Shen Wei traverses cultural bridge

"I have always pursued art and all things beautiful," he said. "It has guided my growth throughout my life."

Born in Hunan in 1968, by age six Shen was studying calligraphy and painting, and at nine he started learning traditional Chinese opera. Years of practice deepened his appreciation and skill. Later, Shen discovered Western oil painting and murals. He also began studying dance. And in 1996, one year after moving to the United States, he explored film.

In 1989, Shen began studying modern dance through the American Dance Festival's program in collaboration with Guangdong Dance Academy in China. Three years later, he became a founding member of Guangdong Modern Dance Company, the first contemporary dance company in the country.

In 1995, after winning first prize for choreography and performance at China's National Modern Dance Competition, Shen moved to New York on a scholarship from the Nikolais/Louis Dance Theater Lab. There, he expanded his artistic practice to include film, while continuing to explore new directions in dance theory, choreography and painting throughout the 1990s. In 2000, he established his own company, Shen Wei Dance Arts.

"All the things I am curious about and love, I try to learn," Shen said. Over time, these diverse experiences, from Chinese traditional arts to Western contemporary arts, from opera to painting, from dance to film, shaped not only his perception but also his creation.