Fang-Yi Sheu

Bio
A native of Taiwan, Ms. Fang-Yi Sheu received her BFA from Taipei National University of the Arts, former National Institute of the Arts, where she studied Martha Graham Technique with Ross Parkers. Ms. Sheu received a full scholarship from the Council for Cultural Affairs of Taiwan in 1994 and joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1995. Shortly later, she was promoted as a principle dancer at the Martha Graham Dance Company, where she received numerous praises. From 1998 to 2003, Ms. Sheu performed as a principle role in many works of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan and also danced with Monte/Brown Dance Company, Buglisi/ Foreman Dance and Shen-wei Dance Art. Her major performances include classic pieces of Martha Graham’s repetoire, including Errand into the Maze, Cave of the Heart and Chronicle, as well as Cloud Gate’s Moon Water and Bamboo Dream.

Ms. Sheu was the recipient of the President's Order of Brilliant Star with Cravat in Taiwan in 2005 and featured on the cover of Dance Magazine in “25 to Watch" as one of the rising young talents in dancing. In 2006, Ms. Sheu received awards from Asian American Business Development Center, Chinese American Art Council and Asian Cultural Council in New York. Fang-Yi first appeared in PBS’s Destination America in 2005 and again interviewed by Burt Wolf of PBS in 2006.
 
Ma. Sheu founded LAFA & Artists Dance Company with choreographer Bulareyaung Pagarlava in May 2007 and received Taiwan’s ‘National Award for Arts’ was the youngest recipient ever for the award. In May, Ms. Sheu and Bulareyaung founded LAFA & Artists Dance Company. Later, Ms. Sheu collaborated with multimedia artist David Michalek and other forty-two artists on his outdoor video installation project Slow Dancing in Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and also participated in artist residency program at Baryshnikov Arts Center as a first Asian artist; LAFA’s first production 37 Arts originates and is named after the arts center “37 Arts.”

Upon returning to Taiwan, Ms. Sheu began to give speeches around Taiwan, sharing her own stories and experiences in university and high school dance classes. Ms. Sheu’s compelling story and philosophy of life and art has been depicted in her newly published biography for youngsters. Ms. Sheu is currently preparing future presentations of “37 Arts” and expects to develop new projects with different choreographers. In 2008, Ms. Sheu is sponsored by Taiwan Citibank as an individual artist.

"Fang-Yi Sheu, praised as the finest present-day embodiment of Martha Graham’s technique and tradition." - The New York Times

Bulareyaung (Artistic Director/Choreographer, LAFA & Artists Dance Company)
Bio
Mr. Bulareyuang is a native of the Paiwan Tribe in Taiwan, and a former member of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan. Before receiving his BFA from Taipei National University of the Arts, Bulareyaung was already an emerging star in the dance world. He held his debut as solo concert at a young age of 23 and co-produced with the former artistic director Lo Man-Fei from Cloud Gate 2; Bulareyaung was soon widely acknowledged as an ingenious and enthusiastic dancer and choreographer. In the same year, Taiwan’s Dance Magazine named him as one of the “Brightest Stars on Stage”. Upon graduating from TNUA, Bula was signed as a soloist by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, the first contemporary dance company in the Mandarin/Chinese community.

His first work Flesh was presented at the 2nd Asian Young Choreographer's Workshop in 1995 and officially premiered in 1996 at Cloud Gate Dance Theatre's autumn performances of Helen Lai and Generation X. Flesh was also presented at Hong Kong International Dance Festival in 1998. Bula was awarded from the Performing Arts Fellowship at Asian Cultural Council to advance his dance studies in New York. In 2000, Bula returned to Taiwan with an invitation from Lin Hwai-Min, the artistic director of Cloud Gate Dance. He has performed and toured with the company around the world. Bula was also invited to be the guest choreographer for Cloud Gate 2 upon its founding in 2000. His commissioned works with Cloud Gate 2 included Passage, UMA, Lily, Flirtation and Game@combat.com. His first full-evening choreography, Single Room premiered with LA/FA Dance Theatre at the 2002 Eslite Basement Festival.

In July 2004, Bula left his career in New York for Cloud Gate 2; the dance company invited Bula to return to Taiwan to be their resident choreographer. His works during this period included Monday 2:10PM, Gloaming and Foreseen. In 2006, Artistic Director Lin Hwai-Min of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre commissioned Bula to produce the piece Formosa, the Island Beautiful, which was cooperated with aboriginal singer Kimbo Hu. Mr. Bulareyaung and Fang-Yi Sheu, founded the LAFA & ARTISTS in May 2007.In the summer of 2007, he was invited to commission works at Baryshnikov Arts Center for Ms. Sheu’s residency; the first production of LAFA’s 37 Arts debuted in three cities of Taiwan in spring 2008. He will also participate in the International Choreographer’s Residency Program of American Dance Festival in June 2008.

"Bulareyaung and can choreograph, he can dance, and he can make you shed tears… His vision and talent has already far surpassed that of his peers." - Minsheng Daily, Taiwan