organization in 2017, with a simple pledge to not perform offensive stereotypes of Asians and Asian Americans. Nearly every major American ballet company has signed the pledge, and the Paris Opera cited Final Bow for Yellowface in its decision to remove blackface from their productions. Chan is the co-curator of 10,000 Dreams and his work Ballet des Porcelaines is on the program.

Admittedly, 10,000 dreams is a lot of dreams. But in a variety of Asian languages, the phrase 10,000 years acts as a stand-in for indefinitely large numbers, and an indicator of the infinite. Often, the idea of 10,000 years is associated with longevity or even immortality, especially when one is talking about someone like an emperor. Put in context, 10,000 Dreams conjures a feeling of eternity and triumph—a world of endless creativity and artistry.

10,000 Dreams features choreography by the late Choo San Goh—a ballet legend from Singapore who was just 39-years-old when he passed away, but had a profound impact on ballet around the world. A tribute video including quotes from an array of dance world luminaries reveals just how powerful his artistry and intrinsic kindness were. Choo San Goh performed original works in Switzerland, the Netherlands, and in companies across the U.S. In 1976, he became a resident choreographer for the newly formed Washington Ballet, and went on to create 14 works during his 11 years at the company. In 1984, he became The Washington Ballet’s assistant artistic director. In his will, Choo San Goh left $500,000 to set up the Choo San Goh & H Robert Magee Foundation to support young choreographers.

Caili Quan owes her love of dance to her upbringing in Guam. As a Chamorro Filipino, her family home was host to fiestas, followed by impromptu music and dancing. Quan began her formal training in dance on the island, and credits her culture any chance she can. As a member of BalletX, Quan choreographed Love Letter as a tribute to Guam. Quan developed Layer Upon Layer in 2022 for The Oakland Ballet Company’s Dancing Moons Festival.

Edwaard Liang, a Taiwanese-born American dancer and choreographer, became the artistic director of BalletMet in 2013. A former dancer with New York City Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, Liang's standout performance in Fosse on Broadway in 2021 was part of PBS’ Great Performances broadcast of the tribute to famed choreographer Bob Fosse. He has built an international reputation as a choreographer, counting the Choo San Goh Award for Choreography among his many honors and awards. In 2024, Liang became the artistic director of The Washington Ballet.

Brett Ishida earned a BA from UCLA in English with an emphasis in creative writing. Her work for The Washington Ballet —when shall we three meet again—takes its title from the opening line of Shakespeare’s Macbeth and is on the Northrop program. She has a love for wordplay and a choreographic commitment to intertwining ancient and timeless themes of Greek philosophy and poetry with an investigation of the subconscious memories that shape us. Writing is a key part of Ishida’s approach to creating dance. “Before I start choreographing, I write a script,” Ishida explained in an interview. “Then I get into a studio and start working out movement based on the emotional context of what’s going on and how the characters are interacting with each other.”

The character of the Twin Cities is shaped by Asian and Asian American cultures. Hmong people are the largest Asian group in Minnesota, numbering approximately 94,000 statewide. This makes the Twin Cities home of the second-largest urban Hmong community in the U.S. Choreographer Phil Chan will lead a conversation about the University’s position in this community, and much more, with Minnesota arts leaders and scholars at 10,000 Dreams for Artistic Legacies on Wed, Apr 10, at 3:30 pm.

Join us in the Northrop lobby on Fri, Apr 12 at 6:30 pm for pre-show lobby activities celebrating local Asian and Asian American arts and culture! Listen to live music from the University of Minnesota’s Oriental Music Club, meet campus student association leaders, and enjoy installations that explore art as a way to connect to home and heritage. Participants include some of the Twin Cities’ leading Asian arts and culture organizations, including the Hmong Museum, the SEAD Project, and Theater Mu.