Biography
- MFA, dance, New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
- BFA, choreography, Beijing Dance Academy, China
Xiang Xu joined the Boyer College as an assistant professor of dance in 2022. He is an international choreographer, dance educator and dancer based in Philadelphia and New York City.
Xu trained at one of China’s most prestigious dance institutions, the Beijing Dance Academy, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and won numerous awards, including the “Gold Lion” top prize at the Singapore World Music & Dance Competition as well as a national grant to choreograph the premiere of the epic work The Soul of Water performed in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. His choreography has been highly recognized for discovering new Asian bodily aesthetics as a new definition in contemporary dance.
In 2015, Xu established Xiang Xu Dance, and he has collaborated with the Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Merce Cunningham Trust, Palestinian Diyar Theater, The Joffrey Academy of Dance, J Chen Project, James Madison University, Townson University and Cambodian National Arts Center. His academic book Exploration of the Foot-Binding in Chinese Classical Dance has been published in both Chinese and English language editions. The Joffrey Academy of Dance selected him to premiere his latest work at its 9th annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition in March 2019. He has performed as a solo or featured dancer at UCLA Royce Hall, The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, the Jewish Community Center Manhattan and the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Queens, New York.
Xu performs both contemporary and traditional classical Chinese dance styles, and has also studied and performed Thai, Indian and West African dances. He incorporates traditional Asian movement aesthetics into his contemporary choreography and sees dance as a physical form of philosophy.
Choreography
Artist-in-Residency in Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), New York City, NY
Incubation dance project collaborating with J Chen Project NYC (2022)
Residency in Towson University Dance Company, Towson, MD
Commissioned dance work Monkey Mind (Feb 2022)
Residency in James Madison University, The Virginia Repertory Dance Company, Harrisonburg, VA
Commissioned dance work The Bardo (September 2021)
Residency in J Chen Project, Choreography Competition Winner, New York City, NY
Commissioned dance work Dantian (August 2021)
Asian Heritage Month International Dance Festival, Toronto, Canada
Auld Lang Syne (May 2021)
Digital ChoreoLab Residency in Danceworks Chicago, Chicago, IL
Commissioned online dance workshop (August 2020)
CUNY Dance Initiative Residency, New York City, NY
Commissioned dance work XY (2019 – 2020)
Residency in Cambodian National Arts Center with Prumsodun Ok, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Gone to the Unseen (August 2019)
Residency in Palestinian Diyar Theatre, Bethlehem, Palestinian West Bank Territory
In Between (Jun 2019)
Residency in Joffrey Ballet, Museum of Contemporary Art Edlis Neeson Theater, Chicago, IL
Commissioned dance work Vessels Bearing (Mar 2019)
XY Motion, New York City, NY
Safe Room (Jun 2018) | Oneness (Nov 2017)
Jewel of Art Dance Studio, New York City, NY
Bird’s Eye View (2018)
Columbia University, New York City, NY
The Bacchae (2018)
New York LIC Arts Open Gallery Motion, New York City, NY
Unidentity (May 2017) | Musing in the Eye (May 2017) | Above (May 2017)
Community Garden Dance Festival, New York City, NY
Awakening (Aug 2016)
NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York City, NY
Being or Non-Being (May 2017) | Breathing in Subway (May 2017)
Residency in Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, David Logan Center for the Arts, Chicago, IL
Unbounded World (Jun 2016)
NYU Tisch School of the Arts, New York City, NY
Re-Becoming (May 2016) | Humans Are Telephones (2016 film)
Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, New York City, NY
Dawn Undersea (Nov 2015)
Beijing Dance Festival, Beijing, China
Chaos (Jul 2015)
Jewish Community Center Manhattan, New York City, NY
Daven (Feb 2015)
Jack Crystal Theater, New York City, NY
Kaleidoscope Concerto (Dec 2014)
The Broad Stage Theater, Santa Monica, CA
Spring Awakening (May 2014)
UCLA Royce Hall, Los Angeles, CA
Dragon Drum (Feb 2014)
UCLA Glorya Kaufman Hall, Los Angeles, CA
Rainbow (Feb 2013)
Beijing Sports University, Beijing, China
Musical Dance for Cuju (Apr 2011)
Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Shanghai, China
Grey Woods (Jan 2011)
Great Hall of the People, Beijing, China
The Soul of Water (Mar 2011)
Grant Award from Zichen Changtian International Culture Media Company
National Grand Theater, Beijing, China
Swan Goose Returns to the East Our (Oct 2011) | Yellow River (Oct 2011) | Why the Flowers are that Red (Oct 2011)
Beijing Dance Academy, Beijing, China
Metaphysical Fugue (Aug 2010) | Naga (Aug 2010)
Girl, Wolf, Hunter (Jun 2009) | Wenchuan in Remembrance (Apr 2009)
Publications
Xu, Xiang. "Exploration of the Foot-Binding in Chinese Classical Dance." LAP: Saarbrücken, Germany, 2016.
Xu, Xiang. "Exploration of the Historical and Cultural Aspects of 'Yuanchangbu' in Chinese Dance." Asian Journal of Humanity, Art and Literature, 2016, 3, 91-98.
Xu, Xiang. "Historical Study on 'Tilting' Style in Chinese Classic Dance." Journal of Beijing Dance. 2010, 2, 64-68.
Awards
Recipient of Arts Educator Emergency Relief Fund from New York City Arts in Education Roundtable, New York City, New York, 2022
Serving as a panelist for the Bronx Recognizes Its Own Awards in Bronx Council on the Arts, 2022
Serving as a Next Generation Leader (NGL) for the 2022 cohort in Committee of 100, New York City and Washington DC, 2022
Recipient of grant award from the Rauschenberg Dance Emergency Grants Program, New York City, New York, 2022
Recipient of grant award from the City Artists Corps Grants New York Foundation for the Arts, New York City, New York, 2021
A winning choreographer for J Chen Project Choreography Competition, New York City, New York, 2021
Recipient of grant award from NY Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant, New York City, New York, 2020
Recipient of fund award from Dance/NYC Coronavirus Dance Relief Fund, New York City, New York, 2020
Serving as a panelist for the Choreography Fellowship Awards in Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, 2019
A winning choreographer for the Joffrey Academy of Dance’s 9th annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition, Chicago, IL 2019
Best Dance Film Award in Choreography and Directing for Being or Non-Being, Scream Dance International Film Festival, Los Angeles, California, 2016
Nominated for Chaos, Youth Dance Marathon of the Beijing Dance Festival, Beijing, China, 2015
Recipient of grant award from Zichen Changtian International Culture Media Company, Beijing, China, 2011
First Prize in Choreography and Performance for Musical Dance for Cuju, 12th Beijing Dance Competition, Beijing, China, 2011
Golden Lion Highest Award for Cuju, Ninth Singapore World Music Dance Competition, Singapore, Singapore, 2011
First Prize in Choreography for Metaphysical Fugue, 5th North China Dance, 2010
First Prize in Classical Dance Performance for Metaphysical Fugue, 5th North China Dance Competition, 2010
Third Prize Academic Paper for "Historical Study on 'Tilting' Style in Chinese Classic Dance," Beijing Dance Academy, Beijing, China, 2009
Second Prize in Choreography for Naga, Academy Award, Beijing Dance Academy, Beijing, China, 2009
First Prize in Choreography and Performance for Metaphysical Fugue, 11th Beijing Dance Competition, Beijing, China, 2009
Third Prize in Choreography and Performance for Girl, Wolf, Hunter, 11th Beijing Dance Competition, Beijing, China, 2009
Honor Roll for Metaphysical Fugue, Beijing Dance Academy’s Campus Dance Promotion, Beijing, China, 2008
First Prize in Choreography and Performance for Metaphysical Fugue, Beijing Dance Academy Competition, Beijing, China, 2008
Reviews and Profiles
WTTW News Chicago, Mar 2019
Joffrey Academy’s ‘Winning Works’ Program More Than Justifies its Title – Hedy Weiss
See Chicago Dance, April 2019
Winning Works 2019: Tommie-Waheed Evans, Marissa Osato, Xiang Xu, and Edgar Zendejas create premieres for Joffrey Academy – Jordan Kunkel
New Eastside News, Mar 2019
The Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works Showcases Diversity – Stephanie Racine
BTScelebs, Mar 2019
Dance Review: The Joffrey Ballet’s “Winning Works 2019”
Broadway World, Feb 2019
The Joffrey Academy of Dance Presents Four World Premieres – BWW NEW DESK
Windy City Times, Nov 2019
Joffrey Ballet names winners of choreographic competition
The Joffrey Ballet Announces Winners of the Choreographic Competition, Dec 2018
Winner 2019 Xiang Xu
Dance News in Tisch School of the Arts NYU, Nov 2018
Spotlight: Xiang Xu, MFA ‘16
NAFSA Xiang Xu – Catherine, Jul 2018
Notable Achievements Xiang Xu
World Journal – Ding, Charles, Dec 2015
The Most Wonderful Thing Chinese Dance into the Mainstream Art World
SMC in Focus – Smith, Grace Singh, Dec 2015
A Dream Born in the Middle Kingdom
Alumni Association – Smith, Grace Singh, Jun 2014
Future Alumni Focus
The Corsair – Kashanian, Sarit, May 2014
Synapse Dance Show Displays Power and Creativity