WU, Xiao-bang 1906-1995

PERSONAL: Given name is pronounced like "Chopin;" born December 18, 1906, in Taicang County, Jiangsu Province, China; died July 8, 1995, in Beijing, China. Education: Attended Chizhi University, 1926, and Central Military and Political School; studied classical ballet at Dance Institute of Masao Takada, 1929-34, and German modern dance at Modern Dance Workshop of Takaya Eguchi and Misako Miya.

CAREER: Dancer, educator, and choreographer. Jiangsu Provincial Bank, worked as apprentice; Xiaobang Dance School, founder, 1931; Xiao-bang Dance Institute, founder, 1935; dancer, choreographer, and teacher at Sino-France Theater School and Workers' Club, Shanghai, China, 1938, Xin'an Touring Company, Shanghai, 1939-40, Guangdong Provincial Arts Center, Qujiang, China, 1940, Yucao School, Chongqing, China, 1941, School of National Experimental Theater, Chongqing, 1941, National Theater School, Jiang'an, China, 1942, Guangdong Provincial Arts School, Qujiang, China, 1942-43, Xi'an Nursery School, Xi'an, China, 1944, Luxun Literary and Arts Academy, Yan'an, China, 1945, Northern China Allied University, Zhangjiajou, China, 1945-46, Arts Troupe of Inner Mongolia, 1946, and Northeastern Allied Army of Democracy and Luxun Literary and Arts Academy, Shenyang, China, 1948; Arts School and Dance Company of the Fourth Field Army, Wuhan, China, founder of workshop, 1949; China Youth Art Theater, founding director of dance company; Central Academy of Drama, director of education and teaching at training workshop for dance movement cadres, 1951-52; Central Institute for Nationalities, founding director of arts troupe, 1952-54; Heavenly Horse Dance Studio (experimental modern dance company), founder and teacher, 1957-60; China National Arts Academy, founding director of Dance Research Institute, beginning 1980. Beijing Dance School, director of preparatory committee, 1953-54; creator of China's first two master's degree programs in dance. Choreographer of more than 100 dances and dance dramas, including "March of the Volunteers," "The Song of the Guerrillas," and "Hungry Fire." Military service: Chinese Army, dance teacher, beginning 1937.

MEMBER: China National Dance Artists Association (chair, 1979), China Dance Art Research Society (founding chair, 1954-57).

AWARDS, HONORS: Included among "Masterpieces of Chinese Dance in the Twentieth Century," 1994, for "The Song of the Guerrillas" and "Hungry Fire."

WRITINGS:

in chinese

Introduction to the New Dance Art, [Shanghai, China], 1950, revised edition, [Beijing, China], 1982.

My Career of Dance Art, [Hong Kong], 1981, revised edition, [Beijing, China], 1982.

New Theory on Dance, [Shanghai, China], 1985.

Anthology of Dance Theory, [Chengdu, China], 1985.

Dancology Studies, [Beijing, China], 1988.

Wu Xiao-bang on Dance and Art, [Beijing, China], 1988.

New Anthology of Dance Theory, [Beijing, China], 1989.

(Editor) Collection of the Chinese National Folk Dances, thirty volumes, [Beijing, China], 1988—.

(Editor) The Chinese Encyclopedia: Music and Dance Volume, [Beijing, China], 1989.

(Editor) Contemporary China: Dance Volume, [Beijing, China], 1993.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

books

Au, Susan, and Frank-Manuel Peter, editors, Documentation—Beyond Performance: Dance Scholarship Today, [Essen, Germany], 1989.

International Dictionary of Modern Dance, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1998.

Solomon, Ruth, and John Solomon, editors, Choreography and Dance Studies, Volume 9: East Meets West in Dance: Voices in Cross Cultural Dialogues, [Chur, Switzerland], 1995.*