Community Wellness Dance Class @Central Mystery Room

Join us for this supportive and inclusive Community Wellness Dance Class, every 2nd and 4th Friday from 2-3pm in the Mystery Room of the Central Library! 

Led by dancer, theater artist, and Berkeley Civic Arts Individual Artist Grantee, ChingChi Yu, this dance program is designed for all fitness levels, body types, and ages; no prior dance training is required. Each class will start with breathing and wellness movement exercises, such as tapping, level-arm swinging, and light stretching to warm and loosen up your body. We’ll work on balance and strengthening. Then we'll learn rhythmic movements which will later be integrated into an easy-to-follow choreographed routine. In this supportive environment, you can feel free to be yourself, connect with others, improve your overall well-being, and have fun! 

ABOUT THE ARTIST

ChingChi Yu performed in Taiwan’s LanLing Theater before relocating to California in 1986. She discovered choreography at UC Berkeley, and upon graduating with degrees in Dance and Linguistics joined Asian American Dance Performances as resident choreographer. ChingChi has danced in works by many Bay Area choreographers, and is a founding member of Dandelion Dance Theater. Her choreography has been presented throughout the Bay Area. In January 2023, she joined Dance Generators, an intergenerational dance troop aging from 18 to 91. ChingChi’s work is theatrical, with an emotional component. Her theater experience greatly influenced her choreography, which uses theatrical imagery, facial expressions, and intriguing character interactions to express a wide range of emotions and human experience. Her most recent show Undercurrents, co-produced with Carol Kueffer, was an afternoon of dance, physical comedy and dance theater with live music by violinist Linda Green and an art exhibit of sculptures by Norman Moore. It was a multi-discipline event. ChingChi enjoys teaching dance. She has taught at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center and South Berkeley Senior Center. She’s looking forward to teaching at the Berkeley Public Library. 

Awards: City of Berkeley Civic Arts Individual Artist Grant, SADC Frank Shawl Residency. Website: ChingchiMoves.com. IG: @chingchi_yu