In June 2018, filmmaker Luka Yuanyuan Yang attended a performance by Coby Yee, a 92-year-old icon of Chinese American culture, at the Burlesque Hall of Fame. Yee, known for her vibrant performances and historic role in the San Francisco nightlife scene, exemplifies resilience in the face of historical challenges like the Chinese Exclusion Act. Yang felt compelled to document Yee's story and that of older Chinese American performers, culminating in the film "Chinatown Cha-Cha." This reflects a broader context of ongoing political issues related to Chinese nationals in the U.S.
"At 92 years old, Yee was still designing her costumes and performing regularly with her partner, Stephen King, and the Grant Avenue Follies, a dance troupe composed of older Chinese Americans from around the Bay Area."
"It was a moment of falling in love," Yang said. "I knew I had to make a documentary to preserve their energy, their presence, their everything."
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