Intercultural Collaboration in the Context of China - Opportunities and Risks

This talk draws upon Farooq Chaudhry’s lived experiences as a British dance director and producer navigating the complexities of UK-China artistic collaboration.

Moving beyond policy, he shares first-hand accounts of working with celebrated Chinese artists, including Yang Liping, Shenzhen Dance Theatre and a particular focus on the disabled con-temporary poet Yu Xiuhua. The talk will explore the risks, challenges and opportunities when artistic worlds collide as they seek to express new languages forged in the liminal space. Ultimately, this talk reveals how shared creative purpose builds bridges of understanding, uncovering the human dynamics behind international exchange.

Farooq Chaudhry, a pioneering dance producer who has recently ventured into directing, has been a key figure in shaping British contemporary dance over the past three decades. Born in Pakistan and brought up in London, Chaudhry, a recipient of an Asian Achievement Award for dance, transitioned from a successful career as a professional dancer from 1986 to 1999 to further his passion for the arts by obtaining an MA in Arts Management from City University after his retirement. In the year 2000, he teamed up with choreographer Akram Khan and co-founded the Akram Khan Company. Chaudhry has also been a driving force in nurturing a new vanguard of talents like the British Cameroonian choreographer Dickson Mbi, Indian Kathak artist Aditi Mangaldas and ethnic Chinese dancer Maya Jilan Dong, guiding them to prestigious awards and nominations. In 2024, he assumed the role of International Strategy Consultant for the promising Chinese sensation Li Xing, further cementing his influence in the international arts community.

Chaudhry's extensive contributions were recognized through honorary doctorates from De Montfort University in 2014 and Goldsmiths University in 2023. In 2019, he was awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours for his services to Dance. In 2021, Farooq Chaudhry founded Fengling Productions, drawing inspiration from a profound curiosity with Chinese and East Asian artists, stories and aesthetics. In January 2026, Chaudhry was appointed as the International Artistic Director of Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre (dance) and in the same month was invited by the British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to join him alongside a delegation of top cultural and business leaders on a trade mission to China to explore a strategic partnership between the two countries.