WELCOME TO MY SUBSTACK!
Here are the first 2 sentences of my bio in other worlds:
“Jia Yi (Judy) Luo is a Chinese-Canadian dance artist based in Toronto, Canada.
She finds intrigue in people, patterns, puzzles, and play.”
1 image 1: yours truly, image 2: Daniele Sibilli, image 3: Louise Farnell
I’m on a search, or maybe it’s a quest (this word has a lot more adventure to it, quest. Yes. Quest. Let’s go with quest). I’m on a quest.
This segment of quest: words, began 3 years ago after moving to London, UK for a dance contract. Since then, I’ve lived in many places, packed and repacked my suitcase every 2-8 weeks (give or take), said many hellos, many goodbyes, been seen, saw, been loved, loved, been lonely, and strung together words in between.
I’ve recently been made known to the fact that there are people who want to
sUpPort My ArT makING!
And, they believe in me, and I, them. There’s whole lot of commonality and collaboration that’s waiting to be met.
I’ve been on the divergent part of the creative process and am trying to hone the accompanying skill of convergence. Currently: unruly and unrefined, detangling and re-braiding (again and again.) One day they can be hand in hand, weave more harmoniously like our DNA strands. Actually, they are in some ways already.
Alongside movement and music, in an upward cycle of word loving,
I’ve alternated between squinting and widening my eyes at the intersections of...
people pu zzles a a t t e r y n s
and a continued exploration of unfinished lists...
photos by Gregg Jann Autillo2
My beloved friend Alisa introduced me to Substack. Through our friendship and sharing, I’ve confirmed that this mid quest notwhereiusedtobebutnotyetwhereimgoing hasn’t fit so well in my usual “short-form” types of digital spaces. Through Substack, I’ve witnessed that it is indeed, still possible to have “long-form” types of writing in this digital realm. The quest has found a new checkpoint: words, online community.
(To my e-sport friends reading this: I did not play many video games growing up because I felt, and still feel like, a real life character as I traverse in my everyday happenings. May I please, still use this word, quest?)
In this Substack space you will find biweekly Saturday posts of:
the mind… behind the moves, (mindthemoves, if I may)
process making of past, current and future creative projects
(to all who ask where I am, geographically speaking, this is a great way to locate me)the people/parts that inspire me and make me as a movement artist
poetry in word, image, and/or video format
My journey in dance, faith, family, has had its conventional and unconventional patterns, depending on who you ask. My writing style follows this trend.
Sometimes a wondering, sometimes a recounting, sometimes a conversation - grammar and sentence structure a bit crisscrossed in my English and semi-mandarin dancing brain.
I suppose I’m a little tired of ruminating at crossroads so this is a stroll down one of the many paths I’ve contemplated on exploring.
Would you like to walk and talk with me?3 What’s your language of preference?
Oh, and, welcome <3 I’m glad to have you here.
xJ
Block Party is directed and choreographed by Megan Lawson. Full film here!
Curious about some of the work I’ve done? Propositions of content you’d like to see? Let’s chat in the comments below! :) All access will remain available for free subscriptions until July. If you already know you’d like to financially support my work, please do! Thank you!
Ooh Jia Yi (Judy)
!gniticxe os si sihT
Congratulations!
ox
I AM SO EXCITED FOR THESE BI-WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS <3 Love that you've embarked on the journey and thank you for sharing it with us so we can tag along.