Mapping China: Performing Arts - Dance: Selected Companies and Individuals

TAO Dance Theatre: Currently China’s most internationally-renowned contemporary dance company. Has performed in Holland numerous times, including 2011 (Theatre Bellevue), 2013 (Julidans) and 2015 (Julidans). https://www.facebook.com/TAO.Dance.Theater

Beijing Modern Dance Company: Founded in 1995 (see Brief History of Modern Dance). Weibo account 1, Weibo account 2

BeijingDance LDTX: Founded in 2005 by Willy Tsao. http://www.beijingldtx.com/

Guangdong Modern Dance Company: Founded in 1992 (see Brief History of Modern Dance). http://www.gdmdc.com/

Hong Kong City Contemporary Dance Company: Founded nearly 40 years ago by Willy Tsao. Hong Kong’s first contemporary dance company. http://www.ccdc.com.hk/en

Wen Hui and the Living Dance Studio: Originally founded in 1994 by documentary filmmaker Wu Wenguang and choreographer Wen Hui. Over the years have collaborated with numerous Dutch institutions to host festivals in Beijing, Kunming, and other cities. Has toured The Netherlands numerous times. Now, Wen Hui is working with Frie Leysen and the new project “Get Lost Theatre”: http://getlost-theater.nl/red/

Wang Yabin and Her Friends: Creates annual productions in Beijing. Invites Chinese and international choreographers to set works, including Fei Bo, Mark Haim, and Sang Jijia. Commissioned Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui to co-create “Genesis” in 2013 and has toured Europe including The Netherlands. http://dancemassive.com.au/delegate/ms-yabin-wang/

http://www.east-man.be/en/people/1008/

http://www.east-man.be/en/14/67/GENESIS

Hou Ying Dance Theatre: Founded circa 2010 by former Shen Wei Dance Arts (NYC) dancer Hou Ying. Hosts weekly contact improve jams as well as other education and gallery/site-specific performances. http://www.houyingdance.com/ One of the first companies in China to actively recruit international dancers to join as full-time company members in Beijing:

http://www.dance.nyc/listings/choreographic-opportunities/2016/02/Seeking-Dances-For-Long-term-Project-In-Beijing-China

Beijing 9 Dance Theatre: Founded circa 2010 under the auspices of Beijing’s Chaoyang District government and housed at the Chaoyang District Culture Center 9 Theatres compound. This company also hosted the 2015 “New Dance” Festival, with artists invited from abroad.

https://site.douban.com/dancers/

http://blog.sina.com.cn/dangdaiwutuan 

Collaboration with Dutch National Ballet: http://www.cywhg.com/hdxx/8a24f0cf4a1c7f3e014a1e4d2af4001f.html　

Jin Xing Dance Theatre: Founded circa 1996 by Jin Xing. She is famous for being one of the pioneering voices in the 1990s for modern dance in China, as well as the first person in China to be open about her male-to-female sex-reassignment surgery which was performed by China’s army hospital in the 1990s. She now also serves as a TV talk show host and a celebrity judge on China’s version of “So You Think You Can Dance” TV series. Has hosted international modern dance festivals in Shanghai in the past. http://jinxing-dance-theatre.com/home/

Yang Liping: Based in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, a living legend of the “Peacock” solo from Dai ethnicity traditional dance. Major Chinese celebrity, known and admired not just within dance circles but also by mainstream audiences thanks to her appearances on China Central Television (CCTV)’s annual Spring Festival gala. Her dance production company received investment from a Shenzhen holding company circa 2011 which later took it public, the first Chinese dance company to openly list on the Chinese stock exchange. Owns theatres in various cities throughout China where her traditional works perform for tourists and local audiences. Now expanding into contemporary dance, working with London Sadler’s Wells UK and UK producers to rework dance-drama Under Siege for international touring.

www.yangliping.com 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yang_Liping

Under Siege: http://www.artsbird.com/NEWCMS/artsbird//en/en_17/enwtyc_17/endance_17/20150827/21343.html

http://www.chncpa.org/ens/ycgp/jmxx/2015-07-01/979554.shtml

Beijing Dance Theatre: Founded in 2008 by former National Ballet of China choreographer Wang Yuan Yuan. http://en.beijingdancetheater.org/about/about.html

http://en.beijingdancetheater.org/artists/8/8.html

Er Gao Dance Production: Based in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Has toured abroad. Work often focuses on LGBT topics and gender-queering. Has also produced documentary films. 

http://ergaoproduction.tumblr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/377544782370062/?ref=ts&fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/eagle.ho?fref=ts

Nunu Kong: Independent dance artist based in Shanghai. Trained under Yang Meiqi 2000-2004. Danced with Jin Xing Dance Theater, then with other groups in Shanghai before focusing on her own independent work. Just finished six months in the U.S. on an Asian Cultural Council Fellowship.

(Nunu Kong:) https://www.facebook.com/nunu.kong (Brand nu dance:) http://nunu.we23.org/Home.html

Liu Ning: Independent choreographer based in Beijing. Work draws inspiration from his deep Buddhist beliefs. https://www.facebook.com/liu.ning.336

http://blog.sina.com.cn/liuliuning

Zhao Liang: Independent choreographer based in Beijing. Work draws inspiration from his deep Buddhist beliefs. Recipient of Shanghai International Arts Festival RAW funding in 2015 for production “Escape from the Temple”: http://www.rawland.cn/En/Activity_More?id=109

http://weibo.com/u/5069731477?refer_flag=1005050010

http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/5069731477

Gu Jiani: Independent choreographer based in Beijing. In author’s opinion, one of the strongest and most promising new voices in contemporary Chinese choreography.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lauren-warnecke/dance-review-north-americ_b_8269616.html

http://www.pingpongarts.org/projects/56/