Fang-Yu
Shen

Fang-Yu Shen is a Taiwan-born, Germany-based choreographer and dance artist whose work unfolds across theatre, music, and site-responsive performance contexts.

She received her formal dance training in Taiwan before continuing her studies at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, where she developed a distinct choreographic language that bridges Eastern sensibilities with the physical and individual-oriented approach of the Folkwang tradition. She graduated with a Master's degree in Choreography in 2011.

Her early works were recognized in several international choreography competitions, and she was invited to work as an in-house choreographer with Scapino Ballet Rotterdam. During this period, she created stage works that combined precise physicality with a subtle sense of humor, including Rotkammertraum, inspired by the classical Chinese novel "Dream of the Red Chamber."

In recent years, Shen has expanded her practice beyond traditional theatre settings. She has collaborated with the Düsseldorf-based underground rock band Amour Vache, developing performances that integrate live music and choreographic structures. She has also worked with Romanian artist Alexandra Pirici in the context of museums and festivals, engaging in performative formats that question the boundaries between choreography, presence, and visual art.

Alongside her artistic work, Shen has developed a long-term engagement with dance education in diverse social contexts, including work with children and people with disabilities. This experience has deeply influenced her artistic perspective. Rather than approaching dance as a fixed technique, she understands it as a way of perceiving and articulating the body—one that can be accessed by individuals with different backgrounds and abilities.