IS/LAND is a collaborative comprised of Taiwanese, Taiwanese-American, and Chinese-American artists. IS/LAND: That We Walk contends that we continue to walk, building our hope for a future narrative and a stronger sense of self; exploring how we might answer questions of separation/autonomy, identity, and belonging. Burrow, Tousle is comprised of two improvised solos existing, meeting, and colliding in the same space; unearthing what it looks and feels like to be at home. *Chien-An Yuan has composed music for many shows at Links Hall including, “Yolk,” “Cairn and Cloud IV,” as well as performing at Links Hall in 2007. Chih-Hsien Lin was a 2017 resident artist.
Artist Bios: Catherine Hepler is a Chicago based dance performer and activist. Originally from Oakland, CA, Cat began dancing at age three and gained a rich and varied dance foundation. Her background includes a variety of styles, such as ballet, contact improvisation, Bharata Natyam, and Polynesian dance to name a few. Independently, she is interested in somatic movement and the embodiment of concepts, as well as the expression of social messages within dance works. Chih-Hsien Lin is a native of Taiwan, a mover, choreographer, improviser, registered dance/movement therapist, and Licensed Professional Counselor. She is a Movement Pattern Analyst, looking systematically at people’s decision-making process and interaction styles through their established integrated movement patterns. Chih-Hsien’s movement language reflects a rich cultural bearing from traditional Asian ethnic dances and martial arts to a vast array of somatic modern integrations; contact improvisation, Alexander Technique, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and the Feldenkrais Method have informed her work. She creates circular worlds of kinesthesia, juxtaposition, and reflection, elucidating the subtlety, complexity, and fluidity of living. Professional practices and involvement include: LinkUP (now titled Co-MISSION Fellowship) residency, Thawalls performing artist, Moving Dialogs panelist, adjunct at Cornell College and The University of Iowa, Chicago Moving Company, Mid-to-West Dance Collective, Synapse Arts, Project Bound One Hour Dance for Film Project, WC Dance Company (Taiwan), 30 Dance Theatre (Taiwan), Kate Corby & Dancers, Bodies in Urban Spaces, Peep Show, and Amsterdam-Berlin-Chicago project, Inconvenience summer sampler. Chih-Hsien has been a Khecari – a Chicago based contemporary dance company artist since 2013, working intensely and engagingly with the company for in-depth artistic and social inquires. Most recently, Chih-Hsien dove into a new artistic and humanistic inquiry through solo work and collaborations with her life and dance partner Ben Law. In addition, she continues to expand her practices in somatic movement, improvisation, and multidisciplinary works artistically, and works as a dance/movement therapist and counselor for a diverse set of populations, such as geriatrics, family, immigrants experiencing domestic violence, trauma survivors, adults with brain injury, and children with developmental disabilities or autistic spectrum. Chien-An Yuan is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Ann Arbor, MI. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, Salon, ArtSlant, Huffington Post, and WNYC. Past exhibitions include The Contemporary Arts Center Cincinnati, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Gene Siskel Film Center, Museum of Chinese in America NYC, Syrup Loft, Zhou B Arts Center, Asian American Cultural Center of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Hyde Park Art Center, and Gallery 312. Amanda Maraist is a dancer with BodyCompass Dance Project, Salty Lark Dance, and Khecari. Motivated by authentic movement experiences, nostalgia, coincidences, accidents, animation, illustration, and memory. Born in Beaumont, Texas; Amanda graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in May of 2014. She has performed with Contemporary Ballet Dallas, Danielle Georgiou Dance Group (DGDG), and Gaspard & Dancers. Kara Brody is a native of Detroit, Michigan where she recently graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in dance from Wayne State University. She has performed works by Doug Varone, Dwight Rhoden, Trey McIntyre, Nicholas Leichter, Ron De Jesus, Stefanie Batten Bland, and others. In 2014, she was nationally recognized for her performance in Rhoden’s Hissy Fits by ACDA/Dance Magazine. Kara has been a dancer with Khecari since 2017. She also is currently working with Lucky Plush Productions and joined The Cambrians for a 2017 project.
