Meet our Team

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Snow Han

Teacher

Xue Han, at the age of 12, started professional Chinese dance training at the Affiliated Secondary School of Beijing Dance Academy, and graduated from Beijing Dance Academy as an “Outstanding Graduate” in 2008 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Folk Dance Performance. During her time in BDA, she participated in the 8th TaoLi Cup Dance Competition and won the second prize for the performance with the work of “Red Coral”. She has represented the school on many occasions in Hong Kong, Canada and other places to participate in large gala and dance festival performance tasks. After graduation, she joined the China National Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble to work as a major dancer, and joined the members of the Chinese Dancers Association. She performed many times in the “Cultures of China, Festival of Spring” co-host performance organized by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, and visited the United States, Europe and many other places. During her time at the ensemble, she also participated in many dance performances of major cultural festivals and evening galas in China, such as the 2008 Olympic Games Cultural Festival. Recently, she devoted herself to the promotion of Chinese dance culture overseas, and won the highest award in the 2018 Taoli World Dance Competition Chicago Division for her individual performance. Soon after that she joined the Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance and has been working as the Resident Instructor for the Chinese Dance Company of Southern California.

Bin Zhou

Teacher

Graduated from School of Dance, Minzu University of China
Principal of Beijing City Contemporary Dance Company
Choreographer and Director of the Men’s Troupe of the School of Dance, Minzu University of China
Choreographer for the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games
Principal of Dance Drama “Maple Leafs Are Red”
Lotus Cup Gold Medal Winner
First Prize in CCTV Dance Competition
CCTV Avenue of Stars, Qitianle, Open Doors, CCTV Spring Festival Gala, China Confucius Cultural Festival – dance director

Kristin Hakala

Teacher

Kristin Hakala received her formative training in Michigan with Cornelia Sampson, along with studies at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and San Francisco Ballet School. She began her professional career at the age of sixteen with the Nashville Ballet, where she performed many leading roles. Most recently, Kristin was a principal dancer with Ballet West, where she performed the title roles in numerous ballets as well as a full range of contemporary, classical, and neoclassical works. She has performed internationally in China and Europe, including appearances in the 2004 Edinburgh International Festival. She appeared as “Sugar Plum Fairy” in a nationally televised broadcast on PBS and performed in the Winter Olympics with Ballet West in 2002. Kristin is also a certified yoga teacher, a practice she finds particularly complementary to the demands of ballet training. She has taught for institutions such as Ballet West and Ballet West Academy, University of California-Irvine, and Michigan Ballet Theatre, in addition to teaching international master classes. Most recently, she taught at the world renowned Beijing Dance Academy, where she has been invited to return as a Guest Professor in 2016. From 2005-2007, she served as an adjunct professor at Wright State University and was a faculty member of Pontecorvo Ballet School. From 2008-2011, she served on the faculty of the Indianapolis School of Ballet and the Central Indiana Academy of Dance. Currently, Kristin is a faculty member at the Maple Conservatory of Dance in Irvine, California.

Mandy Zhao

Teacher

Graduated from Yunnan Arts Institute majoring in dance
Engaged in dance art for more than forty years
Learned and practiced different dance styles (ethnic, ballet) from stage to teaching
Emphasis on basic skills and physical training in teaching
Good at enabling students of different ages to better express the beauty of dance and the charm of different styles

Jennifer Hu

Teacher

Former PAS dance company performer
Performed in many ballets such as “Swan Lake”, “Nutcracker”, “Don Quixote”, “Sleeping Beauty” among many others
Has been a dance instructor at Ya-Na Ballet School in New York for different levels.

Christy Wang

Teacher

Christy Yip is a certified teacher of Chinese Folk Dance Graded Test 1st-12th . Miss Christy’s passion for dance started at the young age of five in Hong Kong. Christy’s passion for dance continued as she immigrated to the United States at the age of 16. She earned a Bachelor’s degree at the University of California Irvine with a major in Economics and a minor in Dance. Christy was one of the awarded dancers in the Taoli World Dance Competition. She is now the committee member of Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance (PACDA) and dancers of Chinese Dance Company of Southern California (CDCSC). Christy committed to promoting Chinese dance and Chinese culture, her goal is to bring awareness and cultivate the next generation to continue to love dance and love life!

Nicole Li

Teacher

Pan American Chinese Dance Alliance Member
National third-level dancer of Guizhou National Song and Dance Troupe
Chinese folk dance grade examination textbook Level 1-6
Won the Silver Award of the 7th and 9th Lotus Cup
The 13th Korea International Masquerade Art Festival
Director Second Prize
The current Southern California Chinese Dance Troupe Children’s Troupe
Resident Tutor

Katelyn Hu

Teacher

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