Biography
With over thirty years of teaching experience in Chinese dance, Professor Sheng Peiqi has trained dancers with much success, developing the sense of artistry through teaching, creating and performing. Professor Sheng is currently the Head of Chinese Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), mainly teaching Chinese Classical Dance Technique, Shen Yun and Traditional Practice. She also serves as member of the HKAPA Academic Quality Assurance Committee (2020 to now), Academic Committee (2018 to 2019) and HKAPA Undergraduate Education Committee (2015 to 2017).
Originates from Ningbo, Sheng was born in Shenyang and studied ballet in Shenyang Conservatory of Music, School of Dance. In 1980, she continued her study in the Beijing Dance Academy, majoring in Chinese Classical Dance and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1984. She was recruited by the Beijing Dance Academy upon graduation and embarked on a teaching career. In 1995, Sheng was awarded the "Elisabeth Luce Moore" scholarship to the United States and participated as a members of the "Arts Education Leadership Training Program".
Sheng has been invited to teach and choreograph for various dance schools and dance companies, including Beijing Dance Academy, Dancing College of Shanghai Theater Academy, Shenyang Conservatory of Music, School of Dance, and Hong Kong Dance Company. She was three times guest lecturer and guest associate professor at the HKAPA. In 2003, she became Head of Chinese Dance at the Academy. Since 2011, she was visiting professor of the Beijing Dance Academy Classical Dance Department and in 2018, she was bestowed the title of "Honorary Professor" at Shenyang Conservatory of Music, School of Dance in recognition of her outstanding contribution to dance and dance education.
As an inspiring educator, Professor Sheng teaches Chinese classical dance technique, shenyun, long sleeves dance, sword dance, basic training, performance practice, pedagogy and traditional repertory in Chinese classical dance. In addition, she has been involved in a number of academic publications, including Ten years of Shen Yun Teaching with Beijing Dance Academy Resources Centre in 1990, editorial board for Chinese Classical Dance - Shen Yun in 1992 and video of Chinese Long Sleeves Dance - Elementary Level in 1995.
Sheng combines teaching with performance and choreography, she is frequently invited to create, perform and collaborate with other distinguished artists. In 1989, she choreographed and performed duet, The Butterfly (co-created with Gao Chengming) and solo, The River of Tears, and was awarded the Outstanding Choreography Award and the Outstanding Dancer Award of "New Works for New Talent" by the Chinese Ministry of Culture. In 2017, her dance piece, Red River Water won the Beijing Dance Academy New Classic Dance Classical Award. In 1990, she collaborated with Mui Cheuk-yin and Ku Ming-shen choreographing 3 People in Solo for the Hong Kong Arts Festival. In 1993, she danced in Mui Cheuk-yin's work, As Quick As Silver for the Asian Arts Festival. From 1991 to 2007, Sheng collaborated with Aaron Wan of Manna Dance Company in Half Half Song, UNDO and Private Landscape as guest artist. In 1995, she choreographed and performed Heart of Sword & The River of Tears in Chinese Dance Festival of Plaza Theatre in London. From 1999 to 2001, Sheng was appointed as Director of Dance and choreographed for the New Year Evening Gala for the Shanghai Television and the Central Television. She was the dance & movement coach for TV Series Painting Soul in 2003. In 2002, she was invited as choreographer, director and training coordinator for an exquisite fashion show The Moving Forbidden City by world acclaimed designer, Hu Xiaodan, staged in the Palace Museum of Beijing and she also choreographed Dance Dream for Hong Kong Dance Company in 2006.
Sheng has unique insight in developing talents, she has choreographed for her students, including Lonely Orchid in the Valley, The Tipsy Princess, Relic, Expressions of Autumn, Sword in the Empty Mountains, Ambuscade (2005, in collaboration with Mui Cheuk-yin), Voice from the Heart and of days & nights (2014, in collaboration with John Utans). In 1991 and 1993, she coached students for the 3rd and 4th Taoli Cup Dance Competition and were awarded the 2nd prize and Outstanding Performance Prize, as well as Outstanding Teaching Award.
Sheng also serves the dance sector as Artistic Advisor for the Hong Kong Dance Company (since 2003) and the Hong Kong Dance Federation (since 2003). She was a member of the Art Form Panel - Dance and Multi-arts of Leisure and Cultural Services Department (2006-2010) and dance advisor for the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (2012-2016). In 2020, she also won the Dance Artist Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hong Kong Dance Federation.