Willy Tsao

Willy Tsao established CCDC in 1979 and has become its Artistic Director since 1989. His works have been presented in arts festivals over the past 30 years.

Tsao has dedicated incessant efforts in the development of modern dance in China. In 1987, he started teaching modern dance in the Guangdong Modern Dance Experimental Troupe in Guangzhou and at the Beijing Dance Academy in the following year. In 1991, he was invited to be the Artistic Advisor of the Youth Dance Company of the Beijing Dance Academy. Since 1995, he started conducting intensive modern dance workshops in different cities across the mainland. He helped setting up the Guangdong Modern Dance Company and was then the Artistic Director from 1992 to 1998. A year later, he became the Artistic Director of Beijing Modern Dance Company and held the post until 2005. In 2001, Tsao was invited to be the Artistic Director (Dance) of the Closing Ceremony of the 9th National Games. He was invited to be the Guest Professor of Tianjin Institute of Physical Education in 2002. In 2004, he returned to Guangdong Modern Dance Company as General Manager. In November 2004, Tsao and the Beijing Modern Dance Company accompanied China's then President Hu Jintao in his official visit to South America, and did 15 modern dance performances there. In 2005, he received the Hong Kong Dance Awards for his choreography of One Table N Chairs. In September 2005, he established BeijingDance / LDTX and became its Company Director and Artistic Director.

Tsao's contributions have been widely recognised. In 1999, he was awarded "Bronze Bauhinia Star" by the Hong Kong SAR Government for his significant contribution to the development of local arts. Other accolades and honours include the "Dancer of the Year Award" from the Hong Kong Artists' Guild (1988), the "Ten Outstanding Young Persons" (1990), the "Badge of Honour" from the Queen of the United Kingdom (1993), and the "Louis Cartier Award of Excellence - Outstanding Choreographer" (1998). Tsao received the Honorary Fellowship from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in 2000. He was elected as the Representative of Arts Interest (Dance) of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council from 2004 to 2007.