NYC Gazette

Michaella Ho, a Juilliard alumna, has taken her passion for dance beyond the classroom by founding the Contemporary Dance Lab (CDL) in Toronto. The summer dance intensive aims to provide an immersive experience for aspiring dancers, both preprofessional and professional. It also offers employment opportunities to community members, including third-year dancer Cameron Chong and recent alumni Briana Del Mundo, Flora Ferguson, Joey Gertin, and Larissa Leung.

The inaugural session of CDL welcomed 21 students from local neighborhoods and as far away as Malaysia. Participants engaged in classes, created works, and shared insights from their budding careers. The program aimed to demystify the complexities of the dance world and highlight the nonlinear paths that dance careers can take. Students reportedly left feeling encouraged and inspired.

Ho emphasizes the importance of creating opportunities rather than waiting for recognition. By leveraging resources from Juilliard, she has been able to create opportunities for herself and others while empowering students with exposure and connections. This year marks CDL's first winter intensive in Florida.

"Being the future doesn’t always mean waiting for someone to recognize your potential—it also means creating opportunities," Ho stated. She added that CDL thrives on a cycle of learning and sharing: "There’s always something to learn from the person next to you, no matter their age."

Michaella Ho graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in 2024.

For those interested in sharing their own Life After Juilliard stories, contact [email protected].