On Friday, the esteemed ballet company New York City Ballet announced that Chun Wai Chan had been promoted to the acclaimed rank of principal dancer, the first dancer of Chinese descent to do so.
This news means Chan has achieved the highest rank within the ballet company.
“Omg, pinch me!!!” wrote Chan in an Instagram post that garnered over 9,000 likes in 1 day. “I could not be more humbled and honored to be the first Chinese Principal.”
He pointed out the significance of the date, 5/20 or May 20th, which means “I love you” in Chinese. He signed off with the Chinese characters for the same phrase.
New York City Ballet made the announcement in a tweet congratulating him.
Join us in congratulating @chunwaichan, who was promoted to the rank of principal dancer, and David Gabriel and McKenzie Soares, who were promoted to the corps de ballet today.
— nycballet (@nycballet) May 20, 2022
According to the company biography, Chan was born in Guangdong, China and trained at an art school in China. He was previously a dancer for Houston Ballet and rose to the level of a principal dancer there as well. He joined NYC Ballet in August 2021. Broadway World adds that Chan was featured in Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2016 and Pointe Magazine’s “Standouts of 2017.”
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