Hip Hop Dance Takes Center Stage: Guest Artist Dimple Xie Brings Energy to Middle School Dance at TAS

From October 14 to 23, 2025, Taipei American School welcomed guest artist and hip-hop dancer Dimple Xie to lead a weeklong residency with Middle School Dance classes. Supported by a PTA Grant, this interactive program gave Grade 7 and Grade 8 students an authentic introduction to hip hop culture and technique while emphasizing creativity, collaboration, and confidence. 

Throughout the week, Xie challenged students to explore new ways of moving, combining strength, rhythm, and full-body awareness. “This year, I brought more full-body work, including break dancing on the floor,” said Xie. “It challenges them to find balance and use their core to hold their whole body. But what I love most is when they start creating their own moves. That’s when you see their confidence shine.” 

The residency culminated in a Hip Hop Connections Parent + Student Dance Class, where families joined their children on the dance floor. Designed to promote joy and togetherness, the workshop invited parents and guardians to experience hip hop’s energy firsthand. Laughter, music, and teamwork filled the studio as families learned choreography and celebrated the power of shared movement. 

Our favorite Hip-Hop and Locking specialist, Dimple, was welcomed back to the Middle School dance studio with great enthusiasm from dancers who had eagerly anticipated her return this year. Thanks to the generosity of the PTA, students once again had the opportunity to learn from a professional artist who brings both energy and expertise to the studio. “Having Dimple back on campus gave our MS dancers and families a unique opportunity to experience Hip-Hop as both an art form and a community,” said Andrea Dethy, Middle School Performing Arts and Dance teacher. “The PTA’s generous support helps us bring in professional artists who inspire students to express themselves, connect with others, and grow as well-balanced individuals.”

Programs like this reflect TAS’s mission to cultivate an enduring commitment to learning, personal well-being, and service. Through the arts, students discover the joy of self-expression and develop the courage and creativity to make the world a better place one beat at a time.