Heidi Duckler Dance presents Artist in Residence @ Heidi Duckler Dance

Los Angeles-based dance company Heidi Duckler Dance (HDD) is pleased to announce the Artist in Residence @ Heidi Duckler Dance program, a program that centers cultural and artistic exchange, nurtures experimentation, and supports research and the development of new work.

“The idea to host an artist-in residence came up as our company returned to work at our headquarters in the historic Bendix Building in downtown Los Angeles. As we began to invite audiences to return to our live performances, we noticed our own internal struggles with isolation. It occurred to me that an artist from another community could help nurture meaningful exchange, explore ideas with us, and together we might find new inspiration that would enrich our lives and practice,” shares Artistic Director Heidi Duckler   

Our first artist in residence for this inaugural program will be Ching Ching Wong. Ching Ching will be acting as choreographer and creative director for the company, in addition to teaching for and performing in Heidi Duckler programming during her residency.  Her residency dates are April 4, 2022 – June 30, 2022.  

Born in Manila, Philippines and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Ching Ching Wong credits her lifelong teacher Alia Harlan Kaneaikala for instilling in her the love for dance. She is the recipient of Princess Grace Award in Dance (2015) and is currently represented by Movement Talent Agency.

For seven seasons, she danced for Northwest Dance Project where she originated work for dozens of national and international choreographers including Swiss based choreographer Ihsan Rustem. Ching Ching is now assistant and répétiteur for Ihsan, re-staging his work throughout the US and Europe. She is also founder of Project Salamat, global outreach program, and The Experience, an international workshop series. 

“Heidi Duckler has asked me to fly off a building, jump out a yellow Mustang, and swim in a pond dressed as a duck. When she asked me to be Heidi Duckler Dance’s inaugural artist in residence, I said QUACK, YES! Heidi Duckler Dance is a laboratory of creation where lightness and vulnerability sit side by side, where artists from all mediums are encouraged to explore the unknown, and where communities from all corners of the world and of all ages come to gather… As Artist in Residence for Heidi Duckler Dance, I am honored to have this chance to create with you, to connect with you, and to possibly be a duck with you,” said Ching Ching Wong

Initially founded in 1985, HDD is a pioneer in producing interdisciplinary performances. The company develops and rehearses each multi-sensory experience in the site where the work is performed. HDD advances social equity in under-resourced communities by providing opportunities for audience members and students to interact with meaningful spaces, both public and private, that they may not otherwise have access to.

These innovative experiences allow participants to view these places, and their communities, in new and interesting ways. Over the past 35 years, HDD’s Artistic Director, Heidi Duckler, has created over 400 original works locally, nationally and internationally, including in many LA neighborhoods. HDD produces over 25 original productions each year, and thousands of diverse residents are served annually. 

To learn more, visit https://heididuckler.org/