Alum and Professional Dancer Tom Tsai ’05 Returns to Inspire

Taipei American School welcomed back one of its own last week, as professional dancer and choreographer Tom Tsai ’05 returned to campus as a guest artist and instructor for the Upper School dance program. 

During his two-day residency, Tsai led workshops that introduced students to his distinctive fusion of contemporary dance technique and composition. This fusion harnesses momentum and builds spatial awareness with performance intent. He most recently taught at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, he previously taught at Chapman University and Pomona College. His artistic journey began at TAS, where early exposure to diverse arts and global perspectives helped shape his creative path. 

“Tom brings an exciting blend of movement vocabulary that encourages our students to think beyond traditional categories,” said Upper School dance teacher Cheryl Lagerquist. “We believe versatility is essential and exposure to different styles allows students to internalize diverse influences, which strengthens their choreography and performance.” 

Residencies like Tsai’s are a cornerstone of the TAS Dance program. By working directly with practicing artists, students are immersed in fresh techniques, perspectives, and professional standards. These experiences broaden their understanding of dance as both an art form and a cultural language, enriching the program’s curriculum and elevating the overall quality of student work. 

For Tsai, the arts were equally transformative. He recalls how TAS offered him a foundation in creative risk-taking and cultural exchange, with teachers and programs that emphasized exploration across styles and disciplines. Those experiences built the confidence and curiosity that carried him into an international career, where he now integrates movement with text, visuals, and technology to explore themes of identity, freedom, and community. 

In reflecting on his return, Tsai noted that his own path embodies lessons of patience, discovery, and openness—values that echo the school’s encouragement for students to keep learning, embrace well-being, and find ways to contribute beyond themselves. 

Though student reflections from the first day are still to come, the impact is already clear: by engaging directly with artists like Tsai, TAS students learn not just new techniques, but new ways of seeing the world.