people // patterns // puzzles // play !

Jia Yi // Judy // Luo is a Chinese-Canadian dance artist known for her magnetic stage presence and versatility. Gritty and playful, curiosity and mischief colour her creativity. Judy holds her BFA in Performance Dance from Toronto Metropolitan University and is a laureate of the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s Developing Artist Grant. She is a former member of touring company Rambert 2 (London, UK), where she performed the works of Micaela Taylor, Benoit Swan Pouffer, Megan Lawson, Andrea Miller, Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar.

As a freelancer, her selected collaborators include Anne Plamondon Productions (Montreal), Liam Francis Dance Company (UK), Nova Dance (Toronto), and Dreamwalker Dance Company (Toronto/Vancouver). Judy has served as assistant choreographer to Liam Francis for new commissions at: Skanes Dansteater (Sweden), Ballettheatre Trier (Germany) and Rambert (UK). Together, the two were mentored by Jill Johnson (Los Angeles), former principal dancer with William Forsythe’s Ballet Frankfurt, to develop their choreographic and improvisational language.

Judy lights up when sharing and mentoring the next generation. She has lead contemporary and improvisation workshops for students in pre-professional training programs including: Toronto Metropolitan University, L’École de Danse de Québec, National Ballet School of Canada and various specialized secondary school arts programs throughout the Greater Toronto Area. She has also been a published writer in The Dance Current (Canada), and served for a season as writer-in-residence for Nova Dance.

Leading an internationally spanning career as a performer, rehearsal director and educator, she continues to marvel at the body's intelligence and delights in sharing this fascination with others. Follow her creative endeavours on her Substack publication, “mindthemoves.”