Miaotian Sun

We are excited to announce the recipient of the 2025-2026 NEXT commission, Miaotian Sun.

Bio

Miaotian Sun holds a masters in Dance Education from NYU and further refined her artistry through Peridance NYC. With over 20 years of training in Chinese classical and folk dance, as well as contemporary dance, she has worked with XieXin Dance Theatre, Suzanne Dellal Center, and many NYC-based choreographers. In 2023, she secured second prize at the European Dance Arena Championships and performed as the only Asian dancer in "Apart/A Part" at the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre.

As a choreographer, she revels in breaking boundaries, blending various dance forms, with a distinct emphasis on infusing Chinese dance elements. Her works have been performed at the Making Moves Dance Festival in Jamaica Art Center, Steps Beyond Foundation/Choreography Lab, and Spark Theatre Festival, among other festivals.

Miaotian is also a seasoned educator, and is interested in teaching dance classes, including contemporary, Chinese classical, and/or Chinese folk dance.

The Work

Miaotian will create a work about Sanxingdui, a mysteriously abandoned Bronze age archaeological site located in modern Sichuan, China, which was recently discovered to hold highly unique artifacts suggesting a distinct civilization and worldview.

The story of the site will be told through the lens of the archaeologists as well as the ancient people who lived there, represented by dancers wearing replicas of the unearthed bronze masks. It will be told in 2-3 chapters, concluding with a spirit of harmonious discovery and acceptance between the modern and ancient peoples. Miaotian hopes the work will promote the importance of protecting cultural heritage and human history.