Biography
Heidi Yu is a dance science educator, researcher and professional ballet dancer born in Hong Kong. Strongly committed to the integration of scientific advances into dance training, in 2020 she joined the School of Dance as Lecturer of Dance Science.
Ms Yu’s extensive experience studying and working in the United Kingdom, the United States, Hong Kong, and mainland China has provided her with a deep understanding of vocational training frameworks, academic degree programmes, and professional company dynamics at some of the world’s leading conservatoires, institutes, and professional organizations. She focuses on developing and promoting a holistic approach to healthy dance training, and bridging the gap between evidence-based data and conventional practices.
Ms Yu has presented her research at a number of international conferences, including the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) conferences (Montreal; Chiba [online]), the SWEAT Festival and the World Dance Alliance Global Summit (Hong Kong), as well as the HKAPA’s own Digital Conference: Harnessing a 21st Century Approach to Performing Arts - Technology, Practice, Education and Research. She is also a member of the IADMS Educators’ Committee and the Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund Awardees Association. As a regular contributor to the Hong Kong Dance Journal, she authors the column "Optimizing Dancers' Potential." Ms Yu’s strong interest in researching dancers’ wellbeing has also seen her work as a research assistant at the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and as an intern at One Dance UK’s Healthier Dancer Programme.
As a dancer, Ms Yu underwent rigorous professional ballet training at the Shen Zhen Arts School, earning widespread recognition for her exceptional achievements in various prestigious international ballet competitions, including the Prix de Lausanne, Seoul International Dance Competition, and the Beijing International Ballet Invitational for Dance Schools. She was a dancer with the Houston Ballet, performing in numerous productions and touring in North and Central America. Ms Yu has also participated in contemporary dance productions in Hong Kong, where she began her teaching career at some of the leading local studios, as well as schools in the United Kingdom(London) and China (Beijing and Macau).
Driven by her curiosity to optimize dance training, Ms Yu obtained a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, followed by a Master of Science (MSc) in Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. During her education, Ms Yu has received the generous support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund. Additionally, she is a certified Pilates instructor, and she is currently pursuing training in the Body-Mind Centering® Somatic Movement Education Program.
Together with her multifaceted background and comprehensive perspective, Ms Yu’s interest in psychology, somatic practices, and pedagogy make her proficient in the delivery of academic lectures, bodywork sessions, embodied practice workshops and classical ballet technique and repertoire classes, covering multiple areas across the curriculum of the School of Dance, from the Gifted Young Dancer Program to Master level courses.