Ding Hong 丁红
Artistic Director
As a dance artiste, Ding Hong has been awarded Merit Citation Class 1 by the Chinese Government (equivalent to Professor Grade). She is currently the Artistic Director cum Choreographer of NUS Chinese Dance, the Artistic Director of Hong Lei Cultural & Performing Arts International Pte Ltd, as well as dance instructor in a number of schools.
In 1988, she was awarded the Excellent Performance Prize at the 2nd “Peach & Pear Cup” Dance Competition, and the China Youth Dancer New Work Performance Prize. In 1990, Ding Hong was awarded the Excellent Performance Prize in the Literary & Arts Collection of Works in conjunction with the 40th Anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.
She had represented China in cultural and arts exchange and performed overseas in Russia, Eastern Europe, France, U.S.A, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, etc. In 1994, the dance achievements of hers and her husband, Zhou Lei, were featured in a documentary in China’s CCTV.
After her arrival to Singapore in 1995, she choreographed for and performed in many local arts festivals, dance festivals, Asean dance festivals, National Day celebrations and Chingay processions. She also represented Singapore in arts festivals in Thailand, Macau, Japan and Switzerland, etc.
Her choreographic works include the opening item in the 1999 Renci Hospital charity show, the Singapore Buddhist Association’s 1999 Vesak Day musical, as well as a number of Chinese classical, Chinese ethnic, and Chinese contemporary dance pieces. She also choreographed dance dramas “The Night Banquet” and “Cold Nights”.
From 1999 to present, her schools entries for the Singapore Youth Festival Dance Competitions organized by the Ministry of Education have received many awards, including Gold with Honours and Gold, and were selected to perform on Opening and Closing Nights of the Festivals. At the 1st National Chinese Dance Competition, her choreographic piece for Commonwealth Secondary School obtained a 1st Class Award. The School’s participation in the Hong Kong Chinese Dance Competition also earned them a 1st Class Award.
Ding Hong was formerly a lecturer in the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Professional Dance Faculty for the Chinese Classical Dance module. Since 1998, she has been the Artistic Advisor and instructor of the Theatre Arts Troupe, and he has choreographed a number of dance pieces for the Troupe’s “Dances of the Orient” concert series.
Ding Hong was formerly the Artistic Director cum Choreographer of NUS Chinese Dance Group, where she choreographed and co-created a number of dance pieces and full-length productions for the Group, including the “Rhythm of Life” concert series. These received rave reviews and wide acclaims. She had led the university group and secondary schools for overseas exchange and performances, to countries like Switzerland, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Macau and Australia, etc.
In 2012, she led the NUS Chinese Dance Group to participate in the 10th “Peach & Pear Cup” Dance Competition in the professional dance institutions category, and the Group obtained a 3rd Class Award. At the same time, Ding Hong was awarded the “Gardener Award” for the results of her nurturing efforts towards the Group.
In the same year, she was invited by the National Arts Council to choreograph a pas de deux, “Plum Romance” for the concert, “A Celebration of Chinese Dance”. The NUS Chinese Dance also participated in this concert. In 2016, NUS Chinese Dance collaborated with Beijing Dance Academy Youth Dance Company and produced NUS Arts Festival 2016’s opening show, Space. Time. Mind, with Mdm Ding Hong as the choreographer and artistic director.
Co-founded Honglei Dance Arts School with Mr. Zhou Lei in 2018 and nurtured a group of students passionate about Chinese dance. In 2019, founded the "Singapore Vanda International Arts Festival and Dance Competition" and served as the Chairperson of the Festival Organizing Committee.
She was the Principal Female Lead in three dance-dramas, including “The Mermaid” which received rave reviews and wide national media coverage, and was invited to meet Chairman Jiang Zheming and other top officials at the People’s Conference Hall. She also danced a number of lead and principal roles in renowned repertoire, including “The Great Wall”, “Butterfly Lovers”, “Farewell to My Concubine” and the 20th Century masterpiece “Yellow River”, etc.
