Gin Dance

Gin Open Company Class!

shuchen — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 19:18:22 +0000

Great opportunity to dance with Gin Dance Company dancers! Come join our Open Company Class led by Artistic Director, Shu-Chen Cuff. This advanced-level ballet class is designed for adult dancers seeking to elevate their technique and artistry in a professional, high-caliber environment. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to challenge yourself and grow as a dancer.

Class at 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Metropolitan School of the Arts every Wednesday night in the summer!

This Open Company Class series will end on August 31.

Year-End Giving ~ Makes a Difference

shuchen — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:41:45 +0000

As we count down to 2025, we invite you to make a year-end, tax-deductible contribution to support GIN Dance Company and the arts. This past year, GIN has been hard at work, staying focused and productive to ensure that the arts remain an integral part of our lives.

Your generous donation directly supports our artists, enabling them to continue creating and delivering excellence in performing arts while offering diverse programs to our community.

Gin Dance Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit performing arts organization, and your contribution sustains our mission and is fully tax-deductible.

You can give here: http://gindance.org/GinDance/support_gdc/

Thank you for helping us keep the arts thriving!

Gin Presents Legend of The White Snake at Capital One Hall

shuchen — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 16:00:51 +0000

When:

November 9, 2024
Doors open: 6:30 PM
Performance: 7:30 PM
What:

This production features two original pieces, each with distinct meanings, cultural influences, and styles. The title work, Legend of The White Snake, is a brand-new original piece with live music accompaniment by Chinese dulcimer musician Chao Tian. This work reimagines the classic Chinese folktale, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty. Although set during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor in the Qing Dynasty, the story has been retold in various forms over the centuries, including novels, operas, shadow plays, and movies. Our production puts a modern twist on this timeless love story, which follows an ordinary boy who falls in love with a beautiful woman who becomes his devoted wife. There’s only one catch: the beautiful and devoted wife is not human. She is, in fact, a thousand-year-old snake that has acquired the ability to transform into a human through centuries of Taoist training. With rich Chinese cultural influences and a touch of modern dance, our choreographer, Shu-Chen, brings this romantic story to life.

The second piece, Insight, is an original work inspired by the quote, “When an old

person dies, a library burns down.” This powerful statement reminds us of the

immense wealth of knowledge and experience that older generations possess.

Through her choreography, Shu-Chen expresses the awakening message that we

should respect and care more for our seniors, appreciating all they have done to

shape the world that younger generations will inherit. We need to hear their stories

and learn their lessons so that we can benefit and grow from the wisdom they have

to share.

This production is supported by Virginia Commission for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, and National Endowment for the Arts.

Tickets:
Click Here for Tickets

Call for Submission – Aurora Dance Fest

shuchen — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 23:20:37 +0000

Thank you for your interest in sharing your work in Gin Dance Company’s Aurora Dance Festival. This year ADF will be at Capital One Hall on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 5:00 pm. *SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 10, 2024, 11:59 pm EST *Selected participants must be available to do tech and dress rehearsal on the same day of performance day at Capital One Hall on March 9, 2025. *Artists will be notified by November 15, 2024 on their application status. *The Festival does not provide housing and/or transportation. *Individual artists and collectives are welcome to apply. You do not need to be a formal organization to be considered. *University dance major students may apply. *Duration of group piece (more than dancers) should be no longer than 10 min, and solo/duet should be no longer than 6 min in length. *If a work exists only in-progress, please send a rehearsal video of the required length with sufficient supplemental information with which to be fairly considered. World Premiere performances are welcomed and encouraged. If you are applying with a work-in-progress submission and are accepted into the Festival, you will be asked to provide a video of the completed work before final approval. *An excerpt of a longer work can be accepted. *Each choreographer/company may submit up to two works. Performers can appear in more than one application. (each application requires a separate application form.) Apply Now! Click HER E to apply

GDC’s 2024 ‘7-8-9’ Fundraising Drive – Together, keeping the curtain up!

shuchen — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:33:50 +0000

We need your help raising $14,000 by 8/9…

We need your help raising $14,000 by 8/9…

It’s been a very busy and exciting 2023 – 2024 season at GDC… We’ve completed some wonderful performances including our season opening production “Insight” last November in which we collaborated with Kinetic Sculpture Artist, Kevin Reese and Chinese Dulcimer Musician, Chao Tian at Capital One Hall. We were thrilled to host our inaugural Aurora Dance Fest at Capital One Hall this past June with two exceptional talented guest artists, Luke Spring and Shaw Wu and alongside Gin Dance Company and 10 wonderful dance companies featuring all original works of 16 choreographers. This Spring we were selected to perform for Arkansas-Based Multidisciplinary Artis, Danielle Hatch’s site-specific textile installation “All Is in Motion, Is Growing, Is You” in Tephra ICA Arts Festival.

In addition to these great events and more, we had the absolute pleasure of bringing our “I Am Here” to A Gala Benefit Concert for World Central Kitchen through our Outreach Performance Program. Shu-Chen also designed special free, hands-on workshops based on the work “Insight” for the senior communities, Elancé At Old Town Alexandria and The Virginian. Shu-Chen was also the featured keynote speaker/closing act at the Fairfax Academy’s Career Experience Expo! Shu-Chen shared her journey of immigrating to the U.S. and performed an excerpt from our original work “I Am Here” to help the students to understand the struggles and challenges immigrants face when they first immigrate to the U.S.

At GDC, we pour our heart and soul into every production. We create to impact, inspire, and brighten lives. We have a tremendous passion and love for what we do. We are excited to announce that we will be returning to Capital One Hall to open our 2024 – 2025 season in November, 2024. At this very special evening, we will share a full evening length innovative production of “Legend of The White Snake” a brand new original work with live music accompaniment by Chinese Dulcimer musician, Chao Tian that retells the classic Chinese folktale dating back to the Tang Dynasty. Set during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor in the Qing Dynasty. Shu-Chen puts a modern twist on this timeless love story, which follows an ordinary boy who falls in love with a beautiful woman who becomes his devoted wife. There’s only one catch: the beautiful and devoted wife is not human. She is, in fact, a five hundred-year-old snake that has acquired the ability to transform into a human through hundred years of Taoist training. With rich Chinese cultural influences & a touch of modern dance, our choreographer, Shu-Chen, brings this romantic story to life. Bringing this significant work to the community will help build a bridge of cultural understanding between our widely diverse community & the Asian American demographic.

The funds raised during our 7-8-9 Funding Drive ($14,000 by 8/9) will help us cover the production costs of our exciting 2023-2024 season, keeping our artists working and creating to bring excellence in performing arts to the community. We humbly ask for your help in raising the funds needed for this exciting and ambitious production with your tax-deductible contribution. You can help us achieve our goal of raising the needed funds with your tax-deductible contribution.

Please give whatever you can … Every dollar donated will bring us closer to our goal.
TOGETHER, we can keep the curtain up!

You can donate at by clicking the button below…
Donate Here

Note: If you prefer to make a contribution by check, please make check payable to Gin Dance Company and mail it to:

Gin Dance Company
1818 Library ST, Suite 500
Reston, VA 20190

GDC Presents “Insight” at Capital One Hall on November 11

shuchen — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 14:11:08 +0000

“Insight” is comprised of three pieces each with very different meanings, cultural influences, and styles. The first piece, “Insight”, a brand new original work that was inspired by the quote “When an old person dies, a library burns down.” This powerful quote reminds us of the immense wealth of knowledge and experience that older generations possess. Shu-Chen, through her choreography and dance, expresses the awakening message that we should respect more and care more for our seniors and appreciate all they have done to give younger generations the world they will inherent from them. We need to hear their stories and learn their lessons so we can benefit and grow from the wisdom they have to share. Second, a collaboration with kinetic sculpture artist, Kevin Reese. This work is called “I Am Here” in which GDC’s Artistic Director Shu-Chen Cuff, as a 1st generation immigrant to the U.S., delves into her experience of the desire, dreams, struggles, opportunities, and celebration of immigrating to this country. Using the kinetic sculpture design and dance, the audience will get to see and understand how the immigrants life experience come together with the community. Third, “A Cup of Tea”, an Asian culturally influenced work with live music accompaniment by Chinese Dulcimer musician, Chao Tian. In this work, Shu-Chen, through dance, delves into the culture and philosophy of the Chinese tea ceremony and reveals that the tea ceremonies and rituals contain an adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday life, as well as a sense of refinement, an inner spiritual content, humility, restraint and simplicity. By sharing this work with the community, we hope to give the audience an experience that will inspire them to look first inwardly as they explore the introspective nature of the production, then outwardly to appreciate and connect with the people and possibilities that surround us all. Get your tickets: http://gindance.org/GinDance/eventstickets/
This production is supported by Virginia Commission for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, and National Endowment for the Arts.

Gin Dance Company is the recipient of the 2023 Dolly Vogt Community Arts Award on behalf of ArtsFairfax and Capital One Hall. This award recognizes artistic merit, percentage of facility capacity and programmatic growth.

Audition!! Searching for Senior Performers!

shuchen — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 05:36:11 +0000

ATTENTION!! Searching for Senior Performers!!

When:
Sunday, March 26, 2023
– 9:45 a.m. Check In (Pre-Registration Required)
– 10:00 a.m. Audition
What:
GDC is casting male and female roles, ages 60+ to join Shu-Chen’s innovative and meaningful production “Insight” for our 2023 – 2024 season. Performances include our full evening production at Capital One Hall on November 11, 2023, and additional upcoming performances in spring/summer 2024. Some dance and acting experience is preferred. Audition includes learning simple choreography and an improvisation portion. Please wear something comfortable that you can dance in.

Rehearsals are from 10:00 – 11:00 am on Sundays at BalletNova Center for Dance starting May 6 with some additional evening rehearsals on Wednesdays in September, October, and November.
Please note: this is an unpaid performance opportunity.
Where:
BalletNova Center for Dance
3443 Carlin Springs RDFalls Church, VA 22041
Pre-Registration:
Pre-Registration Online Form: https://gindance.com/audition_registration
Questions:
Contact us: info@gindance.com

Special Guest Performer in The Company Project: Higher Ground

shuchen — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 01:35:48 +0000

Shu-Chen will be guest performing in Metropolitan School of the Arts’ (MSA) The Company Project: Higher Ground which features innovative choreography for this one-night-only event. Join MSA pre-professional dance companies, Impulse, MYTE, and dynaMYTE along with special guest performers, as they explore the ways in which we can level up!

Guest Performers also include Malik Dope Drummer (America’s Got Talent) and Luke Spring (The Ellen DeGeneres Show)

Come join us!

When:

March 12, 2023
– 5:00 p.m. Pre-Show Reception Sponsored by Burtons Grill & Bar of Alexandria.

– 6:00 p.m. Performance.
Where:

Ernst Community Cultural Center

8333 Little River Turnpike

Annandale, VA 22003
Tickets:
Click Here for Tickets

GDC Performing in “Joy to the World” at Capital One Hall

shuchen — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 17:30:31 +0000

Happy December!! We are so excited to be returning to Capital One Hall on December 19 to be part of Grammy Nominated Billboard No. 1 Concert Violinist, Jenny Oaks Baker’s “Joy to the World” Christmas Concert! Come see GDC’s dancers perform in some of wonderful holiday favorites choreographed by GDC Artistic Director, Shu-Chen Cuff. This wonderful show will also feature Celtic Woman Star, Alex Sharpe, New York Times Best Selling Author, Jason F. Wright, The Washington DC Temple Choir, and The Boyle School of Irish Dance. Come join us to share in the holiday joy!

When:
December 19, 2021 — 7:00 p.m.
Where:
Capital One Hall – Main Hall

7750 Capital One Tower Rd.

Tysons, VA 22102
Tickets: Click Here for Tickets

GDC Presents “I Am Here” at the Capital One Hall

shuchen — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 17:35:23 +0000

“I Am Here” will be comprised of three World Premier pieces choreographed by GDC Artistic Director, Shu-Chen Cuff. First, the title piece, “I Am Here” in which Shu-Chen, as a 1st generation immigrant from Taiwan to the U.S., delves into her personal experience of the desire, dreams, struggles, opportunities, and celebration of immigrating to the United States. “For this work, while it tells my story, I also wanted our patrons to have an opportunity to hear the stories of other 1st generation immigrants from different countries. So we included the words and stories of other immigrants and weaved them into a multi-discipline collaboration with renowned and innovative kinetic sculpture artist and educator, Kevin Reese who currently has over 190 sculpture installations in 30 states throughout the country.” says GDC Artistic Director Shu-Chen Cuff. Second, “A Cup of Tea” is an Asian culturally influenced work with live music accompaniment by Chinese Dulcimer musician, Chao Tian in which Shu-Chen delves into the culture and philosophy of the Chinese tea ceremony and reveals that the tea ceremonies and rituals contain an adoration of the beautiful among the sordid facts of everyday life, as well as refinement, an inner spiritual content, humility, restraint and simplicity through dance. Third, “A New Day”, a contemporary ballet with a fun, light-hearted ode to Mozart’s humor and playful score to encourage, inspire, and motivate everyone to have a positive attitude and energy to face whatever the challenges come at us. Come join us for a special celebration and a unique cultural experience!

This production is supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, and ArtsFairfax.

When:
November 12 — 7:30 p.m.
Where:
Capital One Hall

7750 Capital One Tower RD

Tysons, VA 22102
Tickets:
Click Here for tickets