Lisa Chen for the Gilded Serpent

photo by

The Gilded Serpent presents
Lisa Chen
of Taiwan

Born in Taipei City, Taiwan, Chen first encountered bellydance in New York City, where she studied visual arts administration for her MA degree at Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY. She didn’t think of learning it and somehow this dance was seeded into her heart secretly since then. Years later, her beloved father’s sudden death reminded her of the fact that life is too short to waste and heath is everything to enjoy life. So Chen signed up for a bellydance class for exercise and relaxing. It gradually became a passion in her life and she wanted to know more about this wonderful dance.

The information and knowledge of bellydance was so limited then and she began to research everything she could find online or in printed matters, with her academic training as librarian and also as a translator of Chinese/English. Chen started to translate or write articles on bellydance for her local community with a pen name “Little Eye Lisa.”

While sharing information and knowledge with the growing community, Chen also continues another passion in her life: travel. Now she travels with a different focus: bellydance. She either takes classes or goes for shows whenever bellydance classes or performance is available in her trip. In order to meet with rapidly-growing interest and demands from local readers, Chen began to invite dancers, instructors or musicians for interviews and share more updated knowledge and information with local dancers and readers.

In 2005, Chen went to San Francisco attending Tribal Fest and she met with Carolena Nericcio, director of FatChanceBellyDance. She learned ATS with her and was so fascinated with the beauty of dancing together with others. In 2007, Chen organized GS Taipei Workshop and invite Carolena and Megha Gavin to teach. Now, as a bellydance student for years, Chen began to teach in order to have more people to dance with.

As a tribal dancer, Chen still enjoys other types of bellydance styles and appreciates dancers of different forms and styles. For her, bellydance is a key to open a gateway toward the world for exploring different cultures and arts as well as a secret path toward the female power passed through grand-grandmothers centuries ago. Bellydance is also a total solution to fulfill one’s life: we can share pleasant moments with friends through this dance, and enjoy being alone in the music as well.

In addition to bellydance, currently Chen lives at Taipei City and works as freelancer on project base as magazines contributor, translator, editor and copywriter for her clientele ranging from art trading, realty, to IT industry. Recently she also engages in event planning and organization for local bellydance community with her past working experiences on multi-national projects.

Further contact:
http://atsforeverlisa.blogspot.com

Articles on Gilded Serpent by or about Lisa Chen:
10-30-08 Aussie ATS Charm in Taipei: Devi Mamak by Lisa Chen
Since both of us are not based in San Francisco, we share many common factors in terms of learning ATS and developing our own visions for it back in our own home venues.

3-5-08 Learning Matrix: A Long Journey, The Belly Dance Scene in Taiwan, by Lisa Chen
Sometimes, one might have to admit that learning only choreographies might lead students and dancers away from learning the essential elements of traditional Belly dance.

5-2-08 Live a DanceDivas’ Life! Interview with Jane Yee Shan Chung of Taiwan by Lisa Chen
Then I saw the Suhaila technique workshop announced on her website and I just signed up without knowing exactly what her format is. I am the only person who did not learn Suhaila format before at that workshop. I was so naïve, I simply wanted to give it a try.