Shang-Jen Yuan
Choreographer,
Dance Pedagogue,
Trainer in Ballet, Contemporary Dance, and Taijiquan,
Video Artist, and Photographer
Shang-Jen Yuan is a Taiwanese-born, Austria-based choreographer, dance pedagogue, and founder of Dance Vision, celebrated for his innovative integration of dance and multimedia art. His illustrious career includes prestigious fellowships such as the Citi-Asian Cultural Council Fellowship in New York and Hong Kong, and the Bolshoi Theatre Fellowship in Moscow. In 2021, he collaborated with Boris Eifman, the esteemed artistic director of the Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, serving as both stage director and choreographer.
Yuan's passion for dance was ignited early, leading him to intensive training in ballet with a focus on the Vaganova Method. Awarded a full scholarship to the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow, he honed his craft before securing three consecutive full scholarships at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. There, he graduated with a first-class honours B.F.A. degree in ballet and choreography. Furthering his academic pursuits, he studied Radio and Television at the National Taiwan University of Arts and earned both bachelor's and master's degrees in dance pedagogy from Anton Bruckner Private University in Austria.
Launching his professional career with the Hong Kong Dance Company, Yuan has collaborated with esteemed companies such as the National Ballet of Portugal, Scapino Ballet Rotterdam, Bremerhaven Ballet in Germany, TANZLIN.Z in Austria, and the Salzburg Ballet. His journey introduced him to prominent choreographers including Peter Breuer, Boris Eifman, Mei Hong Lin, Marco Goecke, Ed Wubbe, Olga Roriz, William Forsythe, Christopher Hampson, Hwai Min Lin, and Maurice Béjart.
Since 2004, Yuan's choreographic works have graced stages worldwide, captivating audiences in cities like Hong Kong, Lisbon, Seoul, Busan, Budapest, Taipei, Bremen, Beijing, Mexico City, Saint Petersburg, Sevastopol, Ulm, Salzburg, Florence, The Hague, Oulu, Bucharest, and beyond. He has been featured at international platforms such as the Seoul International Dance Festival, the International Contemporary Dance Festival of Mexico City, the St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum, and the Florence Dance Festival.
In 2010, Yuan expanded into multimedia design, seamlessly integrating dance with video art to create immersive performances that juxtapose narrative and abstraction. His acclaimed projects "Connected" and "Outleap" received international attention, while "Deriva," co-created with Portuguese choreographer Clara Andermatt and composer Bernardo Sassetti, was showcased across Europe. Drawing inspiration from ballet techniques, Taijiquan, and contemporary dance, Yuan's creations form intricate mosaics of narrative and performance, emphasizing choreography as a collective endeavor.
Balancing his roles as a choreographer, dance pedagogue, and video artist, Yuan continues to contribute to the evolution of contemporary dance, inspiring audiences and artists alike with his innovative approach and dedication to the art form.