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Logline

Xin Ying, a Chinese immigrant and trailblazing principal dancer of the Martha Graham Dance Company, prepares to retire from her decade-long role at the pinnacle of her career while actively positioning herself in hopes of becoming the company’s next—and first Asian American—artistic director. Facing this turning point, she must navigate not only an uncertain future, but also the demands of motherhood and invisible social and cultural barriers faced by Asian immigrant women in the US.

Synopsis

In June 2008, an earthquake of 8.0 magnitude struck Sichuan Province in China, claiming over 69,000 lives. Among the survivors was Xin Ying, a dance instructor near the epicenter. Realizing life was too short not to live authentically, Xin Ying left her newlywed husband and came to New York in 2010 against her family’s will to study Martha Graham’s dance technique. With her extraordinary talent, she quickly became a full-time company member and rose to principal dancer in 2016. Along the way, Xin Ying divorced her husband, started a new family, reconciled with her mother, and became a mother in the middle of a global pandemic.

The documentary picks up in 2025 on Xin Ying’s 40th birthday. Now the oldest dancer in the company, Xin Ying prepares for her final season, which coincides with the Martha Graham Company’s 100-year anniversary. Her final performance will be in China in the fall of 2026, closing a significant chapter of her life. For Xin Ying, Graham has been more than a company—it has been a profound and personal guide in her journey of womanhood.

As she transitions away from the stage, Xin Ying dreams of the possibility of stepping into a larger role as the company’s next—and first Asian American—artistic director. However, she faces significant uncertainties and obstacles. This moment of immense uncertainty and infinite possibilities marks a turning point in Xin Ying’s life: Will she deepen her connection to the company’s legacy, or will she have to redefine herself outside of its embrace?

Shedding: A Dancer’s Journey of Self-Reinvention is a story of resilience, self-discovery, and transformation, offering a rare glimpse into the inner world of an artist redefining her place in the world.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Jingqiu Guan — Director
Originally from Chengdu, China, Jingqiu Guan is an independent filmmaker and choreographer based in Los Angeles. From the Chinese Theater in Hollywood to the National Performing Art Center in China, her dance films and documentaries have been screened in a number of screendance festivals and film festivals in various cities in the US, the UK, Norway, Spain, Austria, Mexico, mainland China, and Hong Kong. Her dance film Family Portrait won the 2020 Chinese Screendance Maker Award from Jumping Frames International Video Dance Festival in HK, Best Student Film Award from San Francisco Dance Film Festival and the Grand Jury Award from Chicago’s In Motion Dance Film Festival. Her documentary film Inside the Frame won the Best Editing Award for the documentary shorts category at Silver State Film Festival.

Selena Leoni — Producer
Selena Leoni is a transnational producer and executive with over a decade of interdisciplinary experience in film, television, and multimedia. Shaped by her upbringing in Italy and China, Selena offers a unique perspective, fostering a profound understanding of globalized storytelling. She has led diverse projects across genres that reached various platforms, including STARZ, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV. Notably, her works have earned recognition at prestigious festivals: BIENVENIDOS A LOS ANGELES was on the Shortlist for the 2024 Academy Awards, EID MUBARAK received an Honorable Mention on the 2024 Gold List, and HAINT was a finalist at the 2024 Tribeca and Chanel Through Her Lens Program, currently being produced under the 2025 Hillman Grad Rising Voices Program. Her feature film, YOUNG KING, the debut feature of Emmy-Winning director Bryant Griffin, premiered at the 2024 American Black Film Festival and screened at the 2024 Austin Film Festival. As a member of BAFTA Connect, Berlinale Talents, Gold House Futures, and Film Independent’s Project Involve, Selena actively advocates for social inclusion and amplifies historically marginalized voices within the industry.

Olaa Olabi — Cinematographer
Olaa Olabi is a first-generation Syrian-American cinematographer based in Brooklyn, NYC. From a young age, she developed a passion for documenting the world around her, capturing the nuances and intimacy of human emotion on the family camcorder. This early love for storytelling through the lens has evolved into a style that continues to prioritize the initial values of authenticity and emotional depth. Her latest feature, Lady Parts, has earned widespread acclaim on the festival circuit, including the Jury Award for Comedy Vanguard Feature at the Austin Film Festival. Her short film, No Other Gods But Me, also garnered recognition, winning award such as Best Narrative Short: Jury Special Mention at the Atlanta Film Festival and was also featured on NoBudge where it remains one of the top-viewed films.

Karam Salem — Composer
Born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq, Karam Salem is an Emmy-nominated composer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known for his worldly and versatile approach to film and TV scoring. Recently, Karam scored a feature film Young King directed by Bryant Griffin and an Emmy Award-winning documentary L.A. Rebellion: A Cinematic Movement in collaboration with PBS SoCal and KCET. Karam has also scored numerous TV series produced in the Middle East. Previously, Karam co-scored with Alex Geringas Woody Woodpecker (short TV series) for Universal and Chuggington (Season 6) for Disney Jr. In addition, Karam has written additional music for over 500 episodes of animation TV series, including Trollstopia, I Heart Arlo, Trolls: The Beat Goes On, and Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh.

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Contact

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