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Spring 101 (2019)

“The meaning of movement in the core of the dancers and the intrinsic feeling of acquiring a new understanding to our daily life accumulate into a prolific rendering of light, music, and drama.” - Chuck Schultz for Phindie

“Throughout the rehearsal, I was flabbergasted. Each piece began with an unexpected sound and a movement that I did not imagine from the title. However, the sound synchronized with the dancers, and the dancers guided me to feel. The dancers inhaled and I realized that I was breathing with them. I began to feel the pulse of muscles and nerves. Then the waves of movements. The air around us swayed.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“It was like an art museum filled with lots of paintings and sculptures from all kind of eras around the world, each so unique and different but equally vibrant and beautiful.“ - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“The dancers are very diverse, not only in their races and physicalities but also in their expressions and their languages of dance. Their solo dances were colorful and unforgettable, and when they came together they created a powerful force.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“His artists have certain kinds of strengths along with athleticism, sharp and detailed technique, virtuosity, commitment, discipline and passion but, most importantly, is their creativity — that is the balance for KYL/D’s creative process.” - Daniela Galdi for CityWide Stories

“There is a sense of individual within the collective, but the dancers work together to move those in the room through dance and breath allowing the audience to feel the energy as a whole and building a deeper connection and impact for the viewer. The audience is then embodied on the journey with the dancers taking the movement beyond just a reflection of Lin’s history.” - Daniela Galdi for CityWide Stories

“With interesting elements of self-discovery for the performers, the energy of Lin’s dance works has been known for taking the audience into their own self-discovery offering an escape into the movement, which raises awareness with what they are going through personally in their lives while experiencing each performance.” - Daniela Galdi for CityWide Stories

“The city of Philadelphia is a mecca for diverse culture and artistic talent: from acting and singing to art shows and dancing, Philly has it all. But the City of Brotherly Love offers so much more than just an entertaining arts scene — it offers a gateway to spiritual journeys, personal epiphanies and incredible showcases of the human spirit. One gateway that embodies all of that and more leads to the internationally active Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers (KYL/D).” - Molly Given for Metro

“KYL/D is one of the country’s only Asian-American contemporary dance companies, and through inspiration from Eastern philosophies along with contemporary dance, this critically acclaimed group has mixed the past with the present in a simply beautiful way.” - Molly Given for Metro

“The Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers are known for their spiritual and unique talents. Artistic Director Lin’s zen-inspired routines are unlike anything you have ever seen before... Every single one is different, intricate and pleasing to the spirit. Lin draws from strong spiritual underpinnings in both Eastern and Western cultures; the results are dance routines that are direct, fluid, colorful, tranquil, thought-provoking and massively entertaining.” - Molly Given for Metro

“The routines performed by KYL/D are not just for entertainment, they truly do take audience members on a ride to another world altogether. Lin’s study in tai chi, martial arts, chi gong, calligraphy, meditation and Chinese opera movement tie the show up like an impressive present. The outcome proves to be a true gift to anyone who has the pleasure of watching.” - Molly Given for Metro

“The show features spirituality in a highly physical way. Each movement speaks a beautiful language that you already understand, and every dancer embodies another beautiful layer of the human spirit. If you are looking to be moved, awed and altogether stunned, head to the Annenberg Center this weekend to experience the Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers.” - Molly Given for Metro

“Yin and Yang is a commonly known Chinese philosophical concept. Many of us have seen the round, black and white icon somewhere before. But if someone asks you what it actually means, what would you say? It is a symbol of ... two opposite ideas...? Experiencing KUN-YANG LIN/DANCERS, you may come to feel and understand what it means.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“The selections for the show, CHI (2002), Moon (1993), From the Land of Lost Content (2000), Dreamscape (2016), and Spring 101 (World Premiere) presented never-ending curiosity of and rich artistry of artistic director/founder, Kun-Yang Lin.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“Each piece had intriguing inspirations and concepts behind it.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“Throughout the diverse and unique pieces, what was consistent was the dancers’ incredible ability to control and balance their bodies and movements. And the source of the strength seemed to come from the complete balance of two opposite elements, Yin and Yang, nurturing each other infinitely. Inhale and exhale. Hold and release. Serenity and explosion.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“When they posed in slow movements, the intense energy could be felt. When they reached at the highest point of grand jeté, they release the energy completely like a bird riding a wind, and that moment, it felt as if they even stopped the time. Dancing can be in many and any forms, but those with a philosophical approach can be more eloquent and impactful. KYLD/DANCERS proved just that.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie

“Executive artistic director and choreographer Kun-Yang Lin draws upon philosophies like Buddhism and practices such as martial arts and Chinese opera. These influences were clear in each of the program’s five distinct dances, all of which bore Lin’s artistic fingerprint. This made for a compelling debut, one that captured the dancers’ prowess, the company’s range, and the coherence of its artistic vision.” - Melissa Strong for Broad Street Review

“Effective solo dances need interesting choreography and powerful performances, and Moon brought strengths in both areas.” - Melissa Strong for Broad Street Review

“Sounds of insects and rain alternated with classical music, suggesting the vibrant symphony of

the cycle of life. At the same time, the varying tempos of Lin’s choreography resembled the waxing and waning of energy during rapid development as well as fallow periods.” - Melissa Strong for Broad Street Review

“KYL/D’s Annenberg debut offered a welcome tribute to spring in a program that affirmed life. It also celebrated a significant artistic milestone for its choreographer, Kun-Yang Lin, along with the company’s signature use of elements from Eastern and Western cultures to engage with natural and spiritual themes.” - Melissa Strong for Broad Street Review

“The company’s avid fans showed up in full force for opening night, to the near capacity of the theater on what was a very rainy Friday. The stage is larger than KYL/Dancers are used to and they filled it with energy, precision and his range of styles.” Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“Lin’s choreography is an exemplar of his consummate East-West choreographic fusion.” - Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“CHI showcases Lin’s clarity of a panorama of Asian dance artistry laced with western balletic vocabulary.” - Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“[Moon] A virtuosic work, Liu Mo brings just as much power and precision.” - Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“Lin’s shimmering choreographic lyricism is fully realized by Liu Mo and brought bravos from the audience.” - Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“In ‘Dreamscape’’(2016) set to the music of David Rhode, Lin creates a dance world of distorted conscious and jagged movement fragments.” - Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“The four repertory works represent a panorama of Lin’s expansive choreographic template and always evolving aesthetics. The premiere of ‘Spring 101′ burst forth like a gushing choreographic stream.” - Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“The lusty applause for each of these works and the extended reception for ‘Spring 101′ capped off a substantive KYL/Dancers anniversary season!” - Lew Whittington for The Dance Journal

“The repertoire of Kun-Yang Lin showcased at the Annenberg showed how the art reflects a relationship with the world around us.” - Chuck Schultz for Phindie

“The dancers leave us in a trance; they leave their bodies, the land, and reach outwards.” - Chuck Schultz for Phindie

Faith Project/The Door (2018)

"Faith Project/The Door portrays how faith and divinity blend love with fear, strength with weakness, and certainty with doubt" - Melissa Strong for Broad Street Review, 2018
 

"Abstract dance tends to raise more questions than it answers, and this is true for Faith Project/The Door. Yet it effectively uses movement to explore seeking, questioning, and worshipping." - Melissa Strong for Broad Street Review, 2018
 

"KYL/D’s mission includes exploring mystery and reinterpreting ancient traditions. Faith Project/The Door fulfills those goals and offers the potential to bring people together through a shared experience of dance." - Melissa Strong for Broad Street Review, 2018
 

"doesn't back away from tackling complex social themes...an ever expansive and inspired choreographic journey" - Lew Whittington for the Dance Journal, 2018 (referencing Faith Project/The Door)
 

"very much a part of KYL/D’s ongoing mission of community interaction and outreach through dance art" - Lew Whittington for the Dance Journal, 2018 (referencing Faith Project/The Door)
 

"what cannot be said in word and music, Lin says eloquently in dance" - Lew Whittington for the Dance Journal, 2018 (referencing Faith Project/The Door)
 

"I’ve long admired Lin’s ability to create stunning visual effects onstage from relatively simply materials" - Kat Richter for the Dance Journal, 2018 (referencing Faith Project/The Door)
 

Santuario / Sanctuary (2017)

"Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers showed excepts of Santuario and this meditative and thought-provoking work honoring the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shootings, premiered last spring and continues to become more eloquent and polished as it deals with very weighty social themes.  Lin’s vivid choreographic artistry is both elegiac and a powerful dance polemic." - Lew Whittington for the Dance Journal, 2017

"Lin’s imagery doesn’t dwell on the carnage that occurred, but it doesn’t back away from it either. Lin’s final passage is a stirring movement elegy, as their bodies entwine over the stage, suggest passage, metaphysical dignity of the body" - Lew Whittington for the Dance Journal, 2017

"While all the works had deep, even wrenching emotional meanings that evoked various audience reactions, Kun-Yang Lin’s Santuario, his elegiac dance poem to the 49 dead and 58 wounded victims of last year’s Pulse nightclub murders in Orlando, made me weep." - Merilyn Jackson for Broad Street Review, 2017

“Choreographer Kun-Yang Lin’s contemporary ballet “Santuario” is a stunning artistic response to the Pulse Nightclub shootings in Orlando, Florida last June. It is a profoundly moving dance elegy in honor of the 49 people who lost their lives on that horrific night.” - Lew Whittington for HuffPost, 2017


“...Lin’s choreography showcas[es] athleticism and dynamic East-West dancefusion.” (referring to ONE- Immortal Game) - Lew Whittington for HuffPost, 2017


“The cast of 10 performed handled this emotionally challenging ballet with soulful artistry that fully embodies the artistry and depth of Lin’s choreography.” (referring to Santuario) - Lew Whittington for HuffPost, 2017
 

“...the audience remained on their feet in tears of appreciation for this stirring, eloquent and vital contemporary dance piece.” (referring to Santuario) - Lew Whittington for HuffPost, 2017

“The two compelling pieces in Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers’ current appearance, Sanctuary, challenge us with their message and compel us to give them a voice.” - Camille Bacon-Smith for Broad Street Review, 2017


“...a piece that explored the competitive nature of politics as a game of chess that, like war, both reveals and obscures our common humanity.” - (referring to ONE- Immortal Game) Camille Bacon-Smith for Broad Street Review, 2017


“I loved the forceful style of this dance, which combined Chinese and Western technique. The dancers’ extensions were an in-your-face challenge, with legs like battle swords, flexible but steely. Even the frozen poses hummed with contained power.” (referring to ONE-Immortal Game) - Camille Bacon-Smith for Broad Street Review, 2017


“...movements that seemed to flow effortlessly with a contained strength.” (referring to ONE- Immortal Game) - Camille Bacon-Smith for Broad Street Review, 2017


“As an immediate and visceral artistic response to the tragedy... "Santuario" certainly succeeds.” - Camille Bacon-Smith for Broad Street Review, 2017


“As the title implies, what is offered inside the theater is a sanctuary for those who carry pain, struggle, or need a safe space to express and share those feelings with someone who understands and embraces them.” - Eri Yoneda for Phindie, 2017

“Lin’s choreography is a bridge between East and West. While the movements show elements of modern ballet, each movement is based on the method of T’ai-chi. The unique breathing methods of eastern medicine and martial arts are introduced in his dance style, which let the dancers and the viewers feel qi—energy—around and inside the dancers.” (referring to ONE- Immortal Game)- Eri Yoneda for Phindie, 2017


“The dance is deeply philosophical and inspiring.” (referring to ONE- Immortal Game)- Eri Yoneda for Phindie, 2017
 

“Lin provides a strong message with three beautiful duets” (referring to Santuario)- Eri Yoneda for Phindie, 2017


“The dance is painful and hard to watch, as it is intended to be. It exposes viewers to the violence, pain, and sorrow minorities are exposed to, and which viewers might never experience otherwise.” (referring to Santuario) - Eri Yoneda for Phindie, 2017


“KYL/D’s SANCTUARY is one of those art pieces that has the power to start discussions on those issues we may miss or not pay attention to in our busy everyday life, in the safe sanctuary—the theater—where we are allowed to share moments and opinions.” (referring to Santuario) - Eri Yoneda for Phindie, 2017


“The dancing is exquisite” - Kat Richter for the Dance Journal, 2017

“We’re reminded not just of the people but of the relationships that died that night.” (referring to Santuario) - Kat Richter for the Dance Journal, 2017
 

“Lin’s work, or at least what I’ve seen of it, always has a spiritual component. There’s usually something political too, but here the oft-used term “offering” is more apt than usual: Lin and his dancers are giving their audiences something, and on Thursday night, that something was hope.” - Kat Richter for the Dance Journal, 2017


“...as the company bows...  I can’t help but feel a little better about the state of the world. Love will triumph with artists like Kun-Yang Lin adding dance to the arsenal of the resistance.” - Kat Richter for the Dance Journal, 2017


"[SANTUARIO] shocked me back into a clear, recurring realization of how dancing serves, perhaps uniquely, to buoy and nurture humanity in the face of tragedy...reminded me of how dance is transformative." Kimerer LaMothe for Psychology Today, 2017


"[SANTUARIO is] a vibrant tapestry that unfolded in space." Kimerer LaMothe for Psychology Today, 2017


"Because of the dancing in SANTUARIO, the devastation of the Pulse shooting registers at a sensory level.  It is felt viscerally.  The victim is me.  The shooter is me.  The ache is greater.  But so too is the joy.  The joy is never abstract.  The joy is never absent.  It is forever coursing through moving bodily selves and felt as a rousing affirmation of life by those in the Audience who bear witness to it." Kimerer LaMothe for Psychology Today, 2017


"In SANTUARIO, pain and joy, despair and celebration erupt simultaneously in such a way that the pain expands, softens and becomes more pliant; the joy radiates, and grows more resilient.  New insights and options for response emerge." Kimerer LaMothe for Psychology Today, 2017
 

Moment/s (2016)

"Kun-Yang Ling/Dancers is one company on the dance map in The City of Brotherly Love that continues to push artistic boundaries." - Gregory King for the Dance Enthusiast, 2016
 

"Performing gestures at a relaxed pace, the two live bodies and the two shadows produced quartet. Visually striking, the image spoke to how one can be transported by Lin’s choreography." - Gregory King for the Dance Enthusiast, 2016
 

“Autumn Skin featured a variety of partner and group work that never left the audience bored.” - Chelsey Hamilton for Dance Journal, 2016
 

“Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers put on yet another incredible show, to no surprise.” - Chelsey Hamilton for Dance Journal, 2016
 

“Kun-Yang Lin’s home season at the Prince on Saturday, April 16th marked a new revitalized spirit for both the company and its choreographer.  While the program highlighted three premieres, the company members and Mr. Lin enthusiastically signaled not only a sense of renewal, but also an excitement of moving forward in to new territory in their exploration of movement.” - Steven Weisz for Dance Journal, 2016
 

“With the premiere of Moment/s, we are literally taken on a whirlwind of fleeting moments in our everyday existence, challenging our very notions of time, space, relationships, tension, stillness and discovery.” - Steven Weisz for Dance Journal, 2016
 

“As with most choreographers, no work is ever truly finished, but this re-make of what was already a very powerful piece was simply superb.” - Steven Weisz on Autumn Skin for the Dance Journal, 2016
 

“Every action has a reaction; and we all share an interconnectedness that transcends our own physicality. In each of our actions, we affect our environment and those who surround us both seen and unseen. With Autumn Skin, Mr. Lin literally peels back the layers, allowing us to examine our own existence and its affect on others, and from the chaos find new meaning, perhaps just as he has done with his own company.” - Steven Weisz for Dance Journal, 2016

“Powerful movements with underlying tension and moments of strong quietness examined boundaries of our very existence.” - Steven Weisz for Dance Journal, 2016

HOME/S. 9th St. (2015)

“a ritualistic revelation, highlighting a common thread among immigrants; fear, displacement, hope, sadness, assimilation, and ownership of identity.”  Gregory King for Dance Journal, 2015

“a moving, compelling look at the immigrant experience…a timely piece…leaves us with a sense of mystery and connection.” Naomi Orwin for Dance-Enthusiast NYC, 2015

“works more like poetry than like news…moves within an abstract world, reflecting the internalization of an idea rather than a direct account…[Lin’s] representation of cultural displacement is potent and powerful.” - Kalila Kingford Smith for ThinkingDance, 2015

“inventive choreography pushes the limits of national identity.” - Philadelphia Free Press, 2015

“Lin’s dancers were spectacular … Home was not about dance, it was about acceptance, pride, and identity. A research project that has blossomed over time, Home shone the light on a topic we often neglect.” “HOME is poignant, full-bodied and relevant.” … Dance Journal, 2015

Be/Longing Light/Shadow (2014) 

"Lin's dancers are amazing as an ensemble, they are also striking individuals" --The Daily Gazett, 2014

"Choreographer Kun-Yang Lin is a skillful dance maker. His works, as seen through his Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers at the Egg on Friday night, both soothe viewers into a meditative state while at the same time alerting them to an inherent but unspoken drama. His nine dancers cluster and sweep across the stage in precise unison, often with movements that are stark and sudden. A jerk of the elbow up, a fall to the floor or a bob of the head happen in ways that surprise and intrigue. Lin's dancers are a finely tuned unit." ---The Daily Gazett, 2014

"Kun-Yang's integration of varying choreographic dynamics created a multifaceted and complex piece that elicited a powerful emotional response in the audience members, myself included."---Concordiensis Newspaper, 2014

"provoked a profound emotional, spiritual and mental journey. His choreography and performance presentation were effective in their ability to move the audience and forge a powerful connection between the audience members and his company's art."---Concordiensis Newspaper, 2014

 
"Be/Longing: Light/Shadow," which further explores Lin's interest in humanity's quest for integration -- mind, soul and body -- with the rest of humankind. His is a noble endeavor, indeed. ---The Daily Gazett, 2014

"Kun-Yang Lin doesn't choreograph dances as much as meditations in motion. Each of the five works on his company's program at The Egg Friday evening was infused with presence, mindfulness and a deep sense of quietude. " ---Times Union, 2014

"The powerful ensemble work "A-U-M," from 2009, is named for the mantra that's often referred to as the universal sound, or the vibration of the universe. The piece is set to a hypnotic repeated chant of that single sound, providing a backdrop for the changing geometric formations on stage. At one point, a dancer calls out "Still!" and then, a bit later, "Go!"-putting words to the conscious pauses between movement. The dancers bring the audience into the meditation, too, taking a few moments midway through to offer a guided body- and breath-awareness exercise. "---Times union, 2014

""Be/Longing: Light/Shadow" combines forceful, fast choreography with frozen tableaux. Moving as one, and then as individuals within the community, the dancers slide smoothly into new shapes and arrangements every few seconds. The speed and energy rise and fall like the rhythm of the breath. Fittingly, the piece ends in stillness and silence-yet still vibrating with life. " ---Times Union, 2014

"…what sets Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers apart is their emphasis on humanity and connection to the audience."---- Off-Stage Philly, 2014

"The dance took over…It was seamless, endless. Stillness and movement, light and shadow. Finally, we, too, became part of the dance, arms reaching, connecting heart to heart, audience and performers as one." ---- Off-Stage Philly, 2014

"…it is particularly successful in synthesizing both ethnographic and somatic strands of research - and in turn the results of this research into a stunning display of technique and artistry that transports the audience into another place, and ultimately into themselves." -- Dance Journal, 2014

"…it is clear that Lin's work is an act of selflessness, an act of love. The dance - even as beautiful, unexpected and breathtaking as it is - is just a medium of communication and we are all invited to take part in the conversation." -- Dance Journal, 2014

"Lin's world traveling company…is one of its best since the troupe relocated from New York in 2008. Known for choreography embracing solemnity and Eastern spirituality, Lin draws dancers who tap into a reverence for humanity while exemplifying excellent modern technique and ensemble dancing." --- Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 2014

"If there's such a thing as quiet-ly taking the city by storm, then that's what Kun-Yang Lin's done in Philadelphia. The man is highly spiritual, and that trait seeps into his expressive dance works, many of which are of a poetic, soulful quality. In both his life and art, Lin strives for a sense of connection and he's handily achieved that on the local dance scene, where his company's shows frequently sell out. KYL/D's upcoming production Be/Longing: Light/Shadow, inspired by poet and philosopher Rumi and created in collaboration with mandala artist Tatiana Arias, master puppeteer HuaHua Zhang and award-wining composer Cory Neale, is already generating big buzz." ---- CITY Paper, 2014

"although the work required strong, grounded technique, their technical proficiency alone was not what made this company stand out. It was rather that each dancer in each piece was able to create an invitational entryway into Lin's poetic dance vision." - OpEdgy Arts & Performance, 2013

"While the works were rich and engaging for their abstract movement design, each also hinted at something particular within the realm of human existence" - OpEdgy Arts & Performance, 2013

"I soon discovered that like finding the little gift inside a box of Cracker Jack, each piece contained at least one arresting visual feat..." - OpEdgy Arts & Performance, 2013

"superb technique" - Philadelphia Inquirer, 2013

"brilliantly gifted movers and makers" - Knight Arts Foundation, 2013

"[Moon Dance is] a powerful solo" - Philadelphia Inquirer, 2013

"Run Silent, Run Deep... ferocious with daring leaps, lifts and catches" - Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 2013

"The Song that Can't be Sung, [is] a gut-wrenching duet of forbidden love." - Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 2013

"[Shall We... was] flawlessly danced with spiky footwork and sexy thigh-brushing barridas..." - Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 2013

"Superbly trained dancers… thrilling… theatrical magic…" - Philadelphia Inquirer, 2013

"[Moon Dance is] a powerful piece of choreography." - Knight Arts Foundation, 2013

"The athletic and sensuous movements of the Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers are an impressive visual treat, but with this particular configuration, the language of their expression also overlaps with the worlds of mathematics, struggle, community and oneness..." - Knight Arts Foundation, 2013

"One was a true gift: smart choreography and an impassioned, athletic execution by a truly talented group of dancers." - Dance Journal, 2013

"masterfully devised dance theater.... Lin’s ensemble dances with conviction and conceptual precision." - Edge Magzine, 2012

"... beautiful, stunning and evocative... Our need to connect and transcend is still ever present. What Kun-Yang does so well as a choreographer, artist and individual, is allow us through his artistry to view this need, making Beyond the Bones not only so moving spiritually but timeless as well." - Dance Journal, 2012

"Outstanding... groundbreaking, and original. ." - World Journal, 2012

"Lin's evocation of that public grief stays with me as I watch the 70-minute piece... This moment of vulnerability is when I realize what grieving with others might look like - nakedness." - thINKingDANCE, 2012

"If you attended the Painted Bride Art Center this past weekend, you could have been reborn... the acclaimed Philadelphia dance company Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers graced the stage at the Bride for an evocative performance that drew audience members into a physical and primal world, but one, which also hearkened to a very human spirituality and sense of unity." - Knight foundation - Witnessing the Transformational Power of the Arts, 2012

"The six dancers in Lin's "Autumn Skin," first on Saturday's program, are clearly a family of sorts... They move in unison, or separately yet sharing phrases and intentions, and when they are isolated, they despair. The choreography is expansive and expressive, permeated with a sense of longing. The dancers' raw physicality almost approaches awkwardness, as in duets in which they seem to be trying to break down the barriers between them to achieve the connection they yearn for." - The Times Union, Albany, 2011

"Stravinsky's own Renard, winningly choreographed by Kun-Yang Lin, who matched Stravinsky's propulsive music with various mutations of martial arts." - Philadelphia Inquire Classical Music Critic, David Patrick Stearns, 2011

"Stravinsky's RAGTIME, RENARD... Each piece was given smooth, quirky, stylish choreography by Kun-Yang Lin that reflected the jazz influence of the music as well as the surrealism of much of the art of the time, and was danced with excellent skill and acting by the players. (They trumped the performance of Pulcinella with the Pennsylvania Ballet that opened the festival). Both stagings suited the music to the "T", and from where we sat in the audience, at tables on the floor of the Perelman Theatre, we were thrown right into the informal cafe influence of Paris in the early 20th century... (singers) and the dancers (Scott McPhetters, Elrey C. Belmonti, Jessica Warchal-King, Jennifer Rose, Olive Prince and Wen-Chen Liu) did a fine job indeed." - IVA records , Five line dancers Blog, 2011

"subtle & compelling." - Lewis Whittington, 2011

"Mandala... a masterwork of art, spirituality, and stagecraft." - Philadelphia Inquire, 2011

"... Lin is all about connecting with the community. Clearly, his message is resonating. His company packed the house at the Painted Bride the end of last week, for three nights straight... Friday night's crowd sat rapt throughout, and who could blame them? The program's three pieces were intricately crafted on all counts - choreography, costumes, lighting and music... Lin's works are artistic adventures that captivate on many levels. Much of the movement and music draws on group ritual and meditative states of consciousness. The collective energy emanates around the room, and if you let yourself go with his flow, you don't just watch it - you feel it, too." - The Philadelphia City Paper, 2011

"Mandala Project: Return to the Circle... a gorgeous tableau..framing unexpected bodyscapes... Kun-Yang Lin swooped into the ring, red fabric swirling for a solo, with gorgeous calligraphic hand dances and Tantric poses. Lin's choreographic metaphysics has agitated idioms from martial arts and modern vocabulary mixed with the stillness of meditation and multi-Eastern classicism... the conviction of the dancers and sense of artistic journey is hypnotic." - Ballet.co.uk/Magazine, 2011

"'The Land of Lost Content' is both movement meditation and narrative... Lin's tight unison work and arresting group stage pictures build in intensity, then to cathartic resolve" - Ballet.Co.UK/Magazine, 2011

"Masterful… exudes a spirituality that's matchless in the local dance scene." - Broad Street Review, 2010

"Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers represented the City of Brotherly Love well..., he showed obvious Asian influences from various martial arts. Alternating between the aggressive and the meditative, there was always a deep inner beauty to the rhythmic structure..." - http://pittsburghcrosscurrents.com, 2010

"The marriage of Eastern influences and Western contemporary dance lends an organic aesthetic to the movement style of the company. 'AUTUMN SKIN: Journey of East/West' demonstrated the company's versatility, technical proficiency, and capability of producing choreography both poignant and culturally relevant..." - The South Philly Review, 2010

"Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers opened their second engagement at the Painted Bride Thursday night, once again to a sellout crowd. Not surprising as this small company, in just a few years since its move from New York, is at the pinnacle of Philadelphia's outstanding dance community." - Philadelphia Inquirer, 2010

"Energized Philly's dance scene!" - Edge New York and Edge Philadelphia, 2010

"calming yet invigorating show....fierce dancers" "the packed house had staffers scrambling to add two full rows to the 200-plus seats." - Philadelphia Inquirer, 2009

"The internationally acclaimed New York based company now re-established in Philadelphia...virtuosic artistry...hypnotic energy field for the dancers and, eventually, the audience." - Ballet.Co.UK/Magazines, 2009

"exquisite dance...where even delicate moments hold sublime, roiling energy.” - CITY Paper, 2009

"Kun-Yang Lin - theatrical visionary, sensational choreographer and compelling performer" - Philadelphia Inquirer, 2008

"...his distinctive blend of traditional and Western dance has the dark, bold force of a woodcut print.” - New York Times, 2007

"Quiet pleasure of wull-made art [Lin has the] eye for plotting and handsome thematic symmetry...” - New York Times, 2007

“… his gift for moving his dancers fluidly and concisely through sculptural individual body shaped and massed groups.” - New York Times, 2007

“Mr. Lin’s dances, simultaneously abstract and specific, create and inhabit worlds of their own, informed by that empty fullness.” - New York Times, 2007

"Lin employs a highly personalized movement vocabulary that, with its hint of Eastern flavor, is powerful and richly communicative." - World Journal, 2006

"His choreography is multi-faceted and extraordinarily impactful - even after the curtain falls, the viewer remains ensnared." - World Journal, 2006

"Choreographer Kun-Yang Lin wades deftly "Upstream" - He is an artist of profound concentration and intensity. He also delves into the connection between man and nature. And finally, he's not afraid to expose raw emotion." - The Daily Gazette, Tivoli, 2005

"Kun-Yang Lin is an artist for the masses. His work, even when indefinable, is incredibly captivating for audiences and dancers alike." - The Martha's Vineyard Times, 2004

"a dance and choreographic legend unto himself." - The Strait Times Singapore, 2004

"(KYL/D) with deliciously exotic spices blended into the stewpot of today's modern dance. " - Sun-Sentinel, South Florida, 2004

Guanyin - "unfolded in a deep persimmon glow -This beautiful work by internationally active Kun-Yang Lin, now teaching at Temple, enriched its Chinese references with suggestions of Indian dance and Egyptian friezes, knowing placements of hands and feet, and moments of surprise." - Miriam Seidel, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2004

"Compassion-a duet set against the sound of Tibetan chants, the two dancers moved their arms and legs in graceful coordination as they moved in and out of series of intertwined postures. The movements had a spiritual overtone, reminiscent of thanka paintings of deities and consorts. The duo moved with a striking poise, strength, and confidence; the performance was a fusion of power and grace, a ritual where the sacred and profane intersect. " - The Martha's Vineyard Times, 2004

Choreography

"Kun-Yang Lin's choreography is a true expression of his personality, full of rich, delicate feeling and unique vision." -- Times Weekly, March 1992

"Kun-Yang Lin offered a unique look into the combined qualities of eastern and western dance in his choreography." - Wendy Arnell Brophy, The Martha's Vineyard Times, May 1996

Guanyin - "...Standout, fierce, supple..." - Miriam Seidel, The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1997

"Kun-Yang Lin is a young Taiwanese choreographer with strong American modern dance roots. (His) New York debut at the Cunningham studio were notable for their craft and sturdy spirituality." - Jennifer Dunning, June 1997

Kylin's Garden - "a spare, mysterious solo, slight but implacable looking. Mr. Lin's torso seemed to sprout limbs that suggested flight." - Jennifer Dunning, June 1997

Run Silent, Run deep... - "a wrestling match between two men who were both mortal and angelic." - Jennifer Dunning, June 1997

"An evening of works of Kun-Yang Lin... Lin is an interesting talent worth watching." - This Month of Stage, April 1997

"...highly personal theme... incorporation of his Taiwanese dance heritage." - Attitude, winter 1997/1998

Moon Dance - "In complete darkness the rapid pounding of feet is heard. When the lights go up we see Mr. Lin as a priest or acolyte of an ancient culture, in alternating movement of turbulence and lyricism, performing a dance in supplication to a heavenly body. Some gestures brought reminiscences of Oriental and Balinese forms, as well as of contemporary dance." - Jennie Schulman, Back Stage, Sept. 1997

Moon Dance - "a coruscating solo... Mr. Lin is a master of form and balance." - Jennie Schulman, Back Stage, Sept. 1997

An evening of works of Kun-Yang Lin - "Kun-Yang Lin's brilliant work fertilizes the Taiwan's modern dance, which has been waiting for an evolution for a long time. The Yin and Yang balanced perfectly in Lin's work that brings a whole new vision to us." - Taiwan Ming -Shen Daily News, Jan. 1998

"Inventive and incisive choreography." - Taiwan Ming -Shen Daily News, Jan. 1998

Male & Female - "Powerful, daring, a smash hit... it breaks the cultural and gender barriers." - Chen-Zen Hong, Performing Arts Review, March, 1998

Moon Dance - "It's glamorous, ecstatic and sensual." - Chen-Zen Hong, Performing Arts Review, March, 1998

"Lin's dance is unique... in every way unforgettable." - World Journal, August 19, 1999

From his "spirit and sense of mission... the world of dance will be forever enriched. Fabulous... darling!!!" - Christopher Cook, Vice Magazine, Nov. 1998

Aperitif - "fresh and stimulant, lively and bounding energy." - New York Dance Fax, Dec. 1998

"A choreographer unafraid...Bold imagery." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, Oct. 1998

Aperitif 2 - "bouncy, delightful..." - Madeleine, L. Dale, Attitude, winter, 1999

Luminous Song - "...fun groupings, pairings, lifts on the side of the body in an atmosphere of fear and dread of the unspeakable... beautiful danced." - Madeleine, L. Dale, Attitude, winter, 1999

Passages/Three Aspects - "a suite of sleek, focused solos, made imaginative use of it scores." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, Oct. 1998

Rose Garden - "Lin possesses a dazzling combination of strengths, a gut sense of how to convert steps into emotion without forsaking technique that's mesmerizing to watch." - Nicole Peradotto, The Buffalo News, Feb. 1999

"In every way unforgettable." - World Journal, August 19, 1999

Moon Dance - "An energetic use of vertical spaces with fine hand and footwork... an interesting juxtaposition of Western dance and Chinese Opera." - Sunday Start, Malaysia 1999

Poem of Arbos - "Bold group movement, ritualistic solemnity." - Jack Anderson, The New York Times, Nov. 1999

"Highly technical and powerful choreography... Lin's talent is apparent." - Victoria Yoffie, Show business, Dec. 1999

"Kun-Yang Lin, an up-and-comer." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, March 2000

From the Land of Lost Content - "The triumph of the evening and one of the more seamlessly and powerfully executed dances I've seen was choreographed by Kun-Yang Lin. A cohesive and powerful work." - Myrna Patterson, Vineyard Gazette, July 2000

From the Land of Lost Content - "Powerful simplicity" - Jennifer Dunning, August, The New York Times

Butterfly - "Leslie Smolen Wuebben adroitly danced the role of a butterfly with broken wing by fluttering, jittering and trembling within Lin's choreography that seemed to hark back to the days of Isadora Duncan." - Steve Sucato, The Buffalo News, Oct 2000

From the Land of Lost Content - "Brilliantly constructed... Musical accents are skillfully used. Lin combines a fresh approach to conventional craft with a commitment to contemporary social-consciousness." - Lisa Jo Sagolla, Back Stage, Dec. 2000

From the Land of Lost Content - "A post-postmodernist dance; This New York premiere built and pulled one in; it was effective and affective." - Francis Mason, Ballet Review, Dec. 2000

From the Land of Lost Content - "Deeply spiritual, remarkable." - Lynn Garafola, Dance Magazine, March 2001

Shall We..? - "An outstanding dance-theatre work that intelligently reveals the grotesque comedy of need, obsession, and addiction." - Lisa Jo Sagolla, Back Stage, Dec. 2001

"With his outstanding, tango-inspired Shall We..? His work engaged us into why we dance, and had us laughing as we questioned the logic of all we saw and heard. What more can we ask from a choreographer? May many more contemporary dance-makers provoke us likewise in 2002." - Lisa Jo Sagolla, Back Stage, Jan. 2002

Butterfly - "A little Isadora Duncan and a little Butoh... this was choreography and performing that was simultaneously both lush and spare" - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, April 2002

Dedication - "The solo is a nuanced distillation of sorrow" - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, April 2002

"An extraordinary dancer, whose blend of tautness and buoyancy is not only exciting but also suggestive of clarity and immediacy with which dance can communicate deep, conflicting emotions." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, April 2002

Chi - "A buoyant, radiant dance." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, April 2002

La Loba - "a striking piece, portrayed a mystical journey... Symbolism, imagery, and exquisite technique carried the theme of art's healing power." - The Martha's Vineyard Times, July 2002

Beyond the Bones - "transports us back to the beginnings of humanity and deep into the wellsprings of our beings. We feel we've learned everything we need to know about who and why we are." - Lisa Jo Sagolla, Back Stage, Aug. 2003

"Grandeur, majesty, spiritual and very original" - ttimes.com.tw

The Dancer

Diversions of Angels - "Kun-Yang Lin provides performances that certainly would have satisfied Graham's uncompromising standard." - Tony Angarano, The Hartford Courant, April 1994

In Graham's EL Penitente - "As The Penitent, Lin is lithe, dramatic and powerful." - Tony Angarano, The Hartford Courant, April 1994

"Rapturous and full bodied performance." - Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice, April 1995

"Lin drew me in and personalized it (Liberal Me) so that it could reach everyone... (and) gave us his 100%" -Valerie Szurdak, Casting Magazine, Spring 1995

In Anthony's Requiem, "Kun-Yang Lin sketches a range of emotions, from anguish to elation. He is not, in anyway, emoting. Rather the feelings seem to burst from his body, radiating out from movement wielded with strength, singleness of purpose, and fluent precision" - Ann Tobias, Danceview, Summer 1995

Doris Humphrey's Ritmo Jondo - "As the lead dancer, Kun-Yang Lin possessed the grace, commitment to detail, and raw magnetism that hypnotizes" - Sharma Howard, The Day, Connecticut

Humphrey's Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias - "the excellent dancing and strong presence of Kun-Yang Lin and Randi Meare." - Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice, November 1995

Humphrey's With My Red Fires - "in an effecting lead cast, Kun-Yang Lin as the messenger." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, October 1995

"Standout performances." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, The New York Times, April 1996

Colin Connor's Natural Habitat - "Amy Larimer and Kun-Yang Lin... the supple, well-matched pair... Mr. Lin's sinewy strength was a winner, both visually and stylistically." - Pat Waring, The Martha's Vineyard Times, July, 1996

Anna Sokolow's Player's Project at Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, "Kun-Yang Lin made up the proficient group." - Jennie Schulman, Back Stage, September 1996

Mary Anthony's Tabula Rosa - "Kun-Yang Lin cut through space like a knife." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, December 1996

"Performed with an inner glow" - Muriel Topaz, Dance Magazine, March 1997

Mary Anthony's Cain and Abel - "Lament alternating with tenderness pervaded Kun-yang Lin's powerful portrayal of the fratricide." - David Lipfert, Attitude Magazine, No.12 1997

"Mr. Lin is a master of form and balance." - Jennie Schulman, Back Stage, Sep 1997

Janis Brenner's What about Bob - "a loving duet for two men, Luis Tentindo and the glowing Kun-Yang Lin... look as natural as breathing." - Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice, June 1998

Brenner's What about Bob - "impressive side-by-side unison work by Tentindo and Kun-Yang Lin." - Lisa Jo Sagolla, Back Stage, July 1998

"Stunning dancer" - Christopher Cook, Vice Magazine, November 1998

In Kun-Yang Lin's Rose Garden - "Lin possesses a dazzling combination of strengths, a gut sense of how to convert steps into emotion without forsaking technique that's mesmerizing to watch." - Nicole Peradotto, The Buffalo News, February 1999

In Brenner's The L Word - "Ms. Blum and Mr. Lin have the kind of expressive face that is rare in dance today." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, April 2000

"Exquisite" - The village Voice, April 2000

In Lin's Poem of Arbos - "Both Lin and (Adam) Klotz display great musicality and physical energy. There is emotion between the two dancers that unfolds with the movement." - Amy Rumizen Cohen, The Buffalo News, July 2000

Anthony's Soliloquy - "a choreographic depiction of Hamlet's inner turmoil magnificently rendered by Lin." - Lisa Jo Sagolla, Back Stage, December 2000

"A magnificent dancer and actor." - Francis Mason, 96.3 WQXR-FM, April 2002

"An extraordinary dancer." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, April 2002

"A charismatic performer" - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times, June 2003