Filmmaker, Dance Performer
A child of Vietnamese refugees, Van Minh Nguyen was born in Oceanside, California. Raised in the unique rhythm of her hometown city of San Marchos, California mixed with the essence of her Vietnam, Van credits her artistic pathways to her ancestors' and family's told and untold stories. She currently resides in San Francisco, California, pursuing her soul's passion as a media/art activist using film, poetry, dance and her spiritual studies as a Buddhist and Priestess of Yemaya, in the Lukumi Tradition, as tools of expressions and healing. Van received her BA in Film and Video production from the University of California, Santa Cruz and is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree in Cinema Production at San Francisco State University. Her short film Circle was screened at the Vietnamese International Film Festival (ViFF) 2007.
Van is also studying Afro-Cuban Folkloric dance under Cuban master instructors Susana Arenas Pedroso and Jose Borrroso. Van joined Anrenas Dance Company in 2004, being the first Asian American dancer in the company.
Circle (2005)