Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers

Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers is a professional contemporary dance company located in South Philadelphia. Hailed for its superbly trained dancers and inventive choreography, the internationally-active KYL/D probes at the limits of national identity. Drawing upon Eastern philosophies while expanding the perimeter of contemporary dance, Artistic Director Lin's zen-inspired practice of dance manifests in lush works of poetic sensibility that The New York Times says "create and inhabit worlds of their own." Lin draws upon multicultural insights from his ongoing research throughout Asia, creating a personal movement language that is an unexpected hybrid between Western and Eastern cultures, suffused with strong spiritual underpinnings.

KYL/D has performed around the world, including at the Tanzmesse International Dance Festival (Dusseldorf), Busan International Dance Festival (Korea), Jogia International and AsiaTri festivals (Indonesia), Festival Internacional de Danza in Queretaro (Mexico), Victoria Theatre (Singapore), HsinChu Performing Arts Center (Taiwan).

In the U.S., KYL/D has performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival, Interlochen Festival, Columbia Festival, Kaatsbaan International Dance, Jacob's Pillow Inside/Out, Dancing in the Streets Festival, the Painted Bride Art Center, the Annenberg Center, the Kimmel Center, the Forrest Theater, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation Museum, and Philadelphia's City Hall.

KYL/D has been supported by numerous funders including the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Jerome Robbins Foundation, the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, the William Penn Foundation and a USArtists International grant from MidAtlantic Arts Foundation, as well as support from the U.S. Department of State.

Mission and Core Values

Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers celebrates the ability of dance to integrate spirit, body, and mind, inviting audiences worldwide to engage in their own journeys of self-discovery. Proceeding from a rich frame informed by diverse philosophies, living traditions and contemplative practices of Asian origin, the company performs original, contemporary works by its founder and Artistic Director Kun-Yang Lin that transcend cultural boundaries.

KYL/D inspires dance artists and audiences to examine the questions that shape us as individuals and communities, through world-class dance that integrates virtuosity with humanity. We believe in:

• Practicing a fearless physicality that resonates with the soul
• Setting in motion fresh interpretations of ancient traditions steeped in Eastern wisdom and sensibilities
• Inspiring cross-cultural approaches to community and self-discovery
• Igniting conversations about meaning and mystery