Lee Wei-chun, a performer celebrated across the Taiwan Strait as the "Dance Prince," is redefining cultural diplomacy through movement. Born in Kaohsiung and now active in Shanghai, Lee has spent over a decade creating collaborative dance projects that blend Chinese classical traditions, tai chi philosophy, and modern improvisation techniques.
"Art speaks where politics cannot," Lee told KhabarAsia in an exclusive interview. His cross-strait workshops – conducted in Taipei, Xiamen, and Hangzhou – train young dancers in both ballet fundamentals and traditional Chinese dance forms, fostering mutual appreciation among participants.
Recent productions like Silk Rhythms combine Fujianese glove puppetry with contemporary choreography, drawing sellout crowds in multiple cities. Cultural analysts note such initiatives have doubled cross-strait artistic collaborations since 2019, with 48% of participating institutions reporting strengthened people-to-people connections.
For Taiwan residents and mainland audiences alike, Lee's work offers a rare neutral space for cultural exchange. As border restrictions ease, his team plans a 10-city "Dance Dialogue" tour featuring joint productions by artists from the Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan.
