Welcome to Dancing in America. This website gives insights on Chinese dance culture being incorporated into the American dance culture. Taking a look into the life of, Yanlai Wu, a world-acclaimed professional dancer who was hand-picked to attend the most prestigious dance academy in all of China. Ms. Wu studied ballet under masters of the renowned Bolshoi Ballet, and she went on to perform and choreograph throughout the globe. Ms. Wu began teaching in the United States in 2003 at the Mitsi Dancing School in Houston, whose students were recent participants on America’s Got Talent. Moving to Pittsburgh a year later, Ms. Wu founded her own dance academy—Oriental Star Dance School. One of the first instructors to join Ms. Wu was Ying Li, a former classmate at Beijing Dance Academy who was a celebrated prima ballerina with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. Ying Li has since returned to China. Ms. Wu changed the name of the school to Yanlai Dance Academy when she expanded the dance curriculum. Ms. Wu continues to offer students her support and encouragement as she leads them through the artistic world and beauty of many dance forms.

Photo credit: Yanlai Dance Academy