[Editor’s note: This interview was held on Feb. 6 at 12:34 p.m. to submit as an assignment for Media Writing.]
Jenna Chang is an associate professor of dance and part of the Movers Unlimited Touring Dance Company on NE Campus. After growing up in Korea, she attended TCC, where she was inspired by her mentor, Kihyoung Choi, to become a dance instructor.
Q: You were previously a student here. Can you tell me what that was like?
A: I really enjoyed my time here as a student. At first, honestly, I didn’t, because when I was in high school, there wasn’t a great representation of community college. … It shifted when I found the dance community here. At first, I was getting ready to actually apply for the dental hygiene program. As I was preparing for the application, I missed dancing. So, I signed up for a modern dance class here, which is when I met my mentor, my teacher, who’s now my colleague, Dr. Kihyoung Choi. She really helped me find my path here. She actually met with my mom to help persuade her so I could switch my major from dental hygiene to dance. … Right off [Highway] 360, there’s a Starbucks, and my mom, Dr. Choi and me were at that Starbucks, and she literally convinced my mom. “Your daughter needs to teach. She has a talent for teaching. She has a passion. I’ll take care of her.” And my mom was like, “OK, she’s now yours.”
Q: Were your parents a little bit mad that you wanted to switch?
A: No, they were actually really relieved and grateful that somebody was able to help them understand that I could have a stable career in dance. Because they wanted me to be happy, you know? But from their perspective, they knew dance wasn’t the best route for a stable job or it’s really rare. That’s more a stability aspect to it. And so, when Dr. Choi talked to my mom, she was like, “She has a bright future in this path.” So, she was actually really happy that I was able to still dance.
Q: How long have you been dancing?
A: I’ve been dancing my whole life. … My dad was a dancer. He was my first inspiration, because he was the one that was doing all the waving and the popping. And he was teaching me all those techniques.
Q: So, was he a breakdancer?
A: Mainly street style. He was on the rollerblading team, and they danced while they were rollerblading. I loved K-Pop whenever it first started. I used to actually do their dance covers. When I was little, before YouTube and all that, we had VHS tapes that we could rent. I would watch it, and I would learn and do their dances. But it didn’t really start until I got into high school. I didn’t know about drill team at all. I had no idea of this world because I was actually going to do tennis in high school. But then my friend literally just dragged me. She was like, “Come to this audition with me.” She knew I liked to dance. So, then I went and I auditioned, and I made the team.
Q: When did you move from Korea?
A: It was 1999, so I was 7.
Q: Do you think dance was a coping mechanism, so you didn’t miss Korea as much?
A: Oh, absolutely. Definitely. Dance was what I used to relieve my stress, whether that was from family or friends or whatever it was. I just always found myself feeling better after. It was cathartic for me. But I didn’t realize it when I was young, because I was doing it for fun, and I loved listening to music. Moving to the music elevated that feeling. Back then, I didn’t know what the lyrics were, so I’d be like, “Mom, what does it say right here?” So, I would have her write down the lyrics of that song, and I would actually start choreographing. So, I was making my own dances, like fifth grade, fourth grade. And then sixth grade, I choreographed a duet for the talent show. I think getting that creativity out through dance is definitely something that was a coping mechanism. If I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere, I could just dance. I felt like I belonged with myself when I was dancing.
Q: Have you always been a part of the dance company?
A: Yes. When Movers Unlimited Touring Dance Company started, it was actually formed by Dr. Linda Quinn. She was the one that actually started the dance program at TCC.
Q: On NE Campus?
A: It was at NW at first, I think. After she created the dance program at NW, she came to NE, made the dance program here. And then Dr. Choi came a little bit after, and then she kind of took over the company. Since then, I’ve been with her and the company. So, I was since 2011, which is 15 years?
Q: How did you know you wanted to come back to TCC to teach?
A: Dr. Choi kind of talked to me about switching my major, and then her talking to my mom to help me change my pathway. From then on, she actually instilled this hope that I could come back to teach here.
Q: I see your ‘faith over fear’ shirt. Is dance how you worship?
A: Yeah, this is absolutely my worship. Yes, Jesus has blessed me with this journey through dance. He’s brought me here for a reason, and I am just so grateful that I get to be a part of his movement. I’m kind of in this space where I’m feeling the liberation, because a lot of the time, the church kind of defines what kind of movement is acceptable. And I’m kind of playing the devil’s advocate. Certain types of movement are not accepted in certain churches and worship. I’m saying for me, when I do it, I’m still worshiping even in these movements. So that’s kind of my statement whenever I do choreograph. I have had a lot of people, like leaders, saying, “No, you shouldn’t be moving like that. It doesn’t seem like you are worshiping Jesus.” But I’m like, Jesus is the one that’s moving me. He’s the one that provides music, the environment and the people. And when we move in a certain way, we’re collectively worshiping together without even speaking, just through movement.”
Q: Is there anything else I should know about you?
A: I think everybody is a dancer. I think everybody dances, and that dance is for everyone. Dance in our society is kind of the underdog, kind of treated that way. And dance is so accepting. … Dance could elevate everybody’s life, because dance is movement, and it helps build your physique, your mental health. And when we’re stuck in the office and you’re just sitting and working and studying, I feel like you’re not using the full extent of what your body can do.
