In late October, a unique group of dancers began their tour across China. 10 Chinese American women, aged 60 to 90, members of San Francisco’s Grant Avenue Follies dance troupe (都板街舞团) have come to China to promote Chinatown Cha-Cha, a new documentary that shares their stories. 

The film marks the first feature-length documentary by visual artist and filmmaker Luka Yang. Six years ago, Yang traveled to San Francisco for an artist residency, where she aimed to document the personal histories of Chinese performers in America, hoping to uncover stories that went beyond those of well-known figures like actress Anna May Wong. There, she met Coby Yee, a dancer in her 90s who would become the protagonist of her film.

As a first-generation Chinese immigrant, Coby felt disconnected from the Cantonese opera her parents loved; she preferred jazz and tap dancing. However, opportunities to showcase her talents were limited by the racial prejudices prevalent in mid-century America. Though she dreamt of performing in Hollywood, Coby could only dance professionally as part of troupe at a Chinatown club. Using sewing skills passed down from her mother, she crafted elaborate costumes for herself and her peers, resisting the exoticized gaze cast upon Asian performers.

Coby’s passion for dance endured through the decades. After retiring, she and her friend Cynthia Yee (no relation) founded the Grant Avenue Follies, a group of mostly single, retired Chinatown women dedicated to dance. Despite years of facing discrimination, they found joy and resilience in performing, gracing nightclubs, festivals, competitions, and charity events with their talents.

Their stories inspired Yang deeply. She accumulated footage and memories that eventually blossomed into this feature documentary. Over time, she formed close bonds with the group. Shortly after Coby passed away at age 93 in 2020, Yang discovered she was pregnant. While finishing the film, she was diagnosed with cancer, a challenge she faced with the courage she drew from these women. She has remarked that meeting them has strengthened her resilience in life.

Chinatown Cha-Cha had its world premiere in the “Hidden Dragon” competition at the 2024 Pingyao International Film Festival in September, receiving critical acclaim. Though the film’s screening tour wrapped up over the weekend, it is now showing on wider release in cinemas around China, giving viewers in the country the chance to experience the spirit of the Grant Avenue Follies and San Francisco’s Chinatown in decades past.

Banner image via Chinatown Cha-Cha.