Shen Wei
Encyclopedia
Shen Wei is a Chinese
choreographer and dancer. He lives and works in New York City
and is director of the modern dance company Shen Wei Dance Arts
. Wei is recognized for his vision of an intercultural, interdisciplinary, original mode of movement-based performance, and his innovative blend of traditional Chinese opera, dance and music with Western performance art such as ballet.
professionals.
, the first such company in China.
In 1995, after receiving a scholarship from the Nikolais/Louis Dance Lab, Shen moved to New York City
, and presented his work at the American Dance Festival
. Soon his work was performed at the National Theater of Taiwan (1996), The Place Theater (1997), Asia Society New York (1997), Stockholm Dance House (1999), Brighten Arts Festival (2000), the Edinburgh Festival Theater (2000), and the Millennium Moves Festival (Germany, 2000).
In 2000, Shen formed his dance company, Shen Wei Dance Arts, with performances of choreography Near the Terrace at the American Dance Festival. He has created several works for his company, which has toured extensively on five continents. For each of these works, Shen Wei also creates the sets, costumes, and make-up designs. He has also received varies commissions from mostly US-American dance and opera companies and festivals, including eight from the American Dance Festival (1995, 2000–2006).
Shen was a lead creative consultant for the opening ceremony at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing
. In July 2008, he choreographed a fashion show at Paris Haute Couture
for the label WUYONG by the Chinese designer Ma Ke.
Shen has won a variety of awards, and was named a 2007 USA Prudential Fellow by arts foundation United States Artists
.
As a visual artist independent of Shen Wei Dance Arts, Shen Wei is a painter, designer, and photographer. A series of paintings created in conjunction with his ballet Rite of Spring were first exhibited as part of the company’s New York debut at the Lincoln Center Festival in 2003. In October, 2006, the paintings toured with the company at the Hong Kong New Vision Festival, and in July 2007 they returned to New York in tandem with the company’s performance there of Second Visit to the Empress as part of Lincoln Center Festival. His book of photography, Tibet, was created to raise awareness of that region. Its proceeds support the Pandedajie School and Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
choreographer and dancer. He lives and works 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...
and is director of the modern dance company Shen Wei Dance Arts
Shen Wei Dance Arts
Shen Wei Dance Arts is a modern dance company based out of New York City, New York founded by Chinese artistic director Shen Wei in 2000.- Shen Wei Dace Arts' acclaimed touring repertory includes: :*Folding *Behind Resonance ...
. Wei is recognized for his vision of an intercultural, interdisciplinary, original mode of movement-based performance, and his innovative blend of traditional Chinese opera, dance and music with Western performance art such as ballet.
Early life
Shen was born in 1968 in the Hunan province, China, as the son of Chinese operaChinese opera
Chinese opera is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE...
professionals.
Career
Shen left home at the age of nine to study Chinese opera, and subsequently joined the Hunan State Xian Opera Company, with which he performed leading roles from 1984 to 1989. In 1991, he became a founding member – dancer and choreographer – of the Guangdong Modern Dance CompanyGuangdong Modern Dance Company
Guangdong Modern Dance Company is the first professional modern dance company in China founded in 1992 by its director Willy Tsao. The company's former dancers and choreographers include Shen Wei, Xing Liang, Sang Jijia, Yang Yun-tao....
, the first such company in China.
In 1995, after receiving a scholarship from the Nikolais/Louis Dance Lab, Shen moved to 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...
, and presented his work at the American Dance Festival
American Dance Festival
The American Dance Festival is a six and four-week school for dance and a six-week summer festival of modern dance performances, currently held at Duke University and the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina....
. Soon his work was performed at the National Theater of Taiwan (1996), The Place Theater (1997), Asia Society New York (1997), Stockholm Dance House (1999), Brighten Arts Festival (2000), the Edinburgh Festival Theater (2000), and the Millennium Moves Festival (Germany, 2000).
In 2000, Shen formed his dance company, Shen Wei Dance Arts, with performances of choreography Near the Terrace at the American Dance Festival. He has created several works for his company, which has toured extensively on five continents. For each of these works, Shen Wei also creates the sets, costumes, and make-up designs. He has also received varies commissions from mostly US-American dance and opera companies and festivals, including eight from the American Dance Festival (1995, 2000–2006).
Shen was a lead creative consultant for the opening ceremony at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. In July 2008, he choreographed a fashion show at Paris Haute Couture
Haute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
for the label WUYONG by the Chinese designer Ma Ke.
Shen has won a variety of awards, and was named a 2007 USA Prudential Fellow by arts foundation United States Artists
United States Artists
United States Artists is an independent nonprofit and nongovernmental philanthropic organization based in Los Angeles, California and dedicated to supporting the work of living American artists by the granting of cash awards, called USA Fellowships...
.
As a visual artist independent of Shen Wei Dance Arts, Shen Wei is a painter, designer, and photographer. A series of paintings created in conjunction with his ballet Rite of Spring were first exhibited as part of the company’s New York debut at the Lincoln Center Festival in 2003. In October, 2006, the paintings toured with the company at the Hong Kong New Vision Festival, and in July 2007 they returned to New York in tandem with the company’s performance there of Second Visit to the Empress as part of Lincoln Center Festival. His book of photography, Tibet, was created to raise awareness of that region. Its proceeds support the Pandedajie School and Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa.
Works
- 2000 Folding
- 2000 Near the Terrace
- 2001 Behind Resonance
- 2003 Rite of Spring
- 2004 Connect Transfer
- 2005 Second Visit to the Empress
- 2005 Map
- 2006 Re-I
- 2007 Re-II
- 2009 Re-III
Awards
- National Modern Dance Competition, 1994, China
- MacArthur Fellows ProgramMacArthur Fellows ProgramThe MacArthur Fellows Program or MacArthur Fellowship is an award given by the John D. and Catherine T...
, 2007 "Genius Award" - US Prudential Fellow, 2007
- Young Global Leader Honorees, 2009, World Economic ForumWorld Economic ForumThe World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
- New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship
- American Dance Festival's Ben Sommer Fellowship
- Njinksy Award for Emerging Choreographer, 2004
- Helpmann Award for best Ballet or Dance Work, 2005, Australia
- Les Etoiles de Ballet at the Palais des Festival, 2006, Cannes, France