“If you just give up in the middle, you will miss the beautiful brightness.”
Xin Ying is a wonderful artist who is dancing in Martha Graham dance company since 2011 as a principal dancer.
- You started dancing when you are 6 years old starting with Chinese dance ( I don’t know if I am right with this), does your background education influence your dance now? What do you think about the relationship between culture and dance in art form?
“My background made my movement unique because I had a lot of Chinese dance background. I am very sensible with my fingers, my eyes, and facial expression which are influenced by Chinese Opera. In Chinese culture, we discover the beauty from gentle, flowed, and airy, but in Western culture, it more focuses on how we use our muscles, energy. And I found myself in between which is my happy place. I can switch back and forth. I can feel the gentle air with the heavy, grounded strength. When I was in China, I did not focus on the expression because I needed to be fit in the group which is mostly for celebrating with happiness. However, In America, I could be more concerned with how I feel.”
- I heard that you came to New York to study at the graham school when you are 25, and you might experience the difference between the dance style that you had done and Marta Graham techniques, how did you deal with the big change in the physical quality of movement?
“It was completely different. Before most time, teachers gave me external feedback like stretching my legs, but in Graham School, teachers focused on how I need to feel, how I express my emotion, which part of muscles I should use specifically which brew my mind. It was a huge challenge for me because of language, but once I started connecting each point, languages, my body, and my mind suddenly were connected and I felt free.”
- What specific features made you fascinated by Martha Graham’s techniques?
“How the physical and emotional effect match together is why this technique is so special and unique. The floor work, contraction, is physically challenging and also requires a lot of emotion. When you laugh or cry hard, you can feel your stomach contracted which shows the connection between the physical and emotional effort from this technique. So one hour- 30 minutes class becomes one expressive journey. When you see the Graham performances, you can feel dancers’ sweat, drama, muscles, not just perfect control of core. It is not about being perfect. It is about being alive which makes this technique fascinating.”
- A lot of Martha Graham’s pieces have specific characters, as a dancer, in order to express the characteristics, what do you mostly focus on?
“First of all, I try to understand the western culture, Greek myth by reading and researching in order to figure out why Martha Graham connected this with her piece. Also, our dancers are open-minded and are from a different generation so I learned from how others interpret characters in a different way. But also, I need to put my identity in the character as well. As a dancer, there are certain limited characters that I need to perform, but as an artist, no one wants to be someone else. So we need to try to break the rules.”
-How important is having great techniques as a dancer?
“Techniques are very important, but it is not the most prominent thing. As an artist, you never get satisfied. You always want to reach higher goals and express more, but in order to do that, you have to practice your techniques. The important thing is what technique you practice. It is not about how high you can raise your legs, it is the technique of how you use your body, and mind in order to express more. As long as you can do that and make audiences see that, that is the technique. You have to keep practicing and connecting it with your mind. That is what great artists should do. There are no certain rules in order to be a good dancer, artist. When I do the workshop in China, nondancers like doctors, teachers also take my classes and everybody can dance. That is art.”
-You have been working in Martha Graham company since 2011 and you also got a baby this year, for so long time, you have been physically active all the time, where do you usually find your motivation?
“It is part of my nature. Since I was a little kid, I had been more active than others. Also, for me, if I don’t move my body, my mind goes wild. Like people who do meditation, I need to physically move my body for meditating myself. When I move my body, my mind is exactly the place where my body, my breath are. It is the comfort time that I can take some rest. Dance is a form of meditation. Moreover, if you want a long dancer career, you can not just pause. The human body can’t recover that quickly. You have to keep training yourself like an oil machine that you need to constantly fulfill oil. So, if you want to dance on stage for long, that would be the motivation.”
- How do you manage yourself in order to be in shape as a professional dancer for a long time?
“I do dance classes for sure, but I do more extra for my body like pilates, yoga. Whatever that makes you feel good with, you need to do some exercises for your body as a dancer like nutrition that you eat every day for your health. You have to bring in different techniques in order to make your body feel better. I do a lot of improvisation for that. And I eat and rest well. You have to eat a lot because we burn calories a lot but with healthy nutrition of course. Rest well. It gives a chance for your body to recover well. Treat yourself better otherwise you will not have energy.”
-You have been posting a lot of your amazing improvisation video on social media like Instagram, why do you enjoy doing improvisation?
“It is something I like to do. My husband and I travel as much as we can. To memorize and enjoy the moment, instead of a selfie, I like to do improvisation. By doing that, you can take around the environment and that can help to get inspired. And while I watch my video, it immediately takes me back to the place and I can remember how I felt so it is more three-dimensional memory. It was for enjoyment at the beginning, but it became helpful for me to express myself with freedom. Also, by speaking out your body, you can notice your patterns, accent of your own vocabulary. Then, you can realize what is your language and your style. You can know yourself better, and also you can break your rules by putting more effort in order to discover the possibilities of your own body. It is fun to do, so that is why I keep doing it. There is a little fun fact; we only record once, one shot and that is it. We are always in the public so we just do it spontaneously. Even though I record twice, I never use the second one because it doesn’t feel new and real.”
-You mostly improvise outside with the environment, what is the difference between improvising in the dance studio and other places?
“When you dance in the studio, you can use the floor and jump. However, when you go out, you can’t do that much. There is a different limitation. You are in a rush because you are in public, but everything outside can be your inspiration. It is different than when you just dance in the studio as a professional dancer.”
-Do you have any tips for people who are struggling with doing improvisation?
“I have offered a lot of improvisation class in China. People feel really intimidating about moving their bodies without choreography. In the beginning, I use imagination because there are so many possibilities that you can connect with your body. Close your eyes. You just feel your body. Use your body like you just talk naturally. And don’t judge yourself. If it is awful, you laugh at it, but focus on a short moment that you like in your improvisation and try to develop this quality. Nobody is perfect. Even most amazing dancers have their own awkward moments. Don’t judge yourself too hard. Think positive and keep the short good moment in your mind.”
-How important is getting inspiration for you?
“It is very important because it is the motivation to keep breathing. It helps us to be open our minds, not in the small square of the dance world. We can be inspired by other art forms, humans around you, or nature. Keep the door open and explore widely. And then you feel hard a lot of times, but eventually, you will get success. The more you get something new, the more you get knowledge.”
- Can you describe yourself with three words?
“Capable, possible, and human.”
- Do you have any advice for young dancers
“If you want to make an impact on your life, persistence is very important. If you just give up in the middle, you will miss the beautiful brightness. Dancers are such artists who work so hard. But, if you focus on difficulties and obstacles too much, you will never move forward. If you are having a hard time, tell others. 99% of people will agree with you. Really focus on what you really want to achieve. Imagine the sweetness when your dream comes true.”
Thank you so much for this opportunity, Xin Ying! It was such an honor for us.
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