Yue Yin

Yue Yin is a choreographer, founder and artistic director of YY Dance Company and the creator of FoCo Technique™. She began her training in Chinese classical and folk dance in Shanghai, China at the prestigious Shanghai Dance Academy and completed her MFA in dance at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2008. In 2018, Yin founded YYDC, a non-profit contemporary dance company dedicated to the teaching, production and performance of her original choreographic work. Yin’s work embodies her signature FoCo TechniqueTM, which fuses elements of Chinese classical dance, folk forms, ballet and contemporary vocabulary. Yin utilizes this technique in training and creative process to achieve a textured and grounded physicality in energetic, complex and nuanced choreography.

Yue Yin was the recipient of the 2021 Harkness Promise Award. This prestigious award recognizes her innovation in choreography and education. She was the winner of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 2015 International Commissioning Project, winner of the 2015 BalletX Choreographic Fellowship, and winner of Northwest Dance Project’s 5th Annual Pretty Creatives International Choreographic Competition in 2013. Yin’s work has been commissioned from acclaimed companies as well as other companies and organizations such as Gibney Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, Oregon Ballet Theater, BalletMet, Boston Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Limon Dance Company, Alberta Ballet, Balletto Teatro di Torino, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, Juilliard School for Dance, USC Kaufman School of Dance, Tisch School of The Arts, Rutgers University, Point Park University, West Michigan University and more.

Class Description

FoCo Technique™ + Choreography: FoCo Technique™ is an original contemporary dance technique developed by choreographer Yue Yin, fuses elements of Chinese classical dance, folk forms, ballet and contemporary vocabulary. This two hour class is designed for pre-professional and professional dancers, the class requires a sophisticated understanding of dance technique as well as well developed physical and mental stamina. The technique is conducted in a follow-long method following a three-stage structure: Activating – establishing the connections between mind and body, Rooting – finding footing and building grounded awareness, Mapping – recognizing the transitions and pathways of movement. The FoCo instructor leads students through each class segment, with an eye towards achieving precision and control, identifying and embodying rhythm and dynamic change in movement, forming strong interactions and connection with the force of gravity. A choreographic phrase will be created and taught in the second half of the class following the technique training. Students will experience the creative process and rehearsal culture while utilizing FoCo Technique.