About Us
FAN NANA
Yang
Fan Nana Yang started her ballet training at the age of 7. Three years later, she was admitted to the Beijing Dance Academy and started her professional ballet study for 7 years, under the tutelage of Yang Lin and Jian Wang. During the school, Yang rehearsed and performed many classic ballet repertoires, such as "Swan Lake", "Le Corsaire", "The Nutcracker", "La Bayadère", "La Esmeralda", etc. At the same time, she learned Chinese folk dance for 4 years, mainly including Tibetans, Mongolian, Uygur, Korean, Han, etc.
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In 2003, Yang entered the Dance Department of Capital Normal University, majoring in dance education, and received her bachelor's degree in dance education in 2007. During the college time,she not only refined the teaching methods of ballet and Chinese folk dance, but also learned Chinese classical dance and teaching methods. She had practiced and worked in many educational institutions in Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha and other places in China. In 2009, she was hired by Beijing Dance LDTX Training Center as the manager of the training department. In 2014,Yang immigrated to the United States with her family and was invited to serve as a dance teacher for many years in dance education and training institutions in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Austin and more.
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In 2020, Fan Nana Yang and her husband Jun Sunny Shen founded the dance studio Nana Ballet in Austin, Texas, hoping to share their passion and experience in dance with the Austin community.
JUN
Shen
Jun "Sunny" Shen began his formal dance training during high school, where he learned ballet, Chinese classical opera, and Chinese folk dance. He earned his bachelor's degree in dance at Beijing Capital Normal University in 2001, and worked with Beijing Dance LDTX as a full-time dancer and choreographer from 2005 to 2009. In the past several years, he has performed and choreographed many works at various worldwide dance festivals such as Beijing Dance Festival, Grand Performances (LA), Dance Salad Festival (Houston), Busan International Dance Festival (South Korea), Culture Scapes (Switzerland), Braunschweig Dance Festival (Germany), and many more. He has also collaborated with many artists and dance companies such as Willy Tsao, Janis Claxton, Charles O. Anderson, Hugo Dalton, Wang Jianwei, Sally Jacques, as well as Ziru Production, Alonzo-King Lines Ballet Training Program, Ellen Bartel Dance Collection, Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company, and Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre. In addition, Shen has rich teaching experiences both nationally and internationally.
In 2013, Shen joined the graduate dance program at The University of Texas at Austin, and earned his MFA in 2016. After his graduation, he formed Shen Jun Movement Effect and started teaching dance at Austin Community College as an assistant professor. In June of 2017, Shen formally joined Blue Lapis Light as a principal dancer and choreographer, and in 2018 was awarded Best Dancer by the Austin Critics Table for his performance in Belonging, Part One. In 2019, Shen’s work Centrifugation was selected to perform at the gala concert of American College Dance Association South Central Regional conference.
VICTORIA
Murillo
University of Texas - 2019, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, UTeach Dance
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Victoria Murillo is a teaching artist from El Paso, Texas. A graduate from the University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in Dance, she and received her teaching certification through the UTeach dance program.
She has been the Dance Director at Covington MS since 2019 and teaches ballet, jazz, contemporary, and the choreographic process for students all around the Austin community. As an educator, she believes that students should receive a well-rounded comprehensive dance education that includes elements of performing, creating, and responding to dance. Her goal is to develop artist citizens that will use the creativity they have cultivated in class to make a positive impact on their community and the world.
Thea
Liao
Thea Liao’s dance career began at the age of nine when she was admitted to the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy, standing out as the youngest in her class. She graduated with honors and quickly made a mark in the professional world by joining Houston Ballet II at 16. Within two years, Thea advanced to a professional dancer with the company.
Her exceptional talent has been recognized with major awards, including 1st place at the 2007 Beijing International Invitational Competition, 3rd place at the 2007 Youth America Grand Prix NYC Final, and a finalist position at the 2010 Prix de Lausanne.
As a dancer with Houston Ballet, Thea performed in numerous classic productions, including Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, and Swan Lake. In addition to her performance career, she also served as a guest ballet instructor at various dance institutions in Houston, sharing her expertise and passion for the art.
After her time with Houston Ballet,Thea moved to Austin for college and has since been a staff member at the University of Texas at Austin.
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VALERIA
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Hey! My name is Valeria. I am a dance teacher with more than 5 years of experience teaching Heels Dance, Twerk, and Body Movement. In my class, we will learn the basic movements of Heels Dance, exercises for flexibility, musicality, rhythm, and connect all this knowledge in choreography. A dance class is a great opportunity to try new things, meet other girls, and make new connections. Looking forward to meeting you soon!
LAURA
Mattingly
Laura has been studying music in many forms and on many instruments since she can remember. She earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Music Performance from Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. She has since spent her years as a legal assistant and teaching music to children and adults back in Austin, her hometown. She began her studies in tap dance in 2015 at Tapestry Dance Company, and has been dancing ever since.
Ken
Inao
Ken is a dancer who primarily specializes in hip-hop and brings over a decade of experience to the table. He has honed his skills through participation in various teams and has made a notable impact in the freestyle scene through competitive battles.
Throughout his career, Ken has demonstrated exceptional talent and versatility. His extensive background in both team performances and freestyle competitions highlights his deep commitment to hip-hop dance and his ability to adapt to diverse dance environments.