Carmen Yih
Ethos My practice centres on platforming the unique perspectives and stories of culturally diverse youth, exploring intergenerational tension, self-definition and diaspora experience through mediums of film, street dance, contemporary dance and new media art.
I am interested in dance as an universal language, resonating beyond cultural and disciplinary barriers. I aim to build a world where movement is not judged on virtuosity or technicality, but simply as a means of connecting all of us to a deeper understanding of the society we live in.
In my world, communication flows between generations and cultures without a language barrier - it is free and accessible for both movers and observers and requires no justification.
I thrive when working with collaborators with movement backgrounds that differ from my own. I am interested in a choreographic process that draws from lived experiences and improvisation scores to uncover the interconnection of the unique movement identities and stories of my collaborators.
Bio Carmen Yih (she/her) is an emerging Chinese-Australian multimedia-artist traversing across community, educational and contemporary spaces. Carmen’s practice centres on platforming the unique perspectives and stories of culturally diverse youth including intergenerational tension, self-definition and diaspora experiences through film, movement and new media art.
In 2024, Carmen presented M_N as part of the Creative Brimbank Be Bold Residency program, tackling the impact of toxic masculinity on youth mental health through street dance-theatre. She has presented numerous duo and solo works including ‘Texture of Absence’ at Platform Arts Geelong and Lucy Guerin Inc x Temperance Hall with Jiawen Feng, 'Home' at Union House Theatre, and ‘REGENESIS’ at Amplify: Bridge, Bluestone Church Arts Space, and Club Luv, Alt House.
Delving into her interests in street and contemporary dance, Carmen is a member of Burncity Waack, battling in the club freestyle dance-style ‘Waacking’ originating from the 1970s LA gay, black and latinx communities and Burncity Krump, training in the 2000s street dance form originating from South Central, LA. Carmen also seconded with L2R Dance and Sydney Dance Company, co-designed Next Wave’s World+ curated by MaggZ, founded Space Generate and co-founded (nexus) collective.
Following her interest in Screendance, Carmen developed ‘一层一层/Layer by Layer’ (2022) for the 2022 Signal Arts Screen and Sound Commissions for which she was awarded Most Outstanding Senior Performer by Form Dance Projects, and 'Empty Your Plate' (2023) for the 2023 Blackbird Protostars program. Her film ‘The Panopticon’ (2021) was officially selected for the Mobile Dance Film Festival.
As a dancer she has performed in James Batchelor's Gesturing, Weaving, Unfolding (2023), Alleyne Dance’s HOME (2023) for Shepparton Festival, SWARM at Science Gallery Melbourne (2022) and Butterfly Soupe at La Mama's War-rak Banksia Festival (2022). During her time at the VCA, Carmen was awarded the University of Melbourne Lionel Gell Foundation Scholarship and Paul and Donna Dainty Award for her excellence in the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance).
Carmen also has experience in publicity, arts administration and producing roles. She has coordinated and executed multi-channel marketing campaigns for Flare Dance Ensemble, Green Room Award-Winning Melbourne Fringe Show ‘Άπειρη Στοργή | Infinite Affection’, Cainz University of Melbourne, and Diverse Dancers Australia, connecting her theoretical marketing studies with practical experience.
In 2024, she was assistant producer for (nexus) x Next Wave at High Note. In 2023, she produced VCA Student Works and stage managed L2R Block Party. With Flare Dance Ensemble, she led the committee as the 2022 Vice-President in the production and promotion of two full-length productions, delivery of weekly free casual dance classes to students, streamlining of fee-for-service performances and the implementation of initiatives that responded to the growth in interest in street dance freestyle forms.
Click to see Curriculum Vitae
Click to see shortened biography and personal lineage
Contact
Instagram: @hitahhchi
Email: hitahhchi@gmail.com
