Chih-Hsien (Joan) Lin is a native of Taiwan, a mover, thinker, and a wonderer who continuously search for the embodied inclusive and emotional experiences in her own being and making.
Chih-Hsien’s movement language reflects a rich cultural bearing from traditional Asian ethnic dances and martial arts to a vast array of somatic modern integrations; contact improvisation, Alexander Technique, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and the Feldenkrais Method have informed her work. She creates circular worlds of kinesthesia, juxtaposition, and reflection, elucidating the subtlety, complexity, and fluidity of living. Professional practices and involvement include: LinkUP (now titled Co-MISSION Fellowship) residency, Thawalls performing artist, Moving Dialogs panelist, adjunct at Cornell College and The University of Iowa, Chicago Moving Company, Mid-to-West Dance Collective, Synapse Arts, Project Bound One Hour Dance for Film Project, WC Dance Company (Taiwan), 30 Dance Theatre (Taiwan), Kate Corby & Dancers, Bodies in Urban Spaces, Peep Show, and Amsterdam-Berlin-Chicago project, Inconvenience summer sampler. Chih-Hsien has been a Khecari – a Chicago based contemporary dance company artist since 2013, working intently and engagingly with the company for their in-depth artistic and sensorial inquires.
Most recently, Chih-Hsien dove into a series of artistic and spiritual inquiries through movement solo work and collaborations with her life and dance partner Ben Law. Together, they explore therapeutic use of movement and the authentic moving process for healthier and more integrated way of being and living. In addition, Chih-Hsien continues to expand her practices in somatic movement, improvisation, and multidisciplinary works artistically, and works as a dance/movement therapist and licensed professional counselor for a diverse set of populations, such as family, adults, children, evolving adults, geriatrics, LGBTQ, immigrants, etc. Issues include trauma, PTSD, brain injury, attachment and emotional regulation, identity search, self-expression, somatic/body-mind connection, interpersonal/intrapersonal learning, cultural adjustment, and career transitions. In addition, she had completed her EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) training, which can support her therapeutic journey with her clients.