The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) is pleased to announce the appointments of Professor Ou Lu as the Dean of the School of Dance, and Mr Tony Wong as the Dean of the School of Drama, respectively, with effect from 1 September 2026.
Professor Ou Lu – Dean of the School of Dance
Professor Ou Lu is an esteemed artist and distinguished dance educator whose career spans performance, teaching and leadership in the global ballet community. Having served the Academy for over 15 years, he possesses a deep understanding of its academic and artistic landscape, with insight ranging from daily operations to long-term strategic development.
Before joining the Academy, Professor Ou was a Principal Dancer with the National Ballet of China and The Royal New Zealand Ballet, performing leading roles worldwide. He also held senior leadership roles, including Assistant Director of The Royal New Zealand Ballet and Director of the Ballet Department at the Beijing Dance Academy, where he led major research initiatives and staged full-length productions. His achievements have been recognised with honours including the Special Contribution Award from China’s Ministry of Culture and the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).
A recipient of numerous prestigious honours, Professor Ou continues to bring visionary leadership, academic excellence and strong industry engagement to our School of Dance.
Mr Tony Wong – Dean of the School of Drama
Mr Tony Wong, an alumnus of the Academy, is a distinguished performing arts practitioner and educator whose career spans decades and has made significant contributions to Hong Kong’s cultural landscape. A versatile artist, he has excelled as an actor, dancer, choreographer, and director, with artistic footprints across more than 120 productions.
Mr Wong has been serving the Academy since 2012. Before transitioning into academia, Mr Wong was a full-time actor with the Chung Ying Theatre Company and later founded 2 On Stage and Performance Studio. His creative excellence has earned him numerous accolades, including multiple Best Director honours, the Best Director Award from the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong), and the prestigious Artist of the Year title at the 18th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards.
Recently, Mr Wong was invited by the National Centre for the Performing Arts China to direct The Coat of Rong Yi, produced by The Beijing Central China Culture Development Company. He also serves as Director at the Asia Theatre Education Centre Beijing. With extensive leadership experience and deep regional networks, he has driven significant curriculum development and academic growth across major drama programmes.
Professor Anna CY Chan, Academy Director, said, “I look forward to continuing to work closely with Professor Ou and Mr Wong, and I strongly believe that their experience, expertise, and extensive professional networks will bring significant value to the Academy—elevating both the School of Dance and the School of Drama to new heights while strengthening the Academy and the performing arts community as a whole.”
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The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (www.hkapa.edu)
The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance in 1984, is a world-leading higher education institution for the performing arts. It provides professionally-oriented undergraduate education and postgraduate studies in Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with an emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, the Academy ranks 10th for Performing Arts and 1st in Asia.
The Academy has been granted Programme Area Accreditation status by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications to award its own Certificates, Diplomas, Bachelor’s (Honours) Degrees and Master’s Degrees. In the past four decades, more than 10,000 artists have graduated from the Academy, going on to become performing artists, creative arts practitioners, filmmakers, educators and cultural leaders with global impact – many have won international awards and shone in their respective artistic fields.
Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, houses educational facilities for the School of Film and Television.