Company Members:

Hangdong Xu (Dance Captain) is a graduate of Shanghai Dance Academy. He performed with the Shanghai Song and Dance Company as a principal performer and was a dance instructor for the Shanghai International Cultural Study Institute and the Shanghai Dance Company.  In 1998, he performed “Small Dagger Society”, in the anniversary celebration of Hong Kong’s reunification with China.  Hangdong has toured Malaysia with the Cheng Yan International Company and performed in the Return to Macau Celebration. He also performed “Golden Dance with Silver Dresses” at 2000 Art Festival in Paris.  Hangdong has been teaching at NYCCC since 2003 and has been a principal dancer with DCNY since 2004.

Jiangzi Zhao is a graduate of the Hebei Province Art School where he graduated with a degree on Choreography.  After graduating, he joined the Hebei Province Song and Dance Company as a principal dancer.  While in China, he was awarded many national and international prizes including first place in the 2000 International Music festival in Italy and the award of excellence from the National Department of Cultural Affairs.  Jiangzi has been a featured performer with DCNY since 2002. 

Bei Zheng is a graduate from the Hebei Province Art School.  After graduation, she joined the Hebei Province Song and Dance Company as a principal dancer.  Bei was the principal dancer for the “Ancient Chinese Huang God” dance from 1996 to 1999 and has won the National Best Performance Award in China.  She has been performing and teaching in the U.S. since 2000. Bei has been a principal performer with DCNY since 2004.

Lei Zhou graduated from Shaanxi Province Art Academy’s Classical Dance Department with a performance major.  After graduation, she joined Shaanxi Province Song and Dance Company as a principal performer and dance instructor.  Lei was the principal dancer for the “Silk Road of Tang Dynasty” and “Yellow Land” dance dramas while with the company.  Lei won national excellence awards for both dance and choreography at the 5^th China Art Festival, where she performed a piece of her own creation, “Nichang”.  Lei later joined the Shenzhen Special District Dance Company as a lead dancer.  In 2000, she came to the U.S. and studied ballet, jazz, modern dance, hip hop, and tap, enjoying the challenge of learning Western dance forms at Peridance Center.  Lei is now a principal dancer with Dance China NY and has performed throughout the United States.

Linglang Wang is formerly the principal wusheng (male martial actor) of the Dalian City Peking Opera Company.  He began training in his art as a young boy, attaining a high level of mastery for acrobatic techniques and martial arts.  Linglang graduated from the Dalian School of the Arts where he was mentored by the renowned wusheng master, Li Jingde.  In 2001, Linlang received the Gold Medal for the National Young Actors’ Competition in China.  He has been well-received throughout Japan and the U.S. for his excellence in performance.

Leslie Miller of Hanover, PA, began her training at the Hanover School of Ballet through which she had the opportunity to travel, as an ambassador of dance, throughout England, Scotland, Wales, the Republics of Czech and Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, the People’s Republic of China, as well as various venues throughout the U.S. As a scholarship student, she graduated cum laude, with a BFA in dance, from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. Among others, she has performed works by Paul Taylor, George Balanchine, Jiang Qi, Victoria Morgan, and Sean Curran. She also attended summer intensives at Paul Taylor, the Joffrey Ballet School, and River North Chicago. In 2006, she was a member of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company II, under the direction of Shonna Hickman-Matlock, and more recently, she studied with Donald Byrd, Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater. Leslie has been the DCNY Company Coordinator since September 2007.  

Shougang Yang has  been winning awards since 1996, taking top honors in the Hebei Province Acrobatics Competition, and the top award again in 2000 at the National Acrobatics Competition.  Memorably, he performed at the APEC Conference in 2001 for all the heads of state in attendance, earning thier enthusiastic applause.  In 2003 he had the occasion to participate in a China-France cultural exchange, representing the Shanghai Acrobatics Group, where he earned special recognition from the French President.  Since arriving in the U.S. in 2005, he has continued to perform widely. 

 Jiayan Yong began studying and performing ballet with the Shanghai Little Swan Ballet Troupe while in China.  After arriving in New York,  she   danced at the Joffrey Ballet School and recently graduated from Queens College with a double major in dance and graphic design, from where she received a Scholarship Award and an award for Excellence in Dance.  She has studied under Yin Mei, Joseph Mills, Diane Sichel and Patrick Widrig.  She also trained at NYCCC,  learning a full range of Chinese dance.  Jiayan has performed at the Queens Museum of Art, Downtown Dance Festival, City Center, Lincoln Center Out of Doors 2007 and Solstice in Times Square.  Ms. Yong has been part of the teaching staff at NYCCC since 2002 and an apprentice dancer with Dance China NY since 2005.  She recently joined DCNY as a full company member. 

Guest Artists:

Jie Yang started dancing at the Shanghai Little Swan Ballet Troupe at age 10. In 1997, she performed in front of a live national televised audience in China, celebrating the reunification of Hong Kong to China. Ms. Yang continued her dance training in the United States at the Joffrey Ballet School and at the New York Chinese Cultural Center (NYCCC). In 2001, Ms. Yang joined the teaching staff of the NYCCC, teaching language and dance throughout the tri-state area. In the past few years, she has performed on television for WB11, CNBC and the past two mayors of New York City. Ms. Yang is currently a member of Dance China NY, the professional resident dance company of the NYCCC.

Qian Ma graduated from the Central Minorities University in Beijing, specializing in Chinese folk dance.  After graduation, Qian joined the Liaoning Normal University Music School's Dance Troupe, and came to New York in 2006 to continue to study dance.

Chao Li graduated from the Henan Acrobatics School, then joined the Henan Province Acrobatics troupe.  In 2000, Mr. Li participated in the 5th National Acrobatics Competition, earning top honors for the Lion Dance.  Mr. Li has toured to Europe and Japan as a representative of China and the province of Hebei, winning a top award in the Italy International Golden Arts Competition.  Since his arrival in the United States, he continues to perform frequently, including with DCNY. 

Bin Zhai is a graduate of the Shenyang Peking Opera Academy and performed as a principal artist with the Shenyang Peking Opera Company.  His specialties are in the warrior and hualian roles.  While in China, Bin received first place in the Liaoning Province Performing Arts Competition.  He has been on the NYCCC teaching staff since 2004 and has performed frequently with DCNY since 2003.

Chia Ying Kao is a graduate of the National Taiwan University of Arts with a B.F.A. in modern dance.  Ms Kao is a gold medal recipient of the Taiwan National Creative Dance Competition.  She has toured with Taipei Li-yuan Chinese opera to many countries, internationally, including the Holy Ground, Renaissance Association's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", the Tenth National College Dance Festival in the Terrace Theater and the 2002 American Dance Festival.  Since moving to NYC in September 2004, she has worked and performed with Hou Ying, Yung Yung Tsuai, Keila Cordova, and Paz Tanjuaquio. 

Ping Wang is a graduate of the Guangdong Dance Academy. After graduating, Wang went on to the Shenzhen Song and Dance Troupe where he became a principal performer as well as artistic director. Wang was also a choreographer and director at the Shenzhen TV station. Wang arrived in the U.S. in 2000 and continues to study dance and performs frequently with Dance China NY.

Ouyun Jiang studied Chinese folk dance at Shanghai’s Youth Academy, then continued her training in the U.S. at the Joffrey Ballet School.  Ouyun is a frequent guest performer with Dance China NY.

Yuheng Zhuang is a renowned warrior actor from the Shenyang Peking Opera Company who studied with the master Wanchun Li.  His leading roles in "Real/Fake Monkey King" and "Havoc in Heaven" are his most acclaimed works.  He has won several prestigious awards including the Liaoning Performing Artist Awards and Shenyang Arts Festival Awards.  He is a member of the Chinese Theatre Artist Association and is Chairman of the Chinese Artists in America Association. He is also a part of the NYCCC teaching staff since 2000. In 2004, Zhuang was appointed Peking Opera Consultant.

Yibin Huang graduated from Shenyang Peking Opera Institute.  He has received many awards nationally in China.

Dong Huang is a 1998 graduate of the Qing Dao Arts Academy where he specialized in traditional Chinese folk dance. He then went on to join the Qing Dao Song and Dance Company. That same year, Huang came to the United States to study at the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan. Dong has been with Dance China NY since 2002.

Zhongqi Mao is a graduate of the Fujian Arts School and an elected member of the Chinese Dancer's Association. After graduating, he joined the Fujian Dance and Drama Company where he was a principal dancer and instructor. While in China, Mao won numerous regional and national awards. He is also a part of the NYCCC teaching staff since 2001.

Jing Wang is a graduate of the Mongolian Performing Arts Academy specializing in the myriad styles of Chinese Han and ethnic minority folk dance. Wang was a dancer with the China National Dance & Drama Company and a principal dancer with the Splendid China Dance Troupe in Shenzhen, China and Orlando, Florida. She frequently performs with Dance China NY and is on the teaching staff at the New York Chinese Cultural Center.

Zhiqiang Wang is a graduate of the Classical and Folk Dance Department and Choreography Department of the Beijing Dance Academy.  He is an elected member of the Chinese Danceer's Association.  In 1998, he was named the Best Young Contemporary Artist by the National Department of Culture and the Chinese Dancer's Association.  Zhiqiang's choreography of "Flying Aspara", "Tide", and "Yellow River" received first place honors at national competitions in China.  Since immigrating to the U.S. in 2000, he has consulted with the New York City Ballet and is a frequent guest performer with Dance China NY.  Besides dance, Zhiqiang is also a talented costume designer and makeup artist.