Liu Shining

Liu Shining serves as Associate Director and Professor of Dance at Tongji University's School of Art and Media. A former principal soloist with the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet, he is internationally recognized as China's first ballet dancer to achieve prominence overseas.

Education:

• Graduated with honors from Dance School affiliated with Shenyang Conservatory of Music (1990)
• Studied at Houston Ballet Academy under Ben Stevenson
• Graduated from Royal Ballet School (1992)

Research Interests:

Professor Liu specializes in Ballet Pedagogy, Performance Methodology, and Choreographic Innovation. His expertise spans classical ballet technique refinement, competitive dancer training systems, and cross-cultural dance interpretation. He has developed authoritative frameworks for pas de deux execution and ballet performance psychology, directly influencing China's contemporary dance education standards.

Scientific Awards:

• Jury's Special Prize at Prix Internationale de Lausanne (1990)
• First place in ballet category at Liaoning Provincial Dance Competition (1991)
• First prize in junior ballet category at 3rd National Art Colleges Taoli Cup Dance Competition (1991)
• Second place in duet category at International Ballet Star Gala (1992)
• Dancer of the Month by Dance Times (1998)

Advising and Grants:

Since 2005, Professor Liu has mentored students who secured 9 major awards in domestic and international competitions. He directs Tongji University's competitive dancer development program and receives institutional funding for ballet production research. His administrative leadership includes curriculum design for graduate dance programs and international masterclass series.

Labs and Teams:

He leads the Ballet Performance Research Group and serves as artistic director for Tongji's major productions including Swan Lake (2009), Giselle (2008), and Ballet Footprint- An Evening of the Classics (2011). He regularly conducts masterclasses for China's four premier ballet companies and oversees the university's dance technique laboratory.