Karen Dang
Toronto Program Director

Karen was born in Montreal, raised in Toronto, and now lives in the Niagara region. Her fun, outgoing personality has been a welcome part of Culture Shock Toronto (CSTO) for years. Beyond her bubbly personality is a serious dedication that keeps her striving to improve as a dancer and work as CSTO’s Program Director.

Prior to Culture Shock, Karen’s primary dance ‘training’ was her bedroom mirror. In 1998 though, while at a hip hop class in downtown Toronto, she met a CSTO troupe member who was handing out flyers for auditions. She was inspired by Culture Shock’s mission statement and the close community of the troupe and promptly auditioned. Since then, she dances with her Culture Shock family every Sunday.

As part of CSTO, Karen has grown as a dancer and individual. She has started to choreograph, and has taken on leadership roles. Most importantly to Karen, she has learned about the importance of building lasting relationships, ones that go beyond the dance studio. For her, dance is a metaphor for everyday life: know your own part, dance within your own space, respect the positions of your fellow dancers, and work cohesively as a group (and give face!). Dance is even relevant to her challenging job as a doctor as it helps her release the stresses of each week and recharges for the next. While racing between hospital wards and the ER, Karen is often rehearsing choreography in her head.