Charles Gao

Charles is an oddball of Chinese descent, doing odd jobs here and there, like digital marketing, accounting and taxes, but is also a b-boy, theatre artist and writer. 

Charles has a degree in business, but hated how capitalism breeds rule-by-whoever-has-the-most-money, and fell in love with breaking. He believed this dance could change his life, and it did, and is forever grateful for being welcomed as a guest into this beautiful black diasporic culture.

When the NDP took power in Ontario, they offered free post-secondary education, making it possible for Charles to pursue a BFA in theatre in Tiotiakhe/Montreal, because he wanted to create a kind of Hip Hop theatre with breaking, where he could imagine what a better future for all would look like, a future where everyone could afford to be an artist if they wanted to, where no one had to sacrifice their humanity in order to live. 

Charles is still imagining what this future could look like. 

Today he shares his love of dance, music and Hip Hop with others, hoping it can change the world like it changed him, but has no clue if that’ll ever be possible, but he can only naively hope. 

Instagram : mercenarygao