General Artist Information
Name: Xixuan "Lexy" Liu
Art Discipline: Dance
Grade Level Preference: K-12
Geographic Availability: Based in Fargo-Moorhead, available across North Dakota
Fee per-residency: Please contact the artist for current rates
Email: lexyliu.nd@gmail.com
Biography
Lexy Liu is a dancer, choreographer, and arts organizer specializing in traditional Chinese dance, Chinese folk and ethnic styles, Chinese jazz, and K-pop. She is the founder and Chair of Chinese Heritage of Recreation and Dance (CHORD) and served as Director of the United Chinese Americans Fargo–Moorhead (UCAFM) Chinese New Year Galas from 2023–2025. Since 2021, she has choreographed 20+ dances and coordinated 30+ performing arts events across the Fargo–Moorhead area, building partnerships with local cultural organizations and media. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor in North Dakota and a Certified Yoga Instructor, with an MSc in Counseling from the University of Edinburgh.
Lexy’s community-facing work has been featured through CHORD performances and the region’s Chinese New Year celebrations, including local media coverage and TV dance demonstrations.
Teaching Philosophy
Lexy teaches from the belief that dance is a powerful vehicle for emotional expression, cultural connection, and personal growth. She emphasizes inclusive, student-centered learning—valuing exploration, confidence, and joy over technical perfection and encourages students to understand the cultural and historical contexts of the forms they study. Reflection is embedded throughout her residencies via brief check-ins, group dialogue, and culminating reflections that help students articulate growth and creative choices.
Sample Residency Information
- Residency Title: Dance and Emotions - Journey Through Cultural Expression
- Grade Level: 3-8 (adaptable K-12)
- Number of Sessions: 8 sessions recommended (flexible by arrangement)
Description: Students explore how movement communicates feeling and story through traditional Chinese dance. They learn foundational techniques and cultural context while working with classic props such as hand fans, silk scarves, and water sleeves. The residency culminates in small-group choreographies where students choose an emotion or message to express, ending with an informal sharing for families and the school community.
Lesson Plan:
- Lesson 1 — Introduction & Foundations: History/context; posture and basic movement vocabulary.
- Lessons 2–3 — Hand Fan Dance: Prop handling (open/close/twirl), phrasing, short combinations; mini-share.
- Lesson 4 — Silk Scarf Dance: Flow, pathway, breath with scarves; ensemble awareness.
- Lessons 5–6 — Water Sleeve Dance: Fluidity, extension, and motif development with sleeve-like fabric.
- Lesson 7 — Composition: Small groups combine learned elements into original short pieces; peer feedback.
- Lesson 8 — Culminating Sharing: Informal performance with guided reflection.
Standards Alignment (Dance, National Core Arts Standards): Creating, Performing, Responding, Connecting.
Teacher Collaboration & Resources: Includes a one-hour teacher in-service prior to the residency (goals, sample activities, classroom strategies) and post-residency take-home resources/videos to extend learning.