Recently, the Chinese Dance Company of Southern California (CDCSC) was invited to participate in the annual Cultural Dance Workshop hosted by the Sweetwater Union High School District, bringing an immersive experience of Chinese dance and Chinese culture to more than 90 students across three classes in the district.
The Cultural Dance Workshop is designed to introduce students to different dance styles and cultural traditions. The program focuses not only on learning dance itself, but also encourages students to explore the history, traditions, and cultural backgrounds behind different forms of dance, allowing young people to experience and understand the diversity of world cultures through movement and embodied practice.
Starting with a Movement, a Fan
The workshop was led by Chinese dance instructor Xue Han, with Chinese Dance Company of Southern California members Annie Xiao and Kylie Liao serving as teaching assistants.
The participating students included dancers from the District Dance Company with prior dance training, as well as students with little to no previous dance experience who were encountering Chinese dance for the first time. Each class, however, had only one short hour for instruction.
From the fundamental postures of Chinese dance to fan techniques, turns, and formations, the students gradually entered the unique movement language of Chinese dance. Annie and Kylie provided movement demonstrations and small-group guidance, helping students more directly understand and master the movements and style.
Beyond movement instruction, the class also incorporated elements of Chinese dance culture and aesthetics, allowing students not only to learn “how to dance,” but also to explore the cultural expression behind the movements and experience the distinctive rhythm and artistic beauty of Chinese dance.
To everyone’s delight, after completing instruction with each of the three classes, more than 90 students came together to combine the fans, movements, turns, and formations they had just learned into a Chinese dance performance.
From picking up a fan for the first time to completing a dance together with dozens of classmates, the one-hour class brought students from different cultural backgrounds and with different levels of dance experience together through Chinese dance.
“Chinese Dance.” — The Students’ Most Genuine Response
One of the most memorable moments of the day came after the performance. A few girls were standing nearby discussing, “Which dance did you like the most today?” Two of them answered at the same time: “Chinese Dance.”
Some students even came over to hug Ms. Han and the teaching assistants, sharing their feelings with tears in their eyes—one student said that she had never seen a dance so beautiful and so deeply moving.
For the students, this may have been just one dance class during their day; but an authentic artistic experience can sometimes be the beginning of discovering another culture.
Annie: They Far Exceeded My Expectations
Going into the event, Annie had no expectations, and she was even a bit concerned that some dancers might not be interested in learning Chinese dance.
Though the instructors entered the experience not knowing the dancers’ skill levels, the students fully exceeded Annie’s expectations. They were highly engaged, very eager to learn, and focused and enthusiastic about learning Chinese dance.
They made the most of the short time they had together, and each dancer worked hard to retain the choreography and learn the movements they were presented with. Annie felt especially proud when she watched dancers successfully master a difficult skill, such as the flower fan, after working through it with them.
One moment that particularly resonated with Annie took place during the third class, when a dancer came up to the instructors before class and expressed her appreciation for the art of traditional Chinese dance and her eagerness to take the class. That moment felt especially meaningful to Annie—to hear that someone had been looking forward to their class throughout the day and was genuinely enthusiastic about learning Chinese dance. When the three classes came together to perform the final piece, Annie felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride. Seeing the students’ dedication and attentiveness in class translate into an amazing performance was incredibly rewarding.
From this experience, Annie left with a renewed sense of community and gratitude for all the dancers who participated. Watching students cheer each other on, whether for their own dance team or another group, reminded her that dance can bring so many individuals together.
Kylie: Seeing Their Smiles Reminded Me Why I Dance
To sum up what this opportunity felt like, Kylie described her experience as a mix of pride, gratitude, and being deeply moved. While she has had the chance to TA or help out at other events, this one felt a little different—not just because the students came from different cultural backgrounds, but because there was so much passion in their eyes. The drive was far, but it was definitely worth it.
Seeing all of these middle to high school students so excited and willing to dive into and learn about this new style of dance was truly heartwarming. Throughout each of the three sessions, Kylie, Annie, and Ms. Han learned to adapt to the varying levels of the students, changing the choreography on the spot to make it easier or more challenging. They also learned along the way what to change in the way they were teaching certain movements, which key points of each movement to emphasize, and what needed to be done to ensure that the students were not only able to immerse themselves in the culture, but also have fun learning dance.
Kylie remembers very vividly that during the last session, as she watched the students run the dance on their own, without any assistance from the three instructors, she felt a little teary-eyed. Simply watching these students engage themselves in the experience and really try their hardest to learn and enjoy this cultural dance style truly warmed her heart. She was touched to see so many students who had never really been exposed to traditional Chinese dance become so engaged, dedicated, and happy, with smiles across their faces as they learned this style of dance that means so much to them.
At one point, Annie and Kylie happened to notice that some girls were counting out loud for the entire group as they ran through the choreographed section on their own. It really made Kylie want to cry because, truly, it was so touching to see these students so engaged and doing their very best. It was a beautiful experience, and such an honor for Kylie to share their culture with a community a little farther than just their Irvine community.
Kylie said this is a memory that will stick with her for a long while. She is grateful to have had such an opportunity and remains deeply touched by the students they were able to work with at the workshop.
Their bright smiles, tear-jerking words, and passion for learning were truly inspiring. The experience reminded Kylie of why exactly she dances, why exactly she enjoys teaching, and why she is always so honored to be a part of this cultural community. She feels forever changed after this workshop—eternally grateful and honored to have been a part of the experience.
One Workshop, One Window into Chinese Culture
When a child who has never encountered Chinese dance before picks up a fan for the first time, learns a dance posture, experiences the rhythm of Chinese dance through their own body, and is genuinely moved by a piece of dance, Chinese dance becomes more than just movement and technique. It also becomes a window into Chinese culture. This is precisely where the significance of this workshop lies.
Chinese dance is not simply an art form presented on stage; it is also a form of expression that can transcend language, age, and cultural background. As students experience a movement, a rhythm, and an aesthetic through their bodies, they are also, often without realizing it, discovering the culture and stories behind those movements. For the dancers and instructors participating in the workshop, this was equally an opportunity for mutual learning.
Within just one hour, the instructors and teaching assistants not only shared Chinese dance with the students, but also rediscovered the power of dance as a medium for cultural exchange through the students’ enthusiasm, focus, and heartfelt responses.
About SCCCA and CDCSC
The Chinese Dance Company of Southern California (CDCSC) was established in 2019 through a joint initiative of the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center and the Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance (PACDA). CDCSC is dedicated to providing opportunities for dance enthusiasts throughout Southern California to learn, connect, and perform, while using traditional dance and original works to share stories of Chinese culture and promote the preservation and development of Chinese dance within American communities.
SCCCA is committed to preserving Chinese culture, enriching community cultural life, and promoting multicultural exchange. Its cultural center and related arts programs also provide opportunities for learning, practicing, and showcasing Chinese cultural arts, including Chinese dance.
Building Bridges Through Dance, Making Culture Visible
We would like to thank the Sweetwater Union High School District for its commitment to multicultural arts education, as well as the Cultural Dance Workshop for providing a platform for dance artists from different cultural backgrounds to share, experience, and connect.
We would also like to thank Ms. Xue Han, Annie Xiao, and Kylie Liao for their dedication and contribution, as well as every student who participated in the classes. It was your focus, enthusiasm, and sincere responses that made this cultural exchange so meaningful. Although the class lasted only one hour, an encounter with Chinese dance may leave a lasting memory.
Through cultural arts education like this, we hope to give more young people the opportunity to experience and appreciate Chinese dance firsthand, and to quietly plant a seed in their hearts—a seed of curiosity and appreciation for Chinese dance and Chinese culture.
Building bridges through dance, making culture visible; Encountering beauty, allowing inspiration to unfold naturally.