Fang-Yi Sheu
Fang-Yi Sheu (Chinese: 許芳宜) (born 1971), a native of Taiwan now living in New York City, was the principal dancer of the Martha Graham Dance Company. She founded LAFA & Artists Dance Company with choreographer Bulareyaung Pagarlava in May 2007.
Sheu was born in Yilan County, an agricultural area in northeastern Taiwan. She received her BFA in dance from the National Institute of the Arts (now Taipei National University of the Arts) in Taipei, where she studied with Ross Parkes, a former Graham principal dancer. After her graduation, Sheu received a full scholarship from the National Endowment for Culture and Arts of Taiwan in 1994 and joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1995. She became a soloist with the company in 1997 and was promoted to principal dancer just two years later.
Sheu also danced with other dance companies, including Monte/Brown Dance Company, Buglisi/Foreman Dance and Shen-wei Dance Art. She was a principal dancer with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan from 1998 to 2003.
In 2005, Dancer Magazine listed Sheu in "On the verge in 2005, DM's 25 to watch" and featured her on the cover of that issue. Sheu also received the Order of Brilliant Star with Cravat from the President of Taiwan.
