Faculty, Adult Program Faculty
Shu-Chen Cuff was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan where she established a well-rounded background in dance with training in ballet, modern, Chinese Opera movements and various Chinese folk dances. She immigrated to the United States to continue her training. Shu-Chen received a B.F.A. from the University of Florida New World School where she graduated with honors on the Dean’s list. Shu-Chen performed numerous classical and contemporary works while dancing with the Miami Ballet and Nevada Ballet Theater. After relocating to the Washington, DC area in 2002, Shu-Chen worked with Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company and has left her footprints around the world, touring to Asia, Central America and Europe. Shu-Chen has also performed at the International Dance Festival in Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan.
With her strong desire to create refreshing and vitalizing works for the community, Shu-Chen established Gin Dance Company in 2011 and her works have been featured in regional media. She was a finalist in the category of Outstanding Choreographer and Outstanding Individual Performer at the Dance MetroDC Awards.
Shu-Chen has a great passion to pass on her knowledge, experience and her love of dance to young aspiring dancers. In this regard, she has taught and choreographed many works at Metropolitan School of the Arts, Nevada Ballet Theater, Ashburn Academy of Dance, Russell School of Ballet, Skye Ballet Center, Classical Ballet Theater and has been a guest instructor at numerous dance schools throughout Taiwan. In addition to teaching with The Washington School of Ballet, she is on the faculty of BalletNOVA Center for Dance and the Metropolitan School of the Arts.