We recently had the chance to connect with Jingqiu Guan and have shared our conversation below.
Jingqiu, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I am a big fan of morning routines. The first 90 minutes of my day are sacred. I try my best to protect it and make it a grounding space that prepares me for everything ahead. Over time, I have crafted a morning routine that feels right for my current stage of life.
My alarm rings at around 5:30 am. I begin with 15-20 minutes of meditation, while still in bed. It centers me and prompts me to focus on gratitude and positivity for the day. I then drink a big glass of water. I set my timer for 5-10 minutes to journal and check in with myself. Then I read for 15-20 minutes. The reading is normally something I am genuinely interested in, something that nourishes me, and not work-related. By then, it is close to 6:30 am. I take my dog for a walk and feed him. I wake up the kids and get them ready for school. That’s my typical morning.
As a mother, artist and educator, my days are filled with responsibilities. Instead of using the morning to rush into tasks, I’ve learned to make the most of this pocket of “me time.” The peace and grounding established during this time also allow me to show up for others with more presence and clarity.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a filmmaker, choreographer, dancer, mother, educator, and writer. I am also a professor at Duke University’s Dance Program. In short, I bring creative visions centered on corporeal experiences to life across multiple mediums — whether through film, dance, writing, or teaching. My work explores the intersections of memory and dreams through embodied experience and visual imagery, as I believe in the power of the body to express what words alone cannot. Much of my artistic practice engages with themes of motherhood, immigrant experiences, women’s stories, racial justice, and disability. I draw inspiration from everyday life and treat it as a source for both creativity and social change.
Currently, I’m developing several projects. One is a solo work inspired by the history of Angel Island Immigration Station, where early Asian immigrants were interrogated and detained between 1910 and 1940. The piece unfolds within an 8-foot by 8-foot box, with four walls serving as projection surfaces. The work can be seen as a dialogue across time between that part of the history and my own immigrant experience. The visuals — footage I filmed on Angel Island — are activated by motion capture and sensor technology in collaboration with projection designer Augustus Wendell.
I’m also creating an evening-length work that explores diasporic and immigrant narratives connected to trains and railroads. This project feels deeply personal, as three generations of my family worked in railroad-related jobs, echoing the history of early Chinese immigrants in the U.S., whose labor built much of the railroad system. The work is both an exploration of lineage and a reflection on migration.
After premiering my first feature documentary, Mama Dancers, which explores the intersection between motherhood and the pursuit of dance careers this year, I am now in production of a new feature film following Xin Ying, principal dancer at the Martha Graham Dance Company, as she embarks on a journey of self-reinvention. As an artist, mother, and Asian woman in the U.S., Xin Ying’s story resonates with me profoundly. I believe her journey can inspire others to pursue their dreams authentically and boldly while breaking through barriers.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I would say the part of me that wants to hold onto old identities and carry the weight of others’ expectations has served its purpose. For a long time, I have been practicing letting go. But I don’t think I always know what I should let go of. Now I know. I have been working to shed the layers that once enveloped and shackled me. No longer bound by fitting into certain boxes, I feel lighter, freer – as if I can finally open my wings and fly. I am still and will always remain a work in progress, but each day I move closer to that sense of freedom.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of not being enough. For so long, I feared that I might reach the end of my life without accomplishing what I dreamed of. That fear turned me into someone who gets anxious when not doing something “productive.” It made me laser-focused on achievement, but in turn also prevented me from being fully present with my family and children at times.
To flow requires letting go of fear. I once had a vision of my former self, clinging to a majestic rock in the river. Mesmerized by its beauty, I did not want to release it. But eventually, I had to let go, so I could flow into the river again and eventually reach the ocean. The ocean is my home. It lives inside me. Learning to let go frees me, allowing me to flow again.
Over the past two years, through deep inner work, I feel as though I’ve gone through a rite of passage and stepped into a new phase of life filled with more peace and gratitude. I no longer live for what society deems as “shining.” Instead, I feel life is no longer about me — I see myself as a vessel through which life itself, love, joy, and compassion can move. I want to shine a light on the world through the creative work I do. It is a subtle shift in how I approach life, but the repercussions are profound.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
Many smart people are too goal-oriented. They forget that the most precious thing is actually simply being present and living in the moment. We chase fame, success, and financial abundance. We work relentlessly to outsmart and outwork everyone else, hoping to reach the top. We treat life as a vertical climb, a mountain to conquer. But what if we flipped that line by 90 degrees and saw life as a wide, horizontal plane to experience? Would we embrace the mundane moments more deeply? Would we be happier, freer, more creative, more loving, more curious, and more generous?
We don’t need to scale a mountain to look down at the world as if we were kings and queens of the universe. What we need is to walk the horizon — to experience the world by immersing in it. That shift in perspective could change everything.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What will you regret not doing?
What I will regret not doing is not using my voice when I have the opportunity to do so. I would regret not being bold enough to fully be myself and to keep searching for what is truly meaningful. In the past, some of my choices have been influenced or even shaped by external voices – family, culture, peers, societal expectations, etc. Those voices could be helpful and clarifying at times, and could also be noises that cloud our own vision of ourselves.
It is not always easy to see beyond the noise. But I am learning that what is truly meant for us should feel exciting and peaceful at the same time. It comes from a deeper sense of knowing that resonates in our soul. This is what I strive towards each day now. I do not want to live another moment knowing I am not being true to myself. I want to embrace peace and abundance.
Of course, this doesn’t mean life is easy, or that everything I am doing will suddenly be effortless. Challenges remain and are a necessary part of the journey. Work, rest, and play have new meanings now. Creatively, I feel freer — I don’t need to claim I am a certain kind of artist. I welcome change, and I embrace the way it continually reshapes my creative expression.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jingqiuguan.com
- Instagram: @jingqiu.guan
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jingqiu-guan-49510533
- Facebook: Jingqiu Guan
