Meet: Ashley Sankaran-Wee
Every convocation at 911吃瓜 we like to celebrate new alumni from the graduating cohort by asking them to respond to our "exit interview" questionnaire. We had the good fortune to work with new SCA alumnus , the subject of this questionnaire, in a number of capacities, most actively as a repeat Social Media Ambassador for us, especially helping create quality stuff for the . But as you'll soon read below, Ashley was remarkably and widely active and engaged during her time at the SCA. And no offense to our FCAT colleagues in 911吃瓜's School of Communication, but we're happy she chose us over them! We're sad to see her go, but excited to see what she'll do next. Please meet 鈥� Ashley Sankaran-Wee!
Please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is , and I am a recent graduate from 911吃瓜 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance (Honours), and Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in Communication and Minor in Gerontology.
How did you end up choosing the SCA for your studies?
I originally applied to 911吃瓜 for the Communications program, with Dance listed as a second choice. I had been dancing for 15 years, and was not ready to give it up yet. I was unsure how I wanted dance to fit into my life post-secondary, and frankly, how it could fit in my life. Little did I know, dancing, creating, and collaborating at the SCA would be my whole life for the next four years.
In my high school parking lot during lunch time, a week after the auditions, I received the positive results email, and I knew that I had to find a way to study both Communications and Dance at 911吃瓜.
I chose 911吃瓜 for its financial assistance, transfer credits, and dual degree program; I chose the SCA to learn what it means to be a lifelong dancer and artist.
Please tell us about your time at the SCA?
The clich茅 that all graduates reminiscently remark about feeling like the first day of classes was just yesterday, rings as true as a dancer never escaping pli茅s & tendus. The past four years at the SCA have been nothing short of everything I imagined undergrad to be: busy but sometimes boring, full of love and optimism yet also hurt and realism, lightbulb clarity but also the foggiest confusion, friendships and enemies (even if those enemies are a putrid fridge in the dance lounge consistently packed to the brim), and immense personal growth.
In my first year I performed in Emergence and Live Acts, as well as met PhD student Edward Sembatya, who has expanded the physicality of my dancing, understanding of learning and teaching techniques, and afforded me the opportunity to perform with him drumming and dancing at events across the lower mainland. In my second year I performed in Compound Rite, two Live Acts pieces, and was a dancer for a few motion capture projects through the School of Interactive Arts and Technology.
In my third year, I performed in The Middle of Everywhere (with Sara Van Gaalen!), I also choreographed a piece for Ascension, and danced in Singapore. In my fourth year, I was president of the Dance Student Union, Co-Director of Ascension, had been running the SCA TikTok for the past four semesters, was still dancing with Edward and participating in motion capture projects, I performed in The Living Room, and completed my Senior Capstone project.
Any outstanding memories from your time at the SCA and 911吃瓜 (pro, for sure, but also con, too, if there's something you'd like to talk about)?
I spent the Spring semester of my third year at the SCA in Singapore, completing a directed study with sessional instructor, Lisa Gelley, as an Apprentice Artist/Understudy for the co-production of Sloth Canon, by Singapore鈥檚 The Human Expression Dance Company and Vancouver鈥檚 Company 605. The directed study came about through an assignment in Lisa鈥檚 class the previous semester where we were asked to write about our ultimate artistic dreams, our dream choreographers to work with, dream companies, dream training programs, dream venues to perform in, dream cities to build a life鈥� I wrote about The Human Expression Dance Company鈥檚 Hollow Body Technique, and my desire to live in Singapore. By a fluke, I had written about the exact dance company Lisa鈥檚 organization had been already planned to collaborate with.
The outstanding memory from the SCA and 911吃瓜 was not only spending a semester in Singapore, but also the support and guidance I received at the end of the fall semester and the duration of that spring semester. The dance professors supported my break from the dance program, the academic advisors (shout-out to Alex!) helped find courses that I could take online so I would not fall behind, and of course, Lisa鈥檚 genuine interest in providing real-world experiences and opportunities to discover ourselves as Artists.
What are your plans (both non-academic and maybe academic)?
I have deferred acceptances to Master鈥檚 programs at The School of the Arts Institute of Chicago and The University of Toronto to continue teaching dance and fitness classes in Vancouver, and work on a few passion projects.
Finally, what advice might you give to prospective SCA students?
You will receive as much from the SCA as you want to put in: say 鈥榶es鈥�, say 鈥榟ello鈥�, and say 鈥榟ow can I be a part of this鈥�.