Summer Vu | Photo by Cathryn Farnsworth

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Summer Vu is a first-generation Vietnamese-American artist who strives to bring all that she knows into all that she does. With curiosity and intention, her knack for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary has guided her artistic journey. Raised in Gilbert, Arizona, Summer’s career started by dancing on her living room coffee table where she discovered the joy of sharing art with her beloved community. Soon after, she expanded her practice at her local dance studio, Artistic Motion Dance. There, she danced competitively and explored a number of styles including: Ballet, Contemporary, Jazz, Tap, and Hip Hop. Because of this multiplicity in her early training, Summer grew a passion for the merging and mixing of different styles. In later years, this translated to the amalgamation of different mediums—influencing her to study at USC Kaufman.

At Kaufman, Summer continued exploring the boundaries of her own movement while immersing herself in other artistic processes. While working with many acclaimed choreographers like Kyle Abraham, Hope Boykin, Peter Chu, and Micaela Taylor, she has also danced in a number of student films. Within each experience, Summer enjoys learning about each artist’s creative process—finding intrigue in how the puzzle pieces fit together.

To this day, Summer’s passion for mixing mediums has expanded beyond dance. With her proficiency in American Sign Language, she’s currently exploring the intersectionality between sign and dance—researching how they can support and inspire one another. She hopes to continue indulging in her curiosity, allowing joy and intentionality to continue guiding her.

Summer Vu - Photo by Lee Gumbs

Summer Vu - Photo by Lee Gumbs

Summer Vu - Photo by Cathryn Farnsworth