Zhang Jigang

The year 2008 was a busy but fruitful one for Zhang Jigang, a well-known choreographer and art director. As assistant chief director, Zhang gave the order on August 8 to begin the countdown to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games from the chief podium. As executive chief director, he gave the command from the same location to begin the opening ceremony of the 2008 Paralympic Games on September 6. Burning Dance Moves, a dance performance directed by Zhang, debuted in early December 2008 and received wide acclaim. At the end of December 2008, the large-scale Peking Opera Red Cliff directed by Zhang was shown for 10 days in a row at the National Center for Performing Arts in Beijing.

Zhang burst onto the dance scene in 2005 when he choreographed the famous dance The Thousand-Handed Goddess of Mercy.