Meet Denise Chan | Dancer / Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Denise Chan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Denise, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Being a dancer is all about taking risks, and one’s willingness to jump in head first is a huge factor in whether or not you fall or fly. I would not be where I am today if I had not taken risks in both my life and my art; however, I wouldn’t classify myself as a risk taker by nature. I value security and comfort, preferring the path well travelled than straying off course and walking blindly into the unknown. Once I started taking dancing more seriously thought, I realized that I wouldn’t be able to reach my full potential without taking major leaps of faith and stepping out on that stage on my own. Traveling by myself to intensives and conventions, auditioning for jobs that are outside of my comfort zone, and putting myself in new and unfamiliar situations are all chances I’ve taken that allowed me to grow and develop. Taking risks is necessary to be able to stand out in a large crowd of movers, especially when all of them are going for the same job or position. Learning to take a deep breath and just go has opened more doors than I could have ever imagined, with moving to New York City on my own during the pandemic being the biggest risk yet biggest opportunity I’ve taken in my life so far. Traveling that far away from home, living in a city I had never been to before, knowing no one and nothing would’ve been my worst fear as a kid, but being able to look back on all my past risky choices and see how I came out stronger on the side made this fear look more like an opportunity. I’ve met the most amazing people and made the most amazing connections because of my choice to train here in NYC. Yes, not every risk ends in reward, but embracing risk taking was the best choice I could’ve ever made for myself. In this career, every time I step onstage, I take a risk. The unknown will always be scary, but for me, wondering “what if?” is scarier.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I was born in 2002 in Vancouver, British Colombia and started dancing at 2 and a half years old. There’s basically no time in my life where I remember NOT dancing. I tried other activities when I was younger, with my dad putting both my sister and I in ski lessons and swimming lessons, and me even playing baseball throughout elementary school, but nothing rivalled my passion for dance. When it came down to choose between that and something else, dance was always the obvious answer. It was the perfect outlet for me, satisfying my need for physical activity and creative stimulation. In an art form as widespread and large as this one, it’s hard to stand out and differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other dancers in the room, but I would say what sets me apart from the crowd is my versatility and how I use it to create my own style of movement. Although my beginnings in dance started with strong technical training in ballet, jazz, musical theatre, and contemporary later on, I soon discovered a love for street styles like hip hop, locking, and popping. My ability to nurture both sides gave me the chance to explore new and unique movement and allowed me to find my own sense of style, mixing technique with textures and musicality. It also gave me the benefit of versatility. The cross-training I did between styles strengthened my dancing abilities in all areas, and being versatile across dance genres isn’t something too many dancers can do. I’ve carved my own path and made a name for myself that is entirely unique and authentically me. My journey throughout dance has really been one of perseverance and determination. Like any dedicated artist, I’ve put blood, sweat, and tears into my art, metaphorically and literally, and the challenges I’ve had to overcome strengthened my character and artistry. Some of my biggest struggles were with my self-image and worth, and how to get past my fear of failure and falling behind. Because of the nature of my training, I was constantly competing against others and my past results and quickly associated my value as a dancer, and eventually as a person, with winning and staying “on top”. I also thought that if I wasn’t pushing myself all the time and putting 110% of my energy into everything I did, I would stop improving and never meet my and other’s high expectations. It became a cycle of hard work and succeeding, to losing and failure, to then beating myself up and pushing myself to a breaking point until I reached success again. I truly felt that if I wasn’t constantly improving and being better than I was the day previous, I was going backwards. Anything less than “the best” was a failure. My original love for dance was definitely clouded over for a bit and only began to clear once I moved away from home and left the competition space, freeing me from the constant pressure I put upon myself for perfection and working myself to exhaustion. I learned that it was ok to take a step back and rest, and that no matter the outcome or results, I still was worth something. I finally able to separate my identity from my accolades, and learn that working hard doesn’t mean breaking my mind and body. My story so far really comes down to how a passion for art gives you the strength to carry on and persevere as well as the ability to rediscover yourself and grow every single day. At this point, I’m really itching to just get out there and launch my professional career. I’ve trained for so long and gained so much insight about myself through this art, and I finally feel like I’m ready take the leap and make this a career. I’ve only just began working, as I graduated from the Certificate Program at Peridance this past June, but I’ve already been able to perform with companies and work with some of the most amazing choreographers. I’m beyond grateful for what I’ve been able to do, and I truly can’t wait to see what’s next! I want to ride this wave as long as I can, ups and downs and all.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Anyone who has come to NYC for either quick trip or a good stay knows that my first recommendation is always Chinatown. For me, there’s something about walking through the crowded streets and exploring every tucked away market and hidden restaurant that makes me feel so at peace. There’s obviously some of the best (and cheapest) food in the city, with anyone being able to find a snack or meal that would satisfy a craving. Whether it’s a cha siu bao from Fay Da Bakery or Mei Lai Wah, or dim sum at Nom Wah Tea Parlor or House of Joy, there’s always great tasting bites literally on every street. Toni’s rice rolls is my personal heaven, plus a bubble tea as the beverage of choice of course. There’s the deceptive market places that look like it would be the smallest store possible but end up having three floors and all the snacks and trinkets you could imagine, and the street vendors selling fresh fruit and veggies… there’s legit everything in Chinatown. Even just walking down Canal Street is a perfect afternoon adventure. I’m also a HUGE fan of the museums here. There’s obviously the natural history museum which is amazing as well as the MET, but my personal favourite is the MoMA. I always connect the most with the art installations there, and I think anyone who visits NYC has to go to MoMA if they’re at all interested in art, or even if they’re not I would still recommend.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It would be impossible for me to name every person, every company, every piece of art that has contributed to my success as I’ve been blessed to have had and met so many people that have supported and uplifted me throughout my ups and downs as a dancer; however, no one though, has been more supportive than my own parents. Both my mom and dad are so integral to what I’ve been able to accomplish so far, and I absolutely know that without their love and encouragement, I wouldn’t be who I am today. In every aspect of my life they have been my number one support system and have been my emotional, physical, mental, and financial pillars. My mom did my stage makeup (until I learned to do it myself), braided my hair (I never learned how to do that one myself), ironed and organized my costumes, bought me dance clothes and shoes; she even stretched with me when I was trying to increase my own flexibility. She drove me to the studio, to competitions and conventions and workshops, to every physical and message therapy appointment, every extra rehearsal. Beyond that though, she was always there at my highest of highs and my lowest lows. When I cried, she cried, and when I smiled, she would still cry but with happy tears. She was in the car with me (more driving) while I broke down after a loss or a tough practice, and always knew when I needed advice or when I needed to just let it out. My dad on the other hand, may not have done all the driving, but he was always there for me too. Being a musician himself, he understood what it meant to be an artist and how strong a passion for art can be. He showed me the realities of a life as an artist and showed me how to navigate the joys and inconsistencies of the industries. He exposed me to amazing musicians, artists, music and movies that touched and inspired me, shaping my personal love of contemporary art. He brought me to the theatre, where I watched my first dance performance. I’ve never seen someone who gets more pride and happiness from watching me dance than my dad. Both my parents let me make my own choices, but were there to give me advice and perspective every step of the way. They pushed me to be better but not to be perfect, and they loved me. I want to dedicate my shoutout to my parents and to all their sacrifices they made for me to live a life full passion and creativity.

Instagram: @_denise_chan_ link: https://www.instagram.com/_denise_chan_/

Image Credits
1. Zani and ALMA Collective 2. Kuoheng Huang 3. Sun Kim Dance Theatre 4. Jordan Ryder and Peridance Centre