Crossing the Threshold: SanSan Kwan’s Two Doors at Dance Mission this April

By Megan Lowe

SanSan Kwan is a pillar of the San Francisco Bay Area dance community, especially when it comes to uplifting the embodied experiences of Asian Americans through movement. I’ve known SanSan for more than a decade—as a Professor in Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies at UC Berkeley where we work together, as a fellow dancer in Lenora Lee Dance, and now as a choreographer in her latest work, Two Doors. I had the privilege of witnessing Two Doors in a rehearsal showing and at its premiere at The Mondavi Center at UC Davis, and soon, Bay Area audiences will have the opportunity to experience it in Portals—a multibill evening of dance featuring six Asian American femme choreographers at Dance Mission Theater, April 25-27.

What does it mean to witness? What does it mean to act?

Two Doors is a gripping meditation on the weight of inaction, the pain of invisibility, and the sovereignty reclaimed in the aftermath of violence. Inspired by a real-life incident in New York City—where doormen shut their doors just after seeing an attack on an Asian woman outside their lobby—this work does not linger too long on the viscerality of harm. Instead, it leans into the complexity of response, responsibility, and resilience.

Through a series of vignettes punctuated by blackouts, Two Doors unfolds in a non-linear, poetic fashion. In an early scene, a glass door opens to the hum of street sounds. Iu-Hui Chua lies on the floor, breath heavy, while others pass by, witnessing but not intervening. The simple act of closing a door becomes a powerful metaphor for the ways in which society chooses—or refuses—to see. In another moment, a quartet forms—interwoven, tender, urgent—and Kwan’s voiceover rings out: “We want to keep her safe, by keeping her invisible.” Two Doors is a true ensemble piece, with brief solos (such as Frances Teves Sedayao’s emotive solo contrasted by the sharp gestures of dancers behind her, and Stacey Yuen dancing to the point of exhaustion before being helped up by another). The dance really focuses on the collective, with unison that is deeply felt—not mechanical or rigid, but textured with breath, individuality, and shared strength. Gestures of care, support, and connectivity are a motif of the work, evoking a feeling that no one should be left to navigate pain alone.

Throughout the piece, surreal interruptions jolt us back into the present: a stuffed shark, a squishy pizza, a blow-up cow—absurd yet potent reminders that in life, anything can happen at any time. Melancholic vocals and the sound of knocking reverberates through the score created by Lawrence Tome, a haunting reminder of choices made on the threshold between action and avoidance. The show’s kinetic heart is a moving door structure—both barrier and passage, weight-bearing yet fluid. Doors open and close. They are looked through, moved through, shut in our faces. But Two Doors asks: What if we do not close the door and ignore? What if we open the door and help? A closing image lingers—Tatianna Steiner now lies on the ground (instead of Iu-Hui, suggesting that this could happen to anyone), but this time, the dancers help her up, and they all walk through the door together.

Two Doors is not a passive experience; it is a deeply embodied reckoning. It reminds us that in the face of violence and erasure, movement—whether physical or societal—is always possible. Alongside Two Doors, Portals will feature work by Iu-Hui Chua, Lily Gee, Frances Sedayao, Stacey Yuen, and Tatianna Steiner—each exploring themes of transition and transformation. These artists bring forward urgent, deeply personal stories, making Portals a must-see evening of dance that speaks to our collective moment. Don’t miss the chance to witness these powerful works at Dance Mission Theater, April 25-27.

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SanSan Kwan presents:

Portals

A multibill evening of dance, showcasing the work of six Asian American femme choreographers at the crossroads of change.

 

April 25-27, 2025

Friday and Saturday at 8pm

Sunday at 7pm

 

Dance Mission Theater

3316 24th St

San Francisco, CA 94110

 

Click Here for More Info and Tickets

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Megan Lowe (she/they) is a dance maker/performer/teacher, aerialist, and singer-songwriter of Chinese and Irish descent, creating in the SF Bay Area, situated on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land. Her creations through Megan Lowe Dances explore complex identities and experiences by tackling unusual physical situations and inventing compelling solutions. Megan is an Izzie Award recipient, and her recent choreographies have been seen at ODC, Fort Mason, Joe Goode Annex, de Young Museum, and Legion of Honor Museum, as well as in SF Aerial Arts Festival, United States of Asian America Festival, CAAMFest, SF Trolley Dances, and on KQED Live.

Website: MeganLoweDances.com | Instagram: @MLoweDanceKitty

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Related post:
Kimiko Guthrie, Claudine Naganuma, and SanSan Kwan in Conversation