DU Co-founders

Linda Kuo

Co-Founder/ Director

Lind holds a B.A in Communications and Minor in Economics from Boston College. She pivoted from working in advertising to professional training after being accepted to Broadway Dance Center’s Intern Program. The experience led to her performing with commercial artists Faith Hill, Lil Mama, and Daddy Yankee, choreographing for Dr. Dre's Beats Campaign (Shanghai), and touring nationally and internationally for musical productions and contemporary dance companies, including Peter Pan and Katrina: A Whole Lotta Water.

As a choreographer, Linda’s work has been presented on stages in NYC, Hawai’i and abroad. Some of her choreographic credits include: Shanghai World Expo 2010, US Embassy in China, The Contemporary Museum of Honolulu, Honolulu Academy of Art, Hawaii State Art Museum, NYC 10 / NYC Dance Week, Triskelion Arts SummerFest, Oahu Fringe Festival, and Honolulu Biennial 2019, International Human Rights Festival, and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Linda’s Hawai’i upbringing is influential in her artistry and creative approach. Dancing the Hula helped cement her belief in dance as the backbone of cultural identity and resilience. Her choreography addresses social and cultural issues while fusing contemporary, Street and cultural dances with a strong emphasis on authentic & diverse storytelling. Her creative vision has shaped DU artistic and community engagement missions.

Linda has a versatile dance background in Hula, Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Hip Hop, House, Swing, Hustle, Voguing and Waacking. She continues House dance and Capoeira training with House Dance Pioneer, Sekou Heru.  She is a member of BOLD (Builders, Organizers and Leaders through Dance) by Urban Bush Women and an alumni of their Leadership Institute at New York University. Linda is also an alumnus of 92nd Y’s Dance Education Laboratory and holds a Nonprofit Arts Management Certificate from New York University. Most recently she was Halawai NYC Grant Awardee and a Lower Manhattan Cultural Council artist in residence

Linda is a MFA in Dance candidate at University of the Arts.

Emily Hackworth

Co-Founder

Dancing since the age of 13, Emily loves sharing her passion for dance. Emily is instrumental in the formation of Dancers Unlimited, and our commitment to community service. She is currently the owner and director at XStatic Dance Studio (Hawai’i), and she teaches at Arthur Murray Dance Center, where she has found a love for Ballroom and Latin Ballroom.

 She has danced with The Movement Center and N2dance, and was a part of the administration faculty at X-Factor Dance Studio.

Emily is a MBA candidate and works professionally in medical administration.