Fang-Yi Sheu

Fang-Yi Sheu (Chinese: 許芳宜; born 1971) is a Taiwanese-American dancer and choreographer. She was a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company, then founded LAFA & Artists Dance Company with Bulareyaung Pagarlava in 2006 and Fang-Yi Sheu & Artists in 2011.

This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
In this Chinese name, the family name is Sheu.
Fang-Yi Sheu
Sheu at the 59th Golden Horse Awards in November 2022
Born1971 (age 51–52)
Yilan County, Taiwan
Other namesXu Fangyi
Alma materTaipei National University of the Arts
Occupation(s)Dancer, choreographer
OrganizationFang-Yi Sheu & Artists
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese許芳宜
Simplified Chinese许芳宜
Hanyu PinyinXǔ Fāngyí

Early life and education

Sheu was born in Yilan County, an agricultural area in northeastern Taiwan. Her father ran a pharmacy.[1] she entered a local dance school at fourth grade, and later attended Hwa Kang Arts School in Taipei.[2] She then studied at the National Institute of the Arts (now Taipei National University of the Arts) in Taipei, where she studied the Graham technique with Ross Parkes, a former Martha Graham Dance Company principal dancer.[3]

Career

In 1994, she moved to the U.S. to study dance, sponsored by the Council for Cultural Affairs. The following year, she joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York City, was promoted to soloist in 1995 and principal in 1997.[3] She was praised by the New York critics, with some calling her 'finest present-day embodiment of the Graham technique and tradition."[4][5] She returned to Taiwan in 2006.[1]

In 2007, Sheu founded LAFA & Artists Dance Company with fellow Taiwanese dancer Bulareyaung Pagarlava, and performed at Jacob's Pillow Dance that year.[6] The same year, she became an artist-in-residence with the Baryshnikov Arts Center.[3] LAFA & Artists disbanded in 2010, and she returned to New York.[1] In 2011, she founded Fang-Yi Sheu & Artists, which led to her working with dancers such as Wendy Whelan, Tyler Angle and Craig Hall, and choreographers such as Christopher Wheeldon and Akram Khan.[7][8]

In Taiwan, Sheu started a campaign named "Body art" in 2012, which promotes dance to the general public.[9]

In films, she appeared as a dance teacher in the 2012 film Touch of the Light,[10] and as twin sisters, a princess and a Taoist nun, in the 2015 film The Assassin.[11] Sheu also starred in and choreographed the dance scenes in the autobiographical film Salute; the film was released in 2022.[12] For the film, Sheu won the Best Action Choreography at the 59th Golden Horse Awards.[13]

Recognition

Sheu was listed as one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" in 2005. Also in 2005, she was awarded the Order of Brilliant Star with Cravat. She won the National Award for Arts at age 36, making her the youngest recipient of the award.[3][2]

References
  1. 李佩璇 (6 January 2019). "舞蹈家許芳宜：追求夢想，光「喜歡」還不夠！". 天下雜誌 (in Chinese (Taiwan)).
  2. "文化週報》許芳宜跳進大銀幕 跟導演各玩各的蹦火花". Liberty Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). February 16, 2020.
  3. "A Dancer in the Spotlight". Taiwan Journal. October 1, 2018.
  4. Rockwell, Jack (February 16, 2003). "Dance; Given the Right Cast, She Still Has a Kick". New York Times.
  5. "Dance; A Call to Arms, but Against War". New York Times. April 21, 2004.
  6. Seibert, Brian (March 19, 2020). "Spring Guide: Fang-Yi Sheu Tackles A Martha Graham Classic". The Village Voice.
  7. Macaulay, Alastair (August 7, 2012). "Gulping the Heady, Thin Air of Creativity". New York Times.
  8. "世界頂尖舞者許芳宜：大家都會老，但能不能老得更好一點？". The News Lens (in Chinese (Taiwan)). January 12, 2019.
  9. 盧智芳 (October 31, 2018). "舞蹈家許芳宜／每一個身體，都有快樂的權利". Cheers (in Chinese (Taiwan)). No. 218.
  10. "許芳宜大銀幕首演 領張榕容【逆光飛翔】共舞". Elle Taiwan (in Chinese (Taiwan)). September 17, 2012.
  11. "許芳宜滿肚疑問 演完《聶隱娘》". Liberty Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). August 19, 2015.
  12. "許芳宜半自傳電影《我心我行》震撼上映！由侯孝賢監製、姚宏易導演的絕美影像詩篇". Vogue Taiwan (in Chinese). 27 September 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  13. Hsieh, Allie (19 November 2022). "【2022金馬】第59屆金馬獎完整得獎名單！（不斷更新）". Cosmopolitan (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 19 November 2022.
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