Meet Stephanie Dai | Dancer and Choreographer

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

Hi Stephanie, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I think all of my work is unfinished in a way, and I quite like that! There is something to allowing the potential for more to be felt – to curate a unifying yearning and imagining between artist, audience, and art of what could be. (For example, the sense of liveliness in an ‘unfinished’ painting is much more arresting than that of an overworked one. To me, at least!) And there is grace in the ‘giving up.’ I’m not interested in realizing a vision no matter what, to the point of burn out or encouraging an unhealthy preoccupation with control. It’s very humbling to conclude a process when I’ve deemed it’s no longer worth what it will cost. Plus, I like to think I can return. I can always revisit an idea and resume its development . . . perhaps with it being all the better off with a newfound fascination that only distance and time can offer. I also don’t think either option is inherently better than the other: in continuing a process, we’re naturally giving something else up, and in deciding to leave one, we can move on to what may be next. There is validity to both.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
On a technical level, I’m very interested in how concepts in other artistic mediums (i.e. film, literature, video games, etc) can inform and enhance live dance performance. On a thematic level, I find anything and everything to be catalysts for rich creativity and really enjoy expressing seemingly disparate ideas through movement. I believe it’s through such bridging that the potential for storytelling, aesthetic appreciation, and ‘dance’ reveals itself in the everyday. In this way, I hope to reinvigorate our capacity for awe towards all aspects of life.

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.
My local go-to’s in Northeast LA are Gloria’s Cuisine in Highland Park, The Heights in Glassell Park, and Joy on York – just all around quality, comforting food that doesn’t break the bank. Finishing any dinner with ice cream at Wanderlust in Atwater is a must.

I love spending a free day at museums and galleries like Gallery Nucleus, the Getty, and the Norton Simon Museum. Drawing and painting classes at the Kline Academy of Art are also a real treat.

A recent discovery has been comedy improv shows at the Largo and UCB. A delightful way to weave regular joy into my schedule!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The older I get, the more invaluable teachers and mentors become. I owe a lot of my current creative priorities to those who’ve invested in me. They’ve imparted not only knowledge, but love for the craft.

Instagram: @stephdaii

Image Credits
Slade Segerson Victoria Roman Cheryl Mann