Irene Lo
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Irene is a singer, dancer, actress originally from Taiwan. She has a bachelor degree in voice at National Taiwan Normal University and has performed in The King & I, The Music Man, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, South Pacific, The Magic Flute, Amahl and the Night Visitors...A graduate of the AMDA NY Musical Theatre program, she has danced with The Chinese Arts Dance Ensemble and in many International Art Dance Festivals in Europe.
Most recently, she won 2nd Runner-Up at Miss Chinatown Chicago Pageant 2024. Prior to that, she sang the US national anthem at the Citi Field on Mets Taiwan Day 2022. In 2021, she was the dance captain of the Official Music Video <Amazing Show---Golden Spirit> in partnership with the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee & Taiwan Beer. In 2020, she played the role of Gitano in the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla's Flamenco <El Amor Brujo> & Opera <La Vida Breve> at the National Taichung Theater, where their work was featured in Melómano, one of the most important music magazine in Spain. The same year, Irene joined the Taiwan Ballet Company as an artist/singer and has performed with the company at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), the largest single-roof arts venue in the world.
Growing up in Taiwan, Irene started dancing and playing the piano at the age of 7. She has been the pianist at the Tianmu Taiwan Presbyterian Church since age 14! At age 17, she won Rank A at the National Student Dance Competition in Chinese Folklore Dance. She has a teaching certificate in BodyCode S.r.l. Master Stretch.
In 2020, Irene was invited to join the Taiwan Ballet Company. She performed with them at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), the largest single-roof arts venue in the world, and the biggest & newest performing art center in Asia, with 2000 audience each performance.
By the end of the year, she toured with the ballet company in Taitung, where most of the Taiwanese indigenous peoples live. During her tour at the Taitung elementary schools where she shares the beauty of ballet and singing with the indigenous children, she realized that art has the power to bring hopes and dreams anytime, everywhere, even into the most broken places. The children have shown great interests and natural talent in singing and dancing. "The talent is in their blood as Taiwanese indigenous peoples!" said Irene.
"A little girl came to me and asked me to sing to her again after the performance, so I did. She then asked me where to find us cause she really wanted to take ballet lessons with us. I said 'Sure thing! Simply ask your mom to bring you to us in Taipei and we'll have lessons!" What the girl answered next has totally broken Irene's heart. The girl replied: "But I live at the orphanage." It was in that moment where Irene realized she is the lucky one who's given the privilege of doing what she loves, but art shouldn't be a privileged thing. It should be accessible to every single soul on this planet! Since then, Irene's biggest dream is to open a musical school in Taitung one day, where the art of singing and dancing could be shared with all the underprivileged children. But before that, she'll need to make herself a well-enough instrument of giving by sharpening her performing skills in the world's top 1 performing arts center, New York City.
"I will be back!" she declared.
On Pandemic
Here's to the days for not rushing the
journey.
As long as the goal is there,
Plans can change; Routes can adjust,
Your speed doesn't matter,
Forward is forward,
You'll get to where you're destined to be
one day.
And somewhere on the journey,
Don't forget to turn around and enjoy
the view.
On Giving
See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver,
and an instrument of giving.
For in truth it is life that gives onto life -
while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers - we are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.
Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;
For to be overmindful of your debt,
is to doudt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth as mother, and God for father.
On Home
Faraway mountains, rivers and seas,
Distant cheering, dancing and feasts,
If Homeland calls,
All
can be forsaken.
The world has given me so much,
Not for me to become a person with only
the distances,
But for that every faraway land on this world,
Makes me a person with a
home.