Media Response to Jin-Wen Yu Dance

"A force to be reckoned with"-----Wisconsin State Journal (2001)

…Lori Dillon and the stunning Yun-Chen Liu moved adroitly from mechanical dips and bends to possessing Jell-O-like bodies, fluid in their unisons, delicate hands aflutter.-----Los Angeles Times (2001)

…unusual mix of athletic prowess and physical grace…controlled strength, emotionalism and dramatic on-stage relationships -----Wisconsin State Journal (2001)

…truly engaging and stimulating.-----Isthmus (2001)

It is a fascinating aesthetic that gives Yu’s dancing a visceral sense of weight and a lovely quality of grace...the movement itself is striking and Yu is a gorgeous performer, sensuous yet controlled and capable of great dynamic detail.-----The Boston Globe (2000)

Jin-Wen Yu’s dance company proved that although it’s small (only three dancers!), it’s very powerful. In 2000 we saw Yu’s dancers Lori Dillon and Yun-Chen Liu make great artistic leaps. -----Isthmus (2000)

...the superbly talented dancer and choreographer...unexpected and stunning, this action is nonetheless an important part of a spellbinding work...-----Wisconsin State Journal (2000)

Whether he’s suspended 20 feet above the stage on a rope ladder or standing in an aquarium with a goldfish swimming around his feet, choreographer and dancer Jin-Wen Yu is likely to surprise audiences.-----Valley Advocate (2000)

...his artistry allows him to participate in the divine...throughout the concert he demonstrates that he’s achieved mastery...Especially pleasing is the moral perspective expressed in the title and in Yu’s choreography. His mastery...give(s) him the right to propose a moral vision...he’s a leader.

-----Chicago Reader (1999)

Onstage, as both choreographer and dancer, Yu looms large. Soccer player quads. Superb control...It (Water Series) is an intense solo driven by Tai Chi Chu’an...now you see the ceaselessly flowing, effortless moves; now you don’t. Yu, like water, fills every space...Yu is a master. -----The Recorder (1999)

Yu’s expressiveness and the beauty of his movement left no doubt as to why he is in such great demand: He leaves his audiences spellbound.-----The Capital Times (1999)

Irresistible Yu captivates audience.....He makes even the slightest movement powerful, beautiful and significant. Incredible. -----Fort Worth Star-Telegram (1998)

...magnificently fluent Jin-Wen Yu, lingers in the memory. -----The Dallas Morning News (1998)

...Jin-Wen Yu produced astonishing images of partnership and flight...His movement is extended and his jumps are smooth, more like glides with lift.-----Isthmus (1998)

The most lyrical passages came in "Divining Rod"…Elements of ballet danced to a Western-style air composed by Michael Nyman gave the piece its initial grace, and Eastern-style acrobatics gave it energy…the dance was one of evening’s most successful.-----The Day (1998)

Jin-Wen Yu’s choreography bends the bodies like origami, producing moveable little human architectures out of a pair or trio of dancers folded, fitted, arched together...The work is physical...The accent is on the body: tuned, dancerly and in control of the movement...But it’s also cerebral work, with intriguing symbolism. -----Philadelphia City Paper (1997)

...Jin-Wen Yu performed ‘Divining Rod," a fascinating solo...Closing the program was "First Fall,"... the dance is seamless flow of solos, duets, and group sections that combine fresh movement ideas and universal sensibility in a manner that does justice to the spirit of the entire concert. -----Daily Hampshire Gazette (1996)

…Yu reveals himself as an attractive performer, who dances with a clarity and good phrasing of movement, a sculptural sense of his poses, and a variety of dynamics which make him a pleasure to watch. -----Daily Hampshire Gazette (1994)