Thang Dao is an acclaimed choreographer and educator based between Los Angeles and New York City. He earned his MFA from Hollins University (’21) and an MA from New York University (’09), with formal dance training at The Juilliard School and Boston Conservatory (BFA ’01).
Dao has crafted original works for leading companies, including Sacramento Ballet, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Ballet Austin, BalletX, Ailey II, Philadanco, St. Louis Dance Theatre, and ballet22, among others. His choreography has been featured at renowned institutions such as Jacob’s Pillow and Taiwan National University of the Arts, and presented at universities across the U.S., including the University of Arizona and Boston Conservatory. His works have been performed internationally, across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, and received widespread critical acclaim.
A dedicated educator, Dao has taught masterclasses for dance departments worldwide. His teaching portfolio includes The Juilliard School, Boston Conservatory, University of Arizona, Barnard College, UC Los Angeles, UC Irvine, Oklahoma University, University of Texas at Austin, COCA, Taiwan National University of the Arts, Tsoying High School for the Arts, Orange County High School for the Arts, and Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.
He is recognized for his distinctive style and thought-provoking works, with notable accolades such as the Audience Choice Award for Stepping Ground at Ballet Austin’s 1st Biannual New American Dance Talent competition, where it won four consecutive nights. Dao is also a recipient of the 2008 Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship, the 2009 Special Project Grant, and a 2012 Vilcek Prize finalist for Creative Promise in Choreography. His work Waiting Womenwas highlighted at the NYCDAF Gala: Destiny Rising at the Joyce Theater, and he was a key creative contributor to the James Brown Project: Get on the Good Foot at the Apollo Theater. In 2017, he secured 1st Prize for his choreography at the DAP Festival in Pietrasanta, Italy.
Most recently, Dao was honored with the 2022 #launchPAD residency from Works & Process at the Guggenheim, where he developed movement research for his commission with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. He continues to expand his artistic portfolio with upcoming commissions for Sacramento Ballet and Ballet Arkansas.