We’re looking forward to introducing you to Hsiao-Ning Liao. Check out our conversation below.
Hsiao-Ning, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What battle are you avoiding?
The battle I’m avoiding right now is self-doubt. I think I’m ready, especially as a dancer, I have been nonstop training myself physically every day, by taking classes, going to the gym, stretching, trying to eat and drink healthy, trying to rest as much as I can while I have 5 different jobs in New York City. From when I was little, especially as an Asian woman coming from Taiwan and Asian Culture, we were told to be polite (恭）, be simple （儉）, and be humble, not to show off （禮讓）. I know in my heart I want to shine, and I want to be a dancer performing in the U.S. and worldwide. This kind of passion and desire made me come to New York to dance and explore my life as a dancer, but my culture is in me. Whenever there is a moment to shine, my self-doubt comes out, I know I can do it, but this kind of thinking is still there. As I keep proceeding my dance journey, I have been performing with artists live, music videos, choreographed for artists, and showcasing my work in public, co-hosting parties in New York City, and even as I keep moving forward, this self-doubt is still kind of holding me back, make me step slowly, and took a long time to make progress, I feel like this is the battle I’m trying to avoid everyday, maybe one day, I can just be myself without having this battle in my mind, and believe myself, I can do it, just do it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Ning, I am a dancer/choreographer/dance instructor from Taiwan, now based in New York City. I moved to Brooklyn after I graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a BA in Dance. I majored in Modern and Contemporary Dance in school, with a little street dance foundation from Taiwan. After I moved to New York in 2021, I explored a whole new life of dance, and I started to train in House, Afrobeats, and especially, Dancehall. And very luckily, I was introduced to a very kind, creative and talented woman, Frances, aka DJ Franchella, who has founded “In Living Color” since 2015, right now upgraded to “In Living Creative”, which hosts live art parties, creative workshops, events, and showcases, in Brooklyn mostly, and now expanding to the city. I worked with Frances the first in “In Living Color Live Arts Party” in March 2024 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, celebrating women’s history month, and in April, 2024, a dance and singing showcase in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Also in June 2024, a collaboration with the music band “CRS Culture” in the Sultan Room, Bushwick, Brooklyn. And in 2025, we are trying to expand the brand “In Living Creative” to engage with more artists in New York City, create a platform to perform, share the creativity, and also tour to LA, Miami, and the Bahamas. More info posted in the Instagram Bio @inlivingcolornyc.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I think it’s around 5-6 grade in elementary school, I was our school basketball team captain, our school music band captain, and also I won the championship 2 years in a row track and field 100 meters, I remember I felt proud of myself, and also in elementary school, basketball and track and field is boys and girls competed together.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t be afraid to shine!
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
After I moved to New York, I met Joy, who is a dancer/choreographer from South Korea. we started talking because we found out that our birthdays are the same date, September 8th, and after that, we became best friends. I remember the past few years we kind of been through some tough times together, hustling life in NYC, fighting for a better life with dance career while trying to maintain healthy mentally and physically, and one day she found a funny video from instagram saying “Don’t give up, go through the tunnel is the light, you alredy gone a long way.” something like that, it’s funny but helpful, whenever me or she had a hard time, we just say this or sending the video again to each other, and we laugh, and life keep going.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Ning is a great dancer. She is from Taiwan, a small island in Asia, but her name will be big in the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/ninga0908/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninga0908/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hsiao-ningliao3427
Image Credits
@geniusphotos00
@ryalexandephoto
