Meet Jenny Sung | Co-director and founder of One Dance Company

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenny Sung and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenny, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When we started One Dance Company we were craving a place to move and create where women could be portrayed in broader roles than just crazy, over sexualized, or being partnered. Women have a much wider voice and range of experiences and we wanted to see it represented through the art of modern dance.

We were also passionate about bringing movement beyond the stage. We made it a priority to have opportunities for people to encounter these multi-sensory narratives in places other than theaters and dance shows. This brought us to woman’s prisons, festivals int he streets, and collaborating with other organizations who work toward the wholeness of women. This brought us to one of our important values, to work with local artists and business owners who identify as women, for the wholeness of women.

Since then, One Dance Company has not only become a place to create and move; it has become a place of beloved trusted community for us and for others looking for a community such as ours.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
One Dance Company is a company of movers and creators who share through the language of dance, the experience of being human.

A few things that set us apart is our culture and values. To bring movement to people instead of requiring everyone to come and pay to see us is a huge shift in how we exist. This has brought us to woman prisons, community festivals, and in partnership with organizations doing amazing work around gender justice and hope. Another one of our values is to always make our work accessible for others by making it multi sensory and financially accessible.

We truly got to where we are today by inviting each member into their fullness and joy, and processing together how we are doing. For example, it was Sophia Ogren-Dehn, and Claire Underwood who made it possible for us to receive grants. They did the hard work of writing them and keeping up on them. Maura Bremer Peterson, Audi Dickey, Courtney Castleberry, run all of our marketing and social medias. They have been so creative in sharing our community with others. Jordan A Bergman, Erin Simon, and Annie Hoffman bring a creativity and choreography that continues to push us and make us more porous to the world around and within us.

It was easy in the way we always had one another to enjoy and be in the work with. It is always vulnerable and brave to share when the art which is created is made from our very bodies. This is where reading and practicing The Body Is Not an Apology together was and continues to be important work. We never arrive, and we are committed to continuing the practice together.

Another large pivot came with Covid in the way that gathering was no longer possible and so we, like the rest of the world, had to get creative about how we were going to share and continue going. We didn’t stop. We had seasons of moving our rehearsals to zoom (woof) and having outside rehearsals with masks and distance. Instead of performing in spaces we created 4 dance videos outside and that was a whole new way of thinking about movement and sharing.

Our Dance Company is not just a group of movers. We are truly a beloved community who works to encourage one another’s brave voices in dance, in life, in community, and because everyone is different, it looks different, and different isn’t bad… it can be gift.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For site seeing there would be a lot of hiking and hanging by water. Fort Snelling State park, Minnehaha Falls, Hidden Falls. We are also so lucky because if it’s Auguest we have the Fringe Festival which is a delightful way to catch local artist and amazing shows.

For Dining we would want to make sure to go to Owamni featuring Chef Sean Sherman, a.k.a., the Sioux Chef. For Pho we would have to check out Pho 79. Breakfast we would want to catch Hope Breakfast bar, and Buttered Tin. Italian for sure Italian Eatery, and Cafe Biagio on University Ave, For a quick fresh juice or smoothie bowl the dripping root.

Being in Minnesota you have to check out distilleries and breweries. We are big fans of Urban Growler in St. Paul!

It would include a lot of walking in and soaking in the farmers market in St. Paul and the Mills Museum. Even though its a little bit of a drive seeing Prince’s home in Chanhassen is a must do! Como Park Conservatory and Zoo…. truly there is so much to do, see, and eat all year round in MN… it’s hard to choose.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are two books that transformed our dance company and how we interact with one another and the world around us. That would be the author of The Body is Not an Apology: Sonya Renee Taylor, the author of Care Work; Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. The Body is Not an Apology is what inspired our Community Classes and so much rich conversations around unlearning body shame and practicing self-love. Care Work inspired so much holy shifting in how we present and share work to make it more inclusive. The concepts and invitations have shifted not only our dance company, it has shifted how we show up in our work places and everyday life.

Of course there are also incredible people who we are wildly grateful for. Sarah LaRose-Holland we love for her continued encouragement and partnership with her dance company Kinetic Evolutions. Professors from Gustavus: Michele Rusinko, and Melissa Rolnicks for their foundational passion and mentorship. Erika Ruegemer for her vision and partnership, and Carol Oyanagi who pretty much made me (Jenny Founder and Director) move One Dance Company from a hope to reality.

We are forever grateful for every dancer who has shared their movement and energy with us, and our community who continues to support our projects and values with their communities! From our whole hearts, Thank You!

Website: https://onedanceco.wordpress.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onedanceco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onedancecompany

Our linktree: https://linktr.ee/OneDanceCo

Image Credits
Jesse Robb, Karl Demmer, and Bill Cameron Photography