Tend
Technicians
Hi, I’m Enid.
I was named after a town in Oklahoma but grew up on an Illinois farm. I’m really into slow food, low waste living, and keeping things down to earth. When I’m not dancing you can find me at the farmers’ market or sitting in the shade at the beach NOT swimming. I consider myself easy to chat with (I love a dinner party) but prefer to get my hair cut in silence. I’m a mother and a teacher and one of six siblings and that’s enough noise in my life right now. TEND is really special to me because it brings together my years of studying touch therapy and a lifetime of dancing. We might be a good fit if you appreciate firm, confident touch and look to art as an escape from the pressures and stress of the outside world. You know, leave it at the door and step into this special space with me.
Hi! I am Chih-Hsien Lin, I am an immigrant and have used the name Joan (pronounced JoAn) previously. I identify as Taiwanese, Asian, mom, daughter, and sister, but also a mover, psychotherapist, and human. I appreciate spontaneity, authenticity, and dynamic care processes, where I believe the embodied learning and love can evolve. Movement and dance are a sacred place for me, and are what I believe to be the origin and process of being. In addition to embodiment, I love nature, going for walks, reading, travel, food, good tv movies/anime, learning new languages, psychology, philosophy, music, and indulging in nostalgia.
Through Tend, I’d like to serve a diverse population because I value cross-cultural experiences and would like to meet the humanity and humility in your unique skin. But particularly, I invite those who can acknowledge and value curiosity, hold a non-judgmental and caring attitude toward the space, time, and relationship that we will be sharing and building together. If that’s you, then come join me! I like to think that I am here to explore with you the security, connection, and dignity of human relations; we each hold certain power and vulnerability when we will be in close proximity and in physical touch. I aim to not exploit it and provide mindful support toward such power differential, as much as I hope you will do so. Politics are not in my language most of the time, so that’s something I encourage you to leave outside the door. I am happy to converse with you in Mandarin if that is the language you prefer to speak.
Hi, I’m Gina (she/her) named from a pizza truck on the way to the hospital as a compromise between Rebecca and Elizabeth. After many years of unofficially renaming myself throughout elementary school, I’ve settled into Gina, and it feels right. I’m a 35-year-old, queer, white-bodied pet mommy to Frankie (cat) and Scooter (dog), devoted partner, hard core friend, logic and work puzzle enthusiast, movement geek, triathlete-in-training, fan of British mystery shows and time outside biking, swimming, and occasionally kayaking.
So yeah, Gina, and I do dancing (duh) to share about myself and my physical experience but also as a means of listening to/relating to my physical self – kind of a big thing for me. I also work as an Embodiment Coach, helping other folx learn to listen and respond to their bodies, and I teach dance in higher ed and professional situations which are often about the same thing. So, if you’re curious about your body, want to feel things, ask questions, understand, have vicarious or direct experience with sensations, we’ll probably have a great time together.
We also might be a good fit if you…
-Are interested in having an experience where I tend your body and you witness my body without any discussion about your size or appearance, or mine for that matter. I hold tight to the tenets of body positivity/neutrality and have no interest in objectifying you or experiencing that discomfort myself.
-Appreciate a casual, warm, and caring tone in your experience. I can be chatting and inquisitive and am also happy to share about myself and answer questions verbally throughout the entire process/performance.
-Like to go deep: physically, emotionally, intellectually…small talk is a part of this vibe but it’s not my strong suit so if you’re similarly inclined, we might be a strong match.
-Have some shit going on…trauma, big feelings, body discomfort or pain, racialized discomfort. These experiences are all completely normal but can make us feel extra vulnerable, especially in a unique situation like this one. I have practice and training in holding heavy things gently and, since so much of the human experience involves hard stuff, I want you to be welcome to bring in as much of yourself as you feel comfortable with.
-Like to laugh and not take it all so seriously.
I’m drawn to Tend because I believe in blowing up preconceived ideas about western concert dance performance: who it’s for, how much it costs, where it’s held, what bodies get to participate, etc. In this late-COVID era, I am much more curious about how we can lean into physical understanding and movement to connect with one another and ourselves. I look forward to crafting a performance experience that is responsive to your needs and our interaction.
See you soon!
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Hi! I’m Helen (they/she), born in Chicago by South Korean immigrant parents. Growing up in the 80s, I worked in my parent’s grocery store in Lincoln Square and loved to choreograph and dance to Madonna, Michael Jackson and Samantha Fox. I am told I was named after a flower shop; neither my sister nor I have Korean names. When asked why, our father said, “You were born in America, you don’t need Korean names.”
I am 45 and in my 5th year of perimenopause. Contrary to what we’ve been told, menopause is the very last day of your period. Fun fact: the first day you begin your menstrual cycle is called menarche. I like to think of aging as entering into my second childhood. Every year, I try to attend a silent meditation retreat: no talking, no reading, no writing, no internet. I purposely enter spaces that are unfamiliar or uncomfortable as a way to create more expansiveness and elasticity in myself. I have visited Finland and Iceland to experience the extremes of abundance and absence of light and shadow. In my 20’s and 30’s, my shadows both overwhelmed and helped me to navigate the world. Now, I am learning to embrace all sides of myself and leaning into what it means to take up space and stand in my light. The name Helen means light.
I believe in the healing power of movement, touch, music and nature. I have been teaching yoga, meditation, mindfulness for 16 years and practicing for 24 years. The weather is a great teacher for us. Winter and summer support each other. Joy and grief are intertwined. I am an animal lover but did not grow up with a lot of pets. Instead, I grew up with taxidermy and treated them as my pets. Much of my personal art practice deals with death, sitting with grief and trying to make friends with anger. I also like to dabble in the study of plant medicine.
When you work with me at Tend, you are welcome to come as you are. You are invited to bring as much or as little as you are comfortable with. We can talk as much or as little as you like. I’m an introvert with extrovert tendencies. I am sensitive. I can be silly and serious. I enjoy the whimsical, quirky, dark and strange. Think Wes Anderson meets Darren Aronofsky or Vincent Van Gogh fused with Salvador Dali.
Resting, acts of self care, or taking a day off can often elicit feelings of shame or guilt. We are told we should be continually producing, always staying busy. Everyone deserves rest. You deserve rest. Tend offers permission to lean into yourself, close your eyes, get cozy, and relax.
I look forward to working with you and learning about you.
To find scheduled events visit our calendar.
