One year after her Sleigh da Funk win: Jingwen “JZ” Zhang reflects on her dance journey with Shadow Puppetz
Last December, Jingwen “JZ” Zhang took home the win at our inaugural Sleigh da Funk, a novice popping battle designed to give Shadow Puppetz students a supportive, low-pressure environment to gain battle experience, build confidence, and celebrate the progress they’ve made over the course of the year.
As one of Shadow Puppetz’s longest-time students, JZ’s win reflected years of steady training, growth, and commitment. More importantly, it showed the power of joy and authentic self-expression in a style where dancers can easily get caught up in the pressure to perform. “My biggest takeaway was to remember to have fun when dancing, even in battles,” JZ says. “I usually get very nervous at battles, but I had so much fun at Sleigh da Funk. It was the battle where I felt the most relaxed and the most freedom to do my own thing. I think that mentality showed through in my movement, and I hope to carry that with me–find my own style, be confident about it, and enjoy being myself rather than trying to imitate others.”
Since that win, JZ has been focused on carrying that same sense of ease, clarity, and authenticity into the rest of her dancing. This year, she has continued pushing herself through weekly Sunday Funkday sessions as well as the Shadow Puppetz Popping Intensive and The Art of Soul: DEPTH Intensive—spaces that exposed her to different perspectives within popping. “One thing that always strikes me is how differently people in this community approach popping and the fact that the uniqueness is valued, respected, and encouraged,” she says. “When I ask someone to teach me something, they genuinely try to help me find a way to incorporate it into my personal style.”
JZ credits much of her growth to the people who have been learning alongside her. “I think Shadow Puppetz has influenced almost every stage of my dance journey,” she says. “From the very beginning when I was still uncomfortable with freestyling to entering my first battle, Shadow Puppetz has guided me throughout the process.”
What she values most now is the day-to-day rhythm of the community. “We dance, get food, chat about dance and life, and do a lot of silly things,” she says. “On Sundays we would congregate on the narrow sidewalk right outside The Puzzle Box after sessioning. We celebrate each other's wins and achievements, but also help each other see areas for improvement. This is a group of authentic people who care about the art and each other, and whom I feel like I can lean on.”
For anyone considering showing up, she leaves it simple: “If you love dancing and believe in the impact of dancing, this is a space where you will find people who share the same passion.” With Sleigh da Funk Pt. II returning this December 13, JZ hopes more dancers will participate, discover something new in themselves, and enjoy the experience the same way she did.
Registration for Sleigh da Funk Pt. II is now open—sign up to compete or come through to support the next generation of dancers in Chicago.