Interview with Dance Instructor Sunny Jun Shen

Q. How long have you been dancing? / What is your dance background?
I began my formal dance training during high school, where I learned ballet, Chinese classical opera, and Chinese folk dance. It's been 24 years.

I earned my bachelor's degree in dance at Beijing Capital Normal University in 2001, and worked with Beijing Dance LDTX as a full- time dancer and choreographer from 2005 to 2009. In the past several years, I have performed and choreographed many works at various worldwide dance festivals such as Beijing Dance Festival (China), Grand Performances (LA), Dance Salad (Houston), Busan International Dance Festival (South Korea), Culture Scapes (Switzerland), and many more. I have also collaborated with many artists and dance companies such as Willy Tsao, Charles O. Anderson, Hugo Dalton, Wang Jianwei, Jennifer Sherburn, as well as Ziru production, Alonzo-King Lines Ballet Training Program, Ellen Bartel Dance Collective, Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company, and the Andrea Arial Dance Theatre.

In addition, I had rich educational experiences having taught both nationally and internationally. In 2013, I joined the graduate dance program at The University of Texas at Austin, and earned my MFA in 2016. After the graduation, I formed Shen Jun Movement Effect based in Austin, Texas. Meanwhile I formally joined Blue Lapis Light as a principal dancer and choreographer, and in 2018 was awarded Best Dancer by the Austin Critics Table for my performance in Belonging, Part One.


Q. How did you get into dance?
I was good at learning movement and dance when I was a child. After a few years practicing martial arts and Chinese Traditional Opera, I was determined to try some different movement styles. So I started learning dance, and fell in love with it.


Q. What has inspired you to teach dance?
To share my dance experience with the world.


Q. How did you become involved at ACC? What do you do at ACC?
After graduating from UT Austin with my MFA in dance, I decided to stay here to contribute my strength and experience. I submitted the application to be one of the dance faculty in ACC. I am teaching Modern Dance and Sophomore Dance Performance.


Q. Favorite choreographer/piece/dance style?
I do not have a favorite choreographer/piece/dance style, but I have been inspired by many dance artists, such as Dimitris Papaioannou, Pina Bausch, Ohad Naharin, Lin Hwai-Min, and Joe Goode.


Q. Do you prefer to dance in socks or barefoot?
It depends on the style of the piece and dance floor.