World-Renowned Dancer, Choreographer Joins Colorado State Faculty

Chung-Fu Chang, an internationally-renowned dancer and choreographer, recently joined Colorado State University’s faculty as assistant professor in the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance. Chang teaches modern dance and choreography, directs the Colorado State Dance Tour Company and acts as an adviser for the senior dance concerts.

"It is a pleasure to have Professor Chang join our department at Colorado State University," said Alana Minor, director of publicity for the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance. "His prestigious, world-renowned performances and choreography are perfect examples of our improving excellence as a school of art."

Born in Taiwan, Chang began his career in 1986 dancing professionally with the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan and the Kaohsiung Contemporary Dance Company for six years. After moving to the United States, Chang worked as a guest artist with the Nebraska Repertory Theatre, Dance Brazil and the National Ballet Company.  

Chang’s solo dance performances have been showcased throughout the United States, London and Taiwan, including the Around the Coyote Arts Festival in Chicago, the Food for Thought Dance Concert in Cleveland Public Theater and Riverside Theater in London. His work has been commissioned by the Ohio Ballet, Ballet Nouveau Colorado, the Dancing Wheels in Cleveland, Virginia Intermont College, the 2000 Young Asian-Pacific Choreographers’ Workshop, Danse Nova and Chung Hwa School of the Arts. In addition, he has been a choreographer-in-residence at The Yard in Martha’s Vineyard and a recipient of a Jerome Foundation Grant for choreography.

Chang received his master’s degree in dance from the University of California at Irvine, where he was the recipient of the Chancellor Fellowship, and his bachelor’s degree from The Boston Conservatory. He was awarded numerous scholarships including the Walter Terry Memorial Full Scholarship at Harvard University Summer Dance Center and a full scholarship for the Jacob’s Pillow Choreography Workshop.  

Additionally, Chang has taught at many festivals and educational institutes in the United States and Taiwan, including the OhioDance Festival and the Great Lakes region and Northeast region of the American College Dance Festival Association, or ACDFA. Chang’s teaching experience includes the University of Florida, Kent State University, Virginia Intermont College, Ohio University, University of Akron and the Kaohsiung Medical College, among others.   

Chang is the second full-time dance faculty member in the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance at Colorado State. The department has recently joined with the new School of the Arts and will soon be moving to the University Center for the Arts in the remodeled old Fort Collins High School.  

Chang will be performing at Colorado State’s Dance Concert at 8 p.m. on Nov. 14 and 15, and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 16, at Johnson Hall on the university’s main campus.

For additional information, call (970) 491-6330 or visit the Web at www.colostate.edu/Depts/Music/dance.html.

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