Every Step

Gold backgrond with particle board pattern

Choreography: Emily Jane Yin Gumal

Music Composer: Douglas Baker
Pieces: Zeno's Arrow, You Are Enough

Costume Design: Emily Jane Yin Gumal

Lighting Design: Jim Albert

Musician: Douglas Baker

Video Editor: Emily Jane Yin Gumal

Videographers: Emily Jane Yin Gumal, Douglas Baker, Jack Delaney, Kyleigh Harm, Katherine Shamdin, Brittlyn Taylor, Britt Juleen

Voiceovers: Emily Jane Yin Gumal, Douglas Baker, Jack Delaney, Kyleigh Harm, Katherine Shamdin, Brittlyn Taylor

Dancers: Emily Jane Yin Gumal, Douglas Baker, Jack Delaney, Kyleigh Harm, Katherine Shamdin, Brittlyn Taylor

What does a journey mean to you? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “journey” as “something suggesting travel or passage from one place to another” and “an act or instance of traveling from one place to another.” However, a journey means something different to everyone and everyone’s journey is unique. Every Step tells the story of journeys and how they intertwine and mesh and mingle and meander and loop back on themselves and restart and deviate from the original path, but also reminds us that sometimes the destination isn’t what’s important, it’s the journey that takes us there.

I would like to thank all my dancers for their endlessly hard work, their dedication, and their constant support in the makings of this project, including, but not limited to dancing at 7:30 a.m., dancing in the frigid cold weather, dancing for multiple video takes with a camera, writing their own voiceovers, and contributing towards the videography. I would also like to thank Britt Juleen, who has been a wonderful mentor, advisor, support system, and videographer from Day 1. Additionally, my utmost gratitude goes to Douglas Baker, who not only is dancing in this piece, but who wrote all the music and filmed himself performing said music; thank you so much. I would also like to thank all my dance professors, both here and in Malaysia, for their constant support and endless dedication to making me the best dancer I could possibly be. Last, but not least, I want to thank my family back home in Malaysia who have been my Number 1 supporters from the very beginning; all of you have been the very best supporters and cheerleaders, driving me to endless dance classes, paying for my education, my dance shoes, my classes, my exams, even watching all my performances recorded since attending in-person is not an option. You have always been here for me. Thank you all so much. This piece - and this journey - would not have been possible without any of you. That is why Every Step is dedicated to all of you; each and every person who has been on this journey with me and made me - and this piece - what it is.

Emily Jane Yin Gumal headshot
Emily Jane Yin Gumal is a dancer, performer, choreographer, writer, video editor, and multidisciplinary artist from Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, who has been studying at the University of Iowa, earning a BFA in dance with honors and a BA in English and creative writing with a publishing track. Her various performances include, but are not limited to, the University of Iowa Dance Gala 2019, 2020, and 2021, Dancers in Company, several graduate thesis concerts, being a part of the first Malaysian dance performance in Disneyland via the dance convention Dance Excellence, performing in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Malaysian National Games, and being a part of several ballet performances, including dancing the lead of Giselle back in Sarawak. She has also achieved her Advanced in Ballet, her Grade 8 in Modern Jazz, and Level 1 Contemporary and Musical Theatre in the Commonwealth of Society of Teachers of Dancing (CSTD) examinations, and Advanced 1 in the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) examinations. Emily aspires to continue honing her love of dance and writing, and to use them to complement each other as she continues her multidisciplinary artistic endeavors.