Chia-Ying Kao is a Taiwanese-born, Brooklyn-based teacher, choreographer, and performer. She received her MFA in Dance from Sarah Lawrence College in 2012 and is the founder of Chia-Ying Kao Dance. She has taught modern dance, Ballet, Jazz/K-Pop, Chinese folk dance, composition, and improvisation locally and internationally, and her multidisciplinary creative practice explores multiculturalism and connection through collaboration with diverse artists and her community. Ms. Kao has collaborated with relevant institutions and choreographers including Sara Rudner, Yvonne Rainer, Paz Tanjuaquio, Bill T. Jones, Panoramasian Dance Project, Chinese Theatre Works, Chinese–American Arts & Culture Association, New York Chinese Cultural Center, City Lore, Dancewave, Brooklyn Arts Council, and Hualien Cultural Arts in Taiwan. Over the past fifteen years, Ms. Kao has developed and honed a diverse repertoire of pedagogical strategies to effectively and thoughtfully teach students across age and experience. She encourages her students to be active participants by centering their questions, curiosity, and identity.

"Dancing from Home" is a cross-cultural program accessible to seniors in-person and virtually. This program will feature various dance forms including contemporary dance, Chinese dance, Hula, step-dancing, and Zumba, with a goal of bringing the community together through exercise and self-expression. In this safe and welcoming space, participants will explore the pleasure of moving their bodies, dancing together, and socializing, where they’ll be encouraged to express their feelings, needs, and desires in today’s late-COVID environment. Throughout, we will work toward a final performance that will aim to feature the community’s collective confidence, joy, newfound dance skills, and togetherness.