Meet Youran Lee | Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer

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

Hi Youran, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I was born in Suwon, South Korea, and moved to the States when I was 5. I grew up in San Diego, California for most of my life, surrounded by lots of other 2nd and “1.5th” generation Asian American kids. It’s pretty common amongst AAPI kids to feel pressure to succeed, to be “perfect,” and to do as they’re told so as not to disappoint their immigrant parents that sacrificed so much for them. I definitely fell into that category growing up– I rarely spoke unless spoken to, I got good grades, and I pretty much never took risks. At the age of 9, I saw a dance studio in passing, and asked my parents to take me there. It was the first time in my life that I asked for something like that from my parents; one of the only times in my childhood when I wanted to take a risk and learn something new. Once I started, dance very quickly became my voice, a way for this shy Asian kid to be outspoken and “extra” in a world where I was constantly told I was not enough.

Even as I grew older, I consistently made an effort to please my parents by studying Applied Psychology at NYU and joining every on-campus club as possible, even though I knew that this wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. 1 year out of college, I felt extremely lost and unhappy with my career and life, and this is when taking a risk with dance saved me a second time. I chose to take the leap and pursue dance professionally at 24 years old. I finally recognized that I could not keep hiding who I was and what I loved to do for the sake of pleasing my family. I was always the outspoken, risk-taking individual that came out when I danced; I just didn’t feel safe to express that part of myself in childhood. Now, every time I dance, I take that shy, fearful little Asian girl with me wherever I go, and show her that she deserves to be seen and heard.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a dancer and choreographer who specializes in Hip Hop/Street Styles choreography, with some Jazz and Contemporary elements fused in as well. I use movement as my language of telling stories and evoking emotions– whether that emotion be fun, silly, heartwarming, or sad. I value cleanliness & precision, but still encourage individuality in my dancers that perform my work. I pride myself in being someone who is very adept at the back end of dance work, such as organization, leading rehearsals efficiently, promoting my brand, and being a kind but respectable leader. I believe that these are skills that have to be trained just as much as dance skill, and I feel that my attention to this “business” side of dance has brought me more success than just being a good dancer.

It has not been easy to get to where I am now, and it continues to be difficult to try to reach my next goals. However, I have been able to push through because of the small moments that make this journey worth it– an Asian student sending me a letter saying they feel like they want to become a dancer because of me, or a chance to showcase my work and be told by others that they resonated with my story. I often remind myself that at one point in my life, I dreamed of being where I am now. I’ve really had to learn during this whole journey that everyone is on their own path, and there is no point in comparing myself to anyone besides my past self.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m the type of traveler that likes to relax and explore freely, so I would do the same when showing my friend around NYC. I would take them for a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge, then we would explore and take photos around Dumbo. While we’re there, we’d eat at Grimaldi’s pizza and then finish off with the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. Asian food is a big part of my love language, so we would have to stop by Chinatown at some point to eat dim sum at Jing Fong, and soup dumplings at Joe’s Shanghai. There’s also a cool speakeasy type bar there called The Basement, where you can play pool and darts or just drink and dance like at a normal bar. Koreatown is another one of my favorite places in NYC, so I would have to take my friend to the restaurants there, such as Let’s Meat for Korean BBQ, or Abiko Curry for curry-based pasta. And then, of course, dessert at Heuk Hwa Dang for Instagram-worthy drinks and Boba Croffles (Croissant waffles). In the area is the Empire State Building, so we could end the night with beautiful night view of NYC. Lastly, watching a Broadway show is a must– some of my favorites I would recommend are Lion King. Book of Mormon, Wicked, and &Juliet.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To my dad, who is constantly growing and always supporting me even though he doesn’t fully understand what I do. The man who told me, “just work hard and there will always be a way to succeed” when I told him I wanted to change career paths.

To the Neighbors dance team, my first dance family in NYC, who helped me recognized my talent and capabilities during a time when I was scared to believe in myself.

To my dance mentors and friends, Miles Keeney, Bo Park, Keenan Cooks, Neil Schwartz, Esosa Oviasu, and more– who have pushed me to be the dancer I am today.

Website: youranlee.com

Instagram: @youran_lee

Other: TikTok: @YouranLee

Image Credits
Jenn Maslechko, Christabelle Tan, Cat Lee, Tech Unique