In today’s increasingly multicultural New York City, dance functions not only as an artistic medium but also as a powerful vehicle for cultural expression. Among the many artists shaping the city’s dynamic cultural scene, Yuxi Liu stands out for her solid foundation in classical Chinese dance and her acute understanding of contemporary movement language. She has remained active on major cultural platforms and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished Chinese dancers working in the United States.
Yuxi Liu received her professional training at Beijing Normal University and previously served as a faculty member at the Modern College of Northwest University. She is currently a resident artist with Dance China NY, a company affiliated with the New York Chinese Cultural Center. In recent years, Liu has frequently appeared at high-profile cultural events across New York, consistently delivering performances of exceptional quality and helping expand the expressive reach of Chinese dance in international settings.
At the beginning of 2024, Liu returned to the main stage of the Times Square New Year’s Eve Countdown celebration. Representing the Sino-American Friendship Association, she has participated in this globally recognized event on multiple occasions. This year, she performed in the opening production titled Harmony of Wuliangye, a piece that blended traditional Chinese cultural elements such as ritual toasting, Sichuan Hua Dan opera, and lion dance. The performance reached a large international audience both in person and through global livestream. On this highly visible platform, Liu demonstrated precise physical control and a commanding stage presence rooted in Eastern aesthetics. Her performance presented the richness and depth of Chinese dance and received an enthusiastic response from the crowd. Through the live broadcast, her artistry further extended the visual language of Chinese culture to viewers around the world.
While her Times Square performance highlighted her role as a cultural ambassador in mainstream global contexts, her contributions to the HOME Project, jointly organized by the New York Chinese Cultural Center and the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), reflected her deeper engagement with contemporary artistic expression. In the 2022 and 2023 editions of the HOME Project, Liu created and performed in two distinct works. Knot, which she co-choreographed and performed, used the central image of entanglement to explore the emotional complexity of cross-cultural identity. The piece combined traditional Chinese dance techniques with contemporary movement vocabulary to reflect on memory, belonging, and transformation.
In the 2023 production Placeless Place, Liu was one of the lead dancers in a multidisciplinary performance that integrated dance, music, film, and visual installation. This work centered on the lived experiences of immigrant artists, addressing issues such as displacement, identity, and cultural integration. Liu’s emotionally resonant performance played a critical role in conveying the thematic depth of the piece. Her presence contributed significantly to the work’s artistic coherence and emotional power.
Beyond major productions and experimental projects, Liu also maintains an active presence in community cultural festivals and public art initiatives. At the 16th annual New York Dance Parade, she performed alongside the New York Chinese Cultural Center team. Their performance brought traditional Chinese dance into the heart of Manhattan as they moved through Broadway, engaging audiences with joyful rhythm and expressive movement. Despite challenging conditions, including intense heat, Liu delivered a performance marked by technical precision and vibrant stage energy. Her ability to connect with diverse audiences in nontraditional settings speaks to her versatility and professionalism.
From world-renowned stages to neighborhood festivals, from conventional theaters to city streets, Yuxi Liu brings a high level of artistic excellence and cultural sensitivity to every context. She is not simply a presenter of culture. She engages with it, interprets it, and gives it renewed life through her dance. Her work demonstrates that dance is not only an artistic discipline but also a deeply communicative cultural language. Yuxi Liu embodies that language with exceptional clarity, dedication, and expressive power.
