Meet Gion Treichler

We recently connected with Gion Treichler and have shared our conversation below.

Gion, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I firmly believe that all dancers are resilient. In our industry, like in many others, one must be resilient. Competition is always intense, and it’s not necessarily a team sport. So, you learn early on that you have to work for yourself.

I was always determined to achieve my goals because my passion for dance was so strong. And as cliché as it may sound, I genuinely believe that every time something didn’t go as planned, I grew and learned from it. Whether it was an audition or a part in a piece I really wanted, I embraced the challenges.

But I think the pandemic was definitely the most defying challenge.

As everything shut down, it became nearly impossible to dance. Obviously, all dance studios closed, and I was in my first year of college at the time. It seemed like dance had become unimportant and almost unnecessary, given the struggles and fear the entire world was facing.

Many people stopped dancing altogether. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to continue. First, I danced in our living room, and then I moved into the office where we rearranged the furniture to create as much space as possible to dance in.

Even though working as a dancer in that environment was terrible and truly uninspiring, I kept going and building that personal resistance. And I think I’ve taken that with me ever since.

To keep pushing every day, I give it my all, even if it’s only 50% of a great day. Trying to do my best on that day feels right.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Hello, my name is Gion Treichler, and I am a professional dance artist living and working in New York City. Dance is not just my profession; it’s my passion and my way of connecting with the world. I specialize in a variety of styles, constantly seeking to expand my technique and explore new forms of movement. From contemporary to classical to modern dance, I love the challenge of adapting to different styles and pushing my own limits as a performer.

What excites me most about my work is the opportunity to perform in front of diverse audiences, whether in intimate theaters or large-scale performances. There’s something incredibly powerful about the exchange between dancer and audience, and it’s always inspiring to see how movement can transcend language and cultural boundaries.

Looking ahead, I am thrilled to continue my journey as a company artist with different dance companies. The chance to collaborate with different creatives and contribute to exciting productions is something I deeply value. At the same time, I am eager to continue my path as a dance artist, embracing new opportunities, challenges, and projects as they arise. The world of dance is constantly evolving, and I’m excited to be a part of that evolution.

There’s so much I’m looking forward to, from new collaborations to performances that will take me to different places, and I can’t wait to see where this journey will lead. Connect wit me on Instagram @giontreichler

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

As we just spoke of perseverance. I think that might deifnetly be one of the most important qualities to have as a dancer in my opinion.
Perseverance has been crucial—dance can be challenging, and it’s easy to get discouraged, but sticking with it through tough times has helped me grow.

Secondly, I would say, is to be adaptable.
Being able to shift between different styles, choreographers, and environments has opened up so many opportunities for me.

And lastly I would say would be to stay open to learn from everything and everyone around yourself. I always try to seek ways to grow and evolve as an artist.

I think my advice would be to embrace the process, stay patient, and don’t rush the outcome. Focus on building a strong foundation and always be open to learning and adapting, as that will open the doors to new opportunities in your dance journey.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

I really focused on growing to learn to live more in the moment and embrace the present instead of constantly worrying about the future. As a dancer, I’ve realized how important it is to be secure in my own world—trusting my skills, instincts, and the process. This shift has not only brought more ease and joy into my work but has also made my performances more authentic and connected. It’s been transformative, both personally and professionally.

Of course, I still have a long way to go and I am hoping to improve more on that.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @giontreichler

Image Credits

Jaqlin Medlock
Jennifer Katzman
Isabella Pagano
Reiko Yoo Yanagi