Creative Practices

At Hotchkiss, dance became not only a personal practice but also a way of building something with others. As President and Choreographer of the Hotchkiss Dance Company, one of the school's largest arts organizations, I lead a 30-member company, choreograph performances, coordinate rehearsals, costumes, and production, and help shape five annual showcases.

I also helped initiate the school's first collaboration between the Dance Company and Orchestra, bringing live music and movement together in a performance of The Nutcracker.

Beyond campus, I lead weekly dance workshops for 20+ children from underserved communities, extending a practice that has shaped me into something I can share with others.

Theatre has allowed me to move between performance and production—to inhabit a character onstage, then step behind the scenes to understand how an entire production comes together.

With the Hotchkiss Dramatic Association, I performed in major productions including Chicago and Pippin, collaborating with casts, musicians, directors, designers, and technical crews of more than 70 people. In Chicago, I played Hunyak, incorporating Mandarin translation into the performance. In Pippin, I was cross-gender cast as Theo, exploring a character beyond traditional casting conventions.

I also performed in and helped produce student-led black box productions, while serving as both director and stage manager for more than five shows. Working behind the scenes meant coordinating rehearsals, cues, props, costumes, and teams of up to 20 students—learning that a performance depends as much on listening and coordination as it does on what happens under the lights.