Fara Shu Sean Ling (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) completed 13 years of RAD ballet training at Sri Wilayah Ballet Centre. She earned her BA in Dance and Minor in Exercise Science summa cum laude from Hope College in 2023. She received the DeLong Senior Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance and the Kurtze-Wickersheimer Dance Performance Award. Through Visceral Dance Chicago’s summer intensive, Third Rail Projects’ Hope College residency, and the Seattle Festival of Dance and Improvisation, Fara worked with choreographers such as Nick Pupillo, Jennine Willett, and Zoe Scofield. Her teaching experience includes the Dayton Ballet School, Dayton Live Creative Academy, and Center Stage Academy of the Arts. A published writer and former violinist, her choreographic collaborations with musicians and involvement in international student life continue to inform and enrich her pursuit of dance.
Get to know Fara!
Seasons with DDI: This is my first season!
Company Affiliation: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company 2
What inspires you in this world? Why do you dance?
I be honest? I've never been able to answer the question "Why do you dance?" to my satisfaction. Why do poets keep on writing? It's not to answer questions; it's how they live their questions. The more I dance, the more I discover why I dance.
What do you love about DDI?
I saw DDI's concert my first weekend in Dayton. It struck me as a kind place for artists to experiment and reach into themselves and their communities. I remember thinking, "I want to be a part of this." One year later, life has come full circle, and I am so excited to dive into DDI with my whole self as a performer, creator, and administrative collaborator.
Favorite small business in Dayton: Rabbit Hole Books