Dance as Diplomacy: A Conversation with Beijing Dance Theater’s Yuanyuan Wang

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On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, in partnership with the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, will host “Dance as Diplomacy: A Conversation with Beijing Dance Theater’s Yuanyuan Wang.” The event will take place on the USC campus at the Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center (in the Large Performance Space) and will begin with a pre-panel coffee reception. The program brings together artists and cultural leaders to explore how dance can function as a powerful form of international exchange and communication.

The conversation will feature Yuanyuan Wang, co-founder and artistic director of the internationally acclaimed Beijing Dance Theater, in dialogue with Julia M. Ritter, dean of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, and Jennifer Bellah Maguire, chair of the Los Angeles Ballet. Together, the speakers will examine how artistic collaboration and performance transcend language and political boundaries, creating opportunities for cultural understanding and global engagement. The discussion will reflect on dance not only as an art form but also as a medium for diplomacy, storytelling, and cross-cultural dialogue.

Gathering leaders from international choreography, academic scholarship, and arts governance, the event will highlight the role of creative exchange in building cultural bridges. From global dance companies to universities and major cultural institutions, the panelists will discuss how movement and performance can foster empathy, deepen international relationships, and strengthen cultural ties across borders.

Yuanyuan Wang

Yuanyuan Wang is the co-founder and artistic director of the Beijing Dance Theater and an internationally acclaimed contemporary choreographer. A graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy and the California Institute of the Arts, she has created numerous works for leading companies around the world and has served as a resident or guest choreographer with institutions including the National Ballet of China, the Royal Danish Ballet, and the New York City Ballet. Her choreography has earned major international awards, and she has also contributed to the opening ceremonies of both the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Julia M. Ritter

Julia M. Ritter is the Dean of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and an award-winning dance artist, scholar, and educator. A three-time Fulbright Scholar, she is known for interdisciplinary research that connects dance, theater, and immersive performance. Ritter previously served as chair and artistic director of the Dance Department at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts and is the author of Tandem Dances: Choreographing Immersive Performance (Oxford University Press, 2021).

Jennifer Bellah Maguire

Jennifer Bellah Maguire is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Ballet and a founding board member of the company. A lifelong dancer who trained in classical ballet and performed with the Princeton Ballet Society and Oakland Ballet, she has been a key advocate for building a vibrant and diverse ballet community in Los Angeles. Professionally, she is a corporate partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and she also serves as a trustee of Otis College of Art and Design.

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