Michael Mao

During his junior and senior years at Princeton, Mao successfully petitioned for dance to be recognized[1] as deserving of academic credit.

Concurrent with his scholastic studies, Mao trained and performed as a professional dancer under the tutelage of Ted Shawn at Jacob's Pillow Dance, with Margaret Craske, Manolo Vargas, and Zena Rommett, and at the Martha Graham and Joffrey schools and the Cunningham studio.

[3] In 1986, having expanded the repertoire to include works from a wide array of choreographers - including dances from Armour, Charlip, Passloff, Waring, Trisha Brown, Hans van Manen,[4] Lotte Goslar and Carolyn Carlson - Mao relocated the company to New York City as Michael Mao Dance.

Following the establishment of his offices at New York City Center, Mao began choreographing work that spoke to the rich diversity of America.

Celebrated for its roots in the American modern dance tradition, Mao's work has been performed throughout the continental United States, in Alaska, Paris, Oslo, Stockholm, Edinburgh,[5] and most recently in Calabria and Fabriano, Italy.