ATLANTA — Atlanta has long been considered a creative hub. Performers of all talents and backgrounds have made their way to the Hollywood of the South to cut their teeth until their big break. Today, members of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities are shepherding diverse art forms and blending their own experiences with the influences already part of the fabric of Atlanta—and choreographer Page Yang is no different.
A spark in the beginning
Page Yang vividly remembers when her love of dance was awakened. The moment, she says, sparked a life-long passion that was fostered in the artistic communities of her hometown of Sacramento, California.
"My first memory is learning 'Oops!…I Did It Again,' the choreography from the Britney Spears video. I think I went to my cousin's house one day. They were doing it, and I begged them to teach me. And I just never stopped dancing."
Her family enrolled her in dance classes, but the cost was a barrier. Even then, she says, she was able to engage with the art form differently.
Yang was also influenced by the prevalent hip-hop scene when she was growing up. Friends and family introduced her to dance battles and other performing arts styles.
“In hip-hop, you are just you are encouraged to be yourself. You're encouraged to strive for freedom, to strive past your limits," Yang said.
It’s a method that sometimes bucked against the traditional values that were instilled in her. Yang, a first-generation Hmong American, admits that she occasionally would code switch, but she was determined to forge ahead artistically.
“Being born to an immigrant family, you are encouraged not to cause too much chaos. Being here in America is a privilege. So you don't want to do anything to disrupt that privilege or that freedom,” she said.
“I think I did that unconsciously. I think at home, I was probably wired into myself or didn't really speak about dance and art too much unless they just saw me dancing in the garage. I think as I continued to dance, it started to become this thing that was unavoidable. And I think I really just decided I'm not going to say anything. I'm just going to show them," she recalled.
Yang said she spent her college years teetering between a responsible area of study and the art form to which she remained passionate. Ultimately, dance won. A pit stop in Utah preceded her move to Atlanta and a chapter where she says she’s been able to find more drive, inspiration, and opportunity.
The A-Scene
In Atlanta, Yang found the competition was fierce, but so were the opportunities.
“What I do like about Atlanta is that there is this real big hunger here, and it's really contagious. So being surrounded by all these hungry dancers, you're really encouraged to just keep pushing, and opportunities will come,” she explained.
When asked about a defining moment, she recalls being asked to audition for award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj.
At the time, she was unaware of the opportunity or who she even auditioned for.
“You bring your headshot and your resume. There was a panel of judges, leaders and dancers from the community," she said. "I got a call from one of the judges who was at the back of the audition, and he asked if I would be available for a certain date and if they could submit me for a job.”
Little did she know, the job was for a performance with Minaj in New Orleans at the annual Essence Festival. Yang says she began making plans despite not knowing if she had the gig. Even after it was offered to her, she was unsure if she could find a flight on time.
“I found a flight and literally one seat left, and that was just it. And then it said that there were no more seats, so I was like, I'm going to drive,” she said.
As she was packing her car, miraculously, a seat became available. She made it in time for rehearsal and got on the first flight back to Atlanta the following morning for another gig.
“It was like a quick thing, but it just goes to show that, you know, one - you never know who's watching the show,” Yang stated.
Now, Yang is focused on helping other artists find their voices and the opportunities to amplify them.
Paying it forward
Yang currently works as the operations manager for the National Black Arts Festival. She said she's also considering another film similar to one she previously made in Sacramento.
“The film was about all the trailblazers, all the community leaders, all my family friends, all the people in the arts community there. I wanted to highlight their stories, their strengths, what was important to them,” she beamed.
As for pouring into the next generation of dancers - she does this by teaching. She hopes to serve as a role model for other young artists who may hesitate to pursue their ambitions.
She encourages them to take up space, saying, “I want them to feel authenticity. I want them to feel honesty. I want them to feel seen. I want them to also feel like their stories matter."