Today we’d like to introduce you to Annika Wong.
Hi Annika, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started in dancing at age 6. Every Sunday, I would go to my local community center to take traditional Chinese dance classes, and in those formative years, I knew I felt something crystallizing. Initially, there was something about the power in physicality – feeling the way my body could reach extremities, I had not previously known – that hooked me. As time went on, I continued researching the way that music and dance inform one another, which I think is very special to learn as a young person. Concurrently having that experience with a consistent group of people initiated those first feelings of community that have stayed with me throughout my career so far. Those first inklings of the beauty and power in the arts lead me to fall in love with them and pushed me to continue on to where I am today.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think the decision to pursue a passion will always come with challenges. Pursuing a career in the arts is risky – it can be unstable. I have experienced some of my greatest lows but also some of my most rewarding highs as an artist. Being injured, having to get surgery, being out of work, and being financially unstable are some of the things that have been challenging along the way. Being an artist to me means experiencing the most of life on both ends of the spectrum. Like they say, I really believe that becoming successful is 10% talent and 90% hard work and willingness. The road is not linear – some people experience their “big break” quite early, but in other situations, small breaks come in increments that keep building over time. I am so grateful for the support system that I have around me, as it has been a crucial aspect of my growth as a human and artist. The journey for me has been consistently one day up and the next day down, like a heartbeat – but at least that means I know I’m alive, living, and thriving the best way that I know how.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I was trained as a dancer, but I also write my own music and love working in choreography – fusing dance with music, film, spoken word, acting, and visual art. After graduating from dance training programs at Broadway Dance Center and Peridance’s Certificate Program last June, I made my theatrical debut as a dancer/actor in Bated Breath Theatre Company’s Chasing Andy Warhol. I also have been working on their devising team for their newest play, Bittersweet – a stage adaptation of Susan Cain’s novel of the same name. Most recently this past April, I premiered my first evening-length work at Peridance Center in NYC, entitled Meet Me at Mine. I have plans to do a second installment of it this summer, so stay tuned for that. I am also currently a company member with Gotham Dance Theater for their summer season!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I used to work as a barista for quite a few years; I really enjoyed hospitality and making good quality coffee! The social aspect of it was really fun.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @annikatofu / @mine_nyc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkqMXzckeAc
Image Credits
Kuo Image
Natalia Sanchez
James Kolsby
