Position: Associate Dean for Student Affairs; Professor, Dance
Location: Ruebush Hall, Room 108
Phone: (540) 678-4479
Email: tchen@su.edu
Employed Since: 1997
Teaching Area(s):
Dance Composition, Modern Dance, Modern Dance Pedagogy, Movement for Musicians, Senior Concert Seminar
Conservatory Professional Highlights:
Ting-Yu Chen, M.F.A., Ed.D., is the Shenandoah Conservatory Associate Dean for Student Affairs and professor of dance at Shenandoah University. She is also a grant recipient of the National Arts Council of Cultural and Educational Development and foundations in Taiwan, the Greater Columbus Arts Council in Ohio, and Shenandoah Arts Council in Virginia. Chen’s performances, choreography and teaching have spanned the globe in countries including Argentina, Canada, China, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Macedonia, Spain, the Netherlands, Russia, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and across the United States.
Chen promotes culturally responsive teaching and cross-cultural learning through 1) First Year Seminar: Chopsticks, Calligraphy and Zen(dance) that encourages American students to question, interpret and evaluate their own culture and other cultural traditions in the global community with awareness and respect; 2) Gen-Ed (Town Hall) course: Thinking on Your Feet, that helps students understand and navigate cultural diversity, and explore verbal and non-verbal communication that deepen one’s understanding of self and others as well as develop the ability to think and act ethically in light of difference; and 3) Dance Composition course that cultivates young choreographers to think and make dances through the lens of diversity, inclusion and social justice while celebrating choreographic craftsmanship and performative excellence.
Her research in interdisciplinary teaching and learning has led her to develop new curriculums including Voice & Body Awareness and Movement for Musicians to support singers and instrumentalists to advance their professional goals and wellbeing. She has presented her research paper and taught a body awareness workshop at the Voice Foundation’s 47th Annual Symposium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as presented at the 2018 VASTA/PAVA Joint Conference in Seattle, Washington. Chen has applied her teaching in body mind connection and creativity to the field of health professional studies at Shenandoah University. Since 2015, she has taught workshops for the nursing, physician assistant and pharmacy students to facilitate greater self-awareness, observation skills for effective nonverbal communication and comfort with giving and receiving touch applicable to patient evaluation for health care providers.
Chen is an editorial board member of the Journal of Performing Arts Leadership in Higher Education, member of World Dance Alliance — Pacific Asia, Shenandoah Arts Council. She is a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach and a certified Reiki Master Teacher. Chen holds a Doctor of Education from Shenandoah University, Master of Fine Arts from the Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase in New York.
Ensemble(s):
Dance Ensemble
Educational History:
B.F.A., State University of New York-Purchase; M.F.A., The Ohio State University; Ed. D. Shenandoah University.
Personal Quote:I invite my students to acquire knowledge and discipline, and enter into the world of unbounded creative energy with curiosity and imagination. We meet where arts await to be born.