Dr

Zhi Xu

Personal statement

Zhi Xu is a choreographer, dancer, researcher and Senior Lecturer in Dance at Bath Spa University, teaching on the BA Dance and MA Dance courses amongst others. He completed a PhD focusing on dance technology and cultural identity at Brunel University London in 2021. As a choreographer and dancer, he has created more than 20 works touring worldwide in China, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada, Belgium and Malaysia. He joined Beijing Modern Dance Company in 2008 and became an independent artist in 2012.

His works include digital performance, dance theatre, site-specific dance, exhibition-performance and large-scale projects, including Unexpected Bodies (2020), Mourning for a dead moon (2019), X-Body (2018) and Chasing the Dream (2014). He joined one of China's most prestigious events as an independent director at the Summer Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in 2014. His creation X-Body has been chosen to be performed at The Place, London in Resolution 2019.

Prior to joining the Dance Department at Bath Spa University in 2022, Zhi was a Guest Lecturer in the Dance Department at the University of Roehampton and a Visiting Lecturer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London.

Zhi has been awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Prize for Doctoral Research at Brunel University London in 2021, the Prize for Most Promising Researcher at the University of Roehampton in 2017 and the Excellent Director by the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games Committee in 2014.

Academic qualifications

• PGCHE, Bath Spa University, 2024
• PhD Dance and Technology, Brunel University London, 2021
• MA Dance Philosophy and History, University of Roehampton, 2017
• BA Choreography, Beijing Dance Academy, 2008

Professional qualifications

• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Personal Development for External Examiners, Advance HE

Professional memberships

• Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA)
• Dance Studies Association (DSA)
• Creative Practice and Embodied Knowledge

Other external roles

• External Examiner for MA Dance: Performance, London Contemporary Dance School, UAL (2024-present)
• Link Tutor for BA (Hons) Professional Dance, The Brighton Academy (2022-present)

Teaching specialism

• Choreography
• Contemporary Dance Technique
• Dance and Cultural Identity
• Dance and Interactive Technology
• Dance and Virtual Reality
• Dance and Motion Capture