We recently connected with Grace Tong and have shared our conversation below.
Grace, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
As a dancer, the audition room has always been a particularly challenging landscape for me. For those who have never attended a dance audition or even sports tryout, I might describe it as the ultimate group interview during which you are judged by your physical abilities and “look”. The word “cattle-call” is frequently thrown around to describe the nature of open dance auditions. As an East Asian woman in the eurocentric spaces of contemporary dance, I have often found myself as the only one in the room who looks like me or, on the flip side, as one of several non-white dancers competing for a singular non-white role. Both are circumstances that mount pressure on ones own physical and technical differences from the person beside you, an extremely demoralizing experience.
However, in more recent times, I have begun to grow my confidence in the audition room as I develop a more personal choreographic practice alongside my performing career. Choreography– a practice in which I have control over what I say, what a dance looks like, who it includes– has infused my dance practice with a strong sense of self beyond my physical body. A few years ago, I would have told you that what makes me stand out in an audition room is how I look, as a tall Chinese girl. Now, I might say that while I am a tall Chinese girl, I am also a creator with a disposition towards humor and theatricality. Defining myself beyond what people first see is an important step for me in becoming confident beyond my ocular identity in the dance studio.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a Chinese-American, independent choreographer and freelance dancer currently based in New York. Influenced by clowning, paper collage, puppetry, and contemporary dance theater, I ridiculously collage “regular” events onstage to decontextualize bodily and social identity, fairytale, and comedy. In 2021, I graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Dance and a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. I now work as a project-based choreographer, performer, educator, and arts admin.
Dancing is something I have done my entire life, both formally (in the studio) and informally (in my kitchen, my bedroom, anywhere). The root of my ambition to be a choreographer comes from a desire to create experience for others. I love to design worlds with my body and compositions to build the unexpected for others. At present I work on staged performances and in film, although I am always searching for other ways to involve spectators in my work. I create work that emerges from my experiences as an AAPI femme in the U.S., but that also continues to move forward with imagination, quirk, and inquisitiveness. I integrate voice, sound, sculpture, costume, and theatricality in my work to create relatable, recognizable, and out-of-place scenery. I have upcoming shows at Flushing Town Hall in New York at the end of March.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Even though dancing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, I never knew I would still be in the dance world now. Every day, I choose to dance, but also I remain open to all of the paths that life may take me down.
I feel a bit green to be offering advice to others, but the biggest lesson I am still learning is that being an independent dance artist requires skills that are business-oriented, athletic, and artistic. The demands of turning my passion into a career are multifaceted, but staying focused on my own personal interests within the field, developing communication skills, and building a community have enriched my practice and have made me who I am today.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Against many stereotypes, my parents have and continue to support me in everything I do! From driving me to and from dance classes, to watching every performance they can, they have made everything possible for me. More than this, they have always made life as joyful as possible– laughing and joining in when I make the kitchen my stage and them the audience. They have given me the tools to think critically, make fun of myself, and also to invest in what I truly want to be doing everyday.
Thank you, mom, dad, and everyone else in my corner for the endless support and encouragement!
Contact Info:
- Website: gracetong.com
- Instagram: @graceytong
Image Credits
Samantha Chapa t.filmm Alice Chacon Anthony Barton
