Gloria Shen

Mary Gates Leadership Scholar, Winter 2024

Leadership Project: Traditional Chinese Dance at UW

Leadership Project Description: I co-founded Traditional Chinese Dance at UW, our school’s first and only Chinese dance team. Our goals are to provide an energizing and supportive community for our dancers to develop skills in Chinese dance through performances around the Greater Seattle area. We also prioritize accessibility to Chinese dance and culture by hosting quarterly free workshops where attendees learn a short Chinese dance piece and have the chance to connect with our organization.

What advice do you have for future Mary Gates Leadership applicants?

Follow your heart! Truly, I was in no way prepared to take on this leadership project when I started. The best leaders are those that are born out of love for their work, and that passion will show in your application.

What have you learned throughout your leadership project? 

The most important thing I’ve learned through founding and building TCD is how to bring ideas to life. When starting this organization I had no experience in leading a dance team. My co-executive team members and I have learned to operate through constant reflection about what goals we want to achieve and carefully deciding what actions are feasible. In addition, we have learned that leading a dance team is all about listening to your dancers and responding to their needs while balancing that with ensuring that the organization continues to grow in a manageable and sustainable way.