A member of the Bai ethnic minority in Yunnan, Yang Yuntao was a graduate of the Minzu University of China’s Faculty of Dance. A former member of the Guangdong Modern Dance Company and the Beijing Modern Dance Company, he won the Bronze Prize at the inaugural Central Modern Dance Competition and the Gold Prize and Outstanding Male Performer at the 2nd National Lotus Awards Competition for his performance as principal dancer in Ma and Le Visiting the Sky. Later at the 6th China Arts Festival, he received the Outstanding Performance Award. He also won the Gold Award in Solo Dance in South of the Cloud at the 7th National Dance Competition for Ethnic Minorities.Yang joined the Hong Kong Dance Company in 2002 as Principal Dancer. A year later, he received the Hong Kong Dance Award from the Hong Kong Dance Alliance for his performance in Water Margin and The Song of the Earth. He joined the City Contemporary Dance Company in 2005, winning the Hong Kong Dance Award the following year for his performance in The Conqueror. Yang returned to the Hong Kong Dance Company in 2007 as Assistant Artistic Director and received the Award for Best Artist (Dance) at the 2009 Hong Kong Arts Development Awards, Outstanding Achievement in Production for his choreography Spring Ritual．Eulogy at the 2013 Hong Kong Dance Awards, and Outstanding Production and Outstanding Ensemble Performance for The Legend of Mulan at the 2014 Hong Kong Dance Awards. Most recently, Storm Clouds was awarded Outstanding Achievement in Production at the 2015 Hong Kong Dance Awards. Yang has choreographed for the Guangdong Modern Dance Company, Beijing Modern Dance Company and City Contemporary Dance Company. His works for the Hong Kong Dance Company include Border Town, The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Everlasting Love, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Joseph Koo’s Classic Melodies, Spring Ritual, Eulogy, The Legend of Mulan, The Butterfly Lovers and Storm Clouds.
Acknowledgement: Hong Kong Dance Company