Li Hengda, founder of the American Asian Performing Arts Theatre and Hengda Dance Academy. Provided to China Daily

For his work creating a style that "fuses Chinese and Western dance to form a unique dance style", Li was honored by Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn with the 2012 Mayor's Arts Award, one of 10 picked from a field of more than 500.

In 1995 Li founded the American Asian Performing Arts Theatre (AAPAT). Since then, he has devoted his time to developing the non-profit organization to achieve its goal of promoting Chinese arts and culture in the US.

He is actively working to bring more Chinese dancers and performing artists to the United States.

"We work with top Chinese dancers and performers and have brought one dance show to the US," Li said.

Li has choreographed more than 20 dance works and directed 25 large-scale professional performances, involving local and international Chinese performers, including the Sichuan Earthquake Relief Performance in 2008.

In 2013 he worked aschoreographer,writer and directoronThe Dream of the Golden Clown,a project with the China National Acrobatics Troupe,and successfully staged the show atSeattle's McCaw Hall.

This production premiered in China in March 2013 was called "a visually stunning modern acrobatic spectacular" by critics and a significant milestone in Chinese acrobatic performance.

"I had the pleasure of working with the China National Acrobatic Troupe in 2009," Li said. "For the first time ever in my life, I had a chance to get up close and personal with some of the best acrobats in the world. I learned that behind their success, there were many untold bitter and sweet stories."

"Four years after our first encounter, inspired by those actors and actresses at CNAT, I am glad I can finally bring their heart-touching stories to the stage and share them with audiences," Li said.

Last year just before the Chinese New Year, PANDA!, a first-ever Chinese show led by acclaimed Chinese director An Zhao, took up residency in Las Vegas. Li worked as executive director for the production by 47 world-class performers combining high-flying acrobatics, martial arts, music and dance.

The show will take up the Cirque du Soleil slot for an open-ended run, changing its content every six months to a year based on audience response, according to Keith Salwoski, executive director of public relations at the Venetian and the Palazzo.

"There is still plenty of room for improvement within the creative expression aspects of Chinese acrobats and martial arts," Li said. "We tried to put in a lot of Western cultural concepts so audiences from both the East and West can enjoy it."

Li said his dream is to revive the traditional Chinese acrobatics art form and take it to the next level - an artistically vibrant future.

lindadeng@chinadailyusa.com