Associate Professor Yan Xiaoqiang is a Lecturer in Chinese Dance in the School of Dance at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

Associate Professor Yan, from China, is a celebrated dancer and choreographer with extensive teaching experience in dance.  He joined HKAPA since August 2013, teaching Chinese Classical Technique, Shen Yun, Partnering Skills, Traditional Material Practice, Performance Lab and Choreography Practice. He has been MFA advisor since 2018.

Associate Professor Yan obtained a Bachelor’s degree from Beijing Dance Academy (BDA), majoring in Performance and Education in Chinese Classical Dance, and a Master’s degree researching on the Theory and Practice of Dance Performance under the tutelage of Professor Wang Peiying.

In 2009, Associate Professor Yan has been finalist of Contemporary Dance (Senior Division) in the 6th Seoul International Dance Competition.  In 2006, he was finalist of the 8th Taoli Cup Dance Competition.  He was awarded First Prize of Professional Division in the National Dance Competition for College Students in 2005 and the Gold Medal of Shanxi Provincial Dance Competition in 2000.

Associate Professor Yan was founding dancer of the Beijing Dance Theatre since 2008 for five years. With the company, he has been performing in the top festivals and theatres worldwide, including Sadler’s Wells of London, Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C., BAM Next Wave Arts Festival of New York, Holland Dance Festival, Royal Danish Theatre, Cervantino Festival in Mexico, Belgrade Arts Festival in Serbia, Tel Aviv Arts Festival in Israel, National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing and twice at the Hong Kong Arts Festival.

Associate Professor Yan was invited as guest teacher of Hong Kong Dance Company (2017-2019) , and has been invited to teach at SungKyunKwan University of South Korea, Hong Kong Lingnan University, Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA) of Malaysia, Shanghai Theatre Academy, Guangzhou University of China and Iwanson International School of Contemporary Dance in Munich, Germany.

Associate Professor Yan is also an active choreographer, reinterpreting traditional Chinese aesthetics within contemporary contexts and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations across various art forms. he has created works for Beijing Dance Theatre, Shanghai Theatre Academy, Wuhan Conservatory of Music, Guangzhou University, HKAPA and a Chinese Paintings Multimedia Exhibition at Zentrum Paul Klee of Bern in Switzerland.  His critically acclaimed works including Martlet, Isle, Metropolis, Autumn Thoughts, Butterfly Lovers and Pulse has been performed in various prestigious performing arts venues including the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing. As a frequent collaborator across disciplines, 
Associate Professor Yan has partnered with Gallery 3812 Hong Kong to release the dance film Pervasion. His latest full-length production, Helix, which integrates dance with multimedia, has premiered this July at the Chinese Culture Festival—the culmination of a three-year interdisciplinary research project into collaboration between Chinese dance and multimedia as an immersive theatrical, supported by the HKAPA Research Seed Fund. 

Beyond his creative work, Associate Professor Yan is a dedicated arts advocate and promoter. Most recently, he served as the Concept and presenter of Chinese Dance 101: Dynamics of Chinese Dance, a six-episode online series produced in collaboration with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) of the Government of the HKSAR. Aimed at introducing Chinese dance to a global audience, the series was shortlisted for “Outstanding Online Production” at the 24th Hong Kong Dance Awards. Additionally, his recent Chinese Dance Appreciation Lecture Series for the general public was met with significant attendance and critical acclaim. Associate Professor Yan also serves as co-opted member of Art Form Sub-committee (Community) under Leisure and Cultural Service Department of Hong Kong SAR government and Examiner of Hong Kong Arts Development Council (Dance and Arts Education).