About me…
‘‘Through Dance, About Dance, In Dance”
Biography
Born in Vancouver and raised in Calgary, Kaili Che 謝祖弘 (she/her) is an emerging Chinese-Canadian interdisciplinary artist, choreographer, and educator.
Her art practices focus on building spaces that prioritize collaboration, curiosity, play, and vulnerability. She is deeply invested in value-based creations that invite accessibility and foster a sense of shared purpose. Her interdisciplinary approach often includes audience interactions that emphasize participation and immersion, sometimes through installations with textiles, objects, or even food. Kaili creates using contemporary dance, tasked improvisation, spoken text, soundscapes, and storytelling, exploring themes that resonate with her Chinese and Vietnamese heritage, family and cultural lineage, climate justice, and community work. She believes in the power of co-creating spaces that nurture meaningful connections and trust, where every voice is valued and every participant feels included. To her, true empowerment emerges when people come together to learn, unlearn, and grow as a community.
She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance with Distinction and an added concentration in Dance Pedagogy from the University of Calgary. She began focusing on her dance training at age 16 with Dance on Edge where she trained in RAD Ballet, ADAPT Jazz & Tap and Hip Hop. There she completed her RAD advanced 2 Ballet exam, ADAPT Pre-advanced Jazz and Pre-intermediate 3 Tap exams. She quickly grew fond of dancing and enriched herself in travels to Los Angeles, Vancouver, Long Beach, Anaheim and Toronto to further her dance training.
As a performer, she is grateful to have participated in works and choreographic research processes of artists, choreographers and companies including: Project Intandem, Cloudsway Dance Theatre, kloetzel&co, Ivanochko et cie, W&M Physical Theatre, and more. Her curiosity in the psychological and physiological well being of dancers has led her to completing the Healthy Dancer Certification with SiDI and she also became a certified ADAPT teacher. Kaili is an advocate for education and she believes that teaching “through dance, about dance and in dance” with compassion will bring laughter and joy to everyday life.
Get to know me!
Do you have a favourite animal?
I do but not just one, I have three favourite animals that I love equally: cows, sharks and jellyfish.
What do you do in your free time?
I really enjoy listening to podcasts like “The Happiness Lab” with Laurie Santos and “The Slight Change of Plans” with Maya Shankar, drawing & painting, card making, working out and thrifting.
What is your favourite colour?
I enjoy every colour of the rainbow but if I had to pick one it would definitely be the colour green!
What is your dream place to visit?
I would love to do a trip around Northern Europe: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden!
Contact me.
Have questions? Want more information about classes or working together for performances and choreography? Get in touch through the contact link, or follow me on social media for regular updates.