Fang-Yi Sheu
Encyclopedia
Fang-Yi Sheu (born 1971), a native of Taiwan
and now living in New York City
, was the principal dancer of the Martha Graham
Dance Company. She founded LAFA & Artists Dance Company with choreographer Bulareyaung Pagarlava in May 2007.
Sheu was born in Yilan County, an agricultural area in northeastern Taiwan. She received her BFA
in dance from the National Institute of the Arts (now Taipei National University of the Arts
) in Taipei
, where she studied with Ross Parkes, a former Graham principal dancer. After her graduation, Sheu received a full scholarship from the National Endowment for Culture and Arts of Taiwan in 1994 and joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1995. She became a soloist with the company in 1997 and was promoted to principal dancer just two years later.
Sheu also danced with other dance companies, including Monte/Brown Dance Company, Buglisi/Foreman Dance and Shen-wei Dance Art. She was a principal dancer with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan from 1998 to 2003.
In 2005, the Dancer Magazine listed Sheu in "On the verge in 2005, DM's 25 to watch" and presented her on the cover of that issue. Sheu also received Taiwan President's Order of Brilliant Star with Cravat.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and now living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, was the principal dancer of the Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
Dance Company. She founded LAFA & Artists Dance Company with choreographer Bulareyaung Pagarlava in May 2007.
Sheu was born in Yilan County, an agricultural area in northeastern Taiwan. She received her BFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
in dance from the National Institute of the Arts (now Taipei National University of the Arts
Taipei National University of the Arts
The Taipei National University of the Arts is a national university at Kuandu of Beitou District, Taipei City, Taiwan. This university should not be confused with National Taiwan University of Arts at Banciao City.-History:...
) in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, where she studied with Ross Parkes, a former Graham principal dancer. After her graduation, Sheu received a full scholarship from the National Endowment for Culture and Arts of Taiwan in 1994 and joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1995. She became a soloist with the company in 1997 and was promoted to principal dancer just two years later.
Sheu also danced with other dance companies, including Monte/Brown Dance Company, Buglisi/Foreman Dance and Shen-wei Dance Art. She was a principal dancer with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan from 1998 to 2003.
In 2005, the Dancer Magazine listed Sheu in "On the verge in 2005, DM's 25 to watch" and presented her on the cover of that issue. Sheu also received Taiwan President's Order of Brilliant Star with Cravat.