Biography
Yu Pik-yim is an award-winning choreographer born in Hong Kong. She is currently Senior Lecturer of Chinese Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), teaching Chinese Folk Dance, Repertory and Individual Creative Project. Yu is also Programme Leader of the Academy's Diploma in Dance Foundations Programme.
Yu graduated from the HKAPA and was awarded a scholarship to further her studies at the Beijing Dance Academy, majoring in Chinese Folk Dance. In 1991, she was recruited by the Hong Kong Dance Company as dancer. In 2005, she received her Master’s Degree in Creative Industry (Dance Teaching) from the Queensland University of Technology.
Yu has won multiple awards for her works in Hong Kong and beyond. In 2003, her dance piece Life? was awarded Class 2 Award for Originality and Performance at the 7th Peach & Plum Cup Dance Competition in China. In 2004, Cohere won Gold Award for performance at the 2nd Bauhinia Cup Hong Kong Dance Championships; At the same event, Break Through received the Bauhinia Cup Four Seas Overall Championship, Gold Award for Originality and Sliver Award for Performance. Thousand Lives got Grant Prize of the 4th Bauhinia Cup, Gold Award for Originality and Gold Award in 2008. Once in the Secret Night received Grand Prize at the 4th Shenzhen Dance Competition (Choreography Category) in December 2006 and the Hong Kong Dance Alliance – Hong Kong Dance Award 2007. Her works were recognized internationally as well. The Besiegement received Characteristic 1st Award, and Cohere received 1st Award in Folk Category in the Barcelona Dance Award 2007 in Spain. The Snow and Thousand Lives also received Grand Prix at the 2009 New Prague Dance Festival Competition.
Yu is the Artistic Director of T&Y Creative Arts (dance troupe) and a much sought-after dance maker. She has been working with a diverse range of creative professionals, including the Hong Kong Dance Company, Actor’s Family, Fredric Mao Theatre, Hong Kong Disneyland, Spring-Time Experimental Theatre, the School of Drama and the School of Chinese Opera of HKAPA, and the Hsin Chu Dance School of Taiwan as guest choreographer.
Yu was appointed as Examiner of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and Adjudicator of local Dance Contests.