| Liu Yan | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 刘岩 (Simplified) 劉岩 (Traditional) |
| Born | June, 1982[1] |
| Residence | China |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Ethnicity | Han Chinese[1][2] |
| Citizenship | People's Republic of China |
| Alma mater | Beijing Dance Academy |
| Occupation | Dancer |
| Style | Classical |
| Parents | Liu Xueming (father)[3] Wang Xinlian (mother)[4] |
| Website | |
| http://blog.sina.com.cn/liuyan314[3] | |
Liu Yan is a classical Chinese dancer.[3] She has performed in many dance dramas and won many dance competitions in and outside China.[5]
As a child, Liu Yan had a passion for classical Chinese dance.[3] She started dancing when she was only 9 years old.[6] When she was 10 years old, she gained admission to the the middle school affiliated to the Beijing Dance Academy,[3] and entered when she was 11 years old.[7] She was enrolled at the Beijing Dance Academy at age 18,[6][3] and graduated in 2003.[8]
Liu Yan has performed in the 2007 CCTV New Year's Gala, alongside some of the nation's most famous people.[7] She has also won some of the nation's most prestigious awards for dance and drama.[7]
Liu Yan was chosen to be the lead dancer in the "Silk Road" segment at the Beijing 2008 Olympics opening ceremony.[7][5] Twelve days before the actual performance, on July 27,[7] she fell from a malfunctioning moving platform during an evening rehearsal at the Beijing National Stadium.[7][9] She was rushed to a local military hospital to undergo six hours of surgery.[7] Her accident resulted in nerve and spinal damage, paralyzing her lower body.[7]
In March 2010, Liu Yan established the Liu Yan Arts Special Fund, to help unfortunate childeren in poverty-stricken areas, orphans, and migrant workers' children with an art education.[8] She is giving classes at the Beijing Dance Academy[5] since March 2010.[6] Currently, she is pursuing a doctorate degree at the China Academy of Art.[6]