Dr Zhi Xu

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Zhi Xu is a choreographer, dancer, researcher and Senior Lecturer in Dance at Bath Spa University, where he leads the Centre for Performance Research. He completed his PhD at Brunel University London in 2021, focusing on dance technology and cultural identity. His research and practice engage the intersections of performance, intercultural identity and emerging technologies.

As a choreographer and dancer, Zhi has created over 20 works that have been presented internationally, including in China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Russia, Belgium and Malaysia. His works encompass dance drama, dance theatre, site-specific performance, exhibitions and large-scale projects, including Being River (2024), Unexpected Bodies (2020), Mourning for a Dead Moon (2019) and X-Body (2018). In 2014, he directed for one of China’s most prestigious events, the Summer Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, and his creation X-Body was later selected for performance at The Place in London during Resolution 2019.

Between 2010 and 2016, as an independent artist, Zhi collaborated with renowned Chinese film directors such as Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang and Lu Chuan. He trained at the Beijing Dance Academy (BA, 2008) and the University of Roehampton (MA, 2017), before joining the Beijing Modern Dance Company in 2008 and becoming an independent artist in 2012. He has received several awards and grants, including British Academy ECRN Seed Funding (2024), the Vice-Chancellor’s Prize at Brunel University London (2019), and recognition as Excellent Director by the Summer Olympic Games Committee (2014).