Biography Hua Hua Zhang graduated from Beijing Art Academy where she studied as a performer in the classical art of Chinese puppetry. She worked in the China Puppet Arts Troupe and received many awards from the Ministry of Culture of The People’s Republic of China for excellence in performance. In 1996, Hua Hua enrolled as a student in the Puppet Art Program of School of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut and has received an MFA degree in Puppet Arts from the school. She also received the University of Connecticut Fine Arts Award for Excellence in 2000. Hua Hua formed her company, Visual Expressions. It has been attracted many people from theatre, dance, visual art and music. Her gift in design, sculpture and performance and her experience in both Eastern and Western art and culture make her work unique. Her original artwork includes the stage productions: Two Hands, Monkey King & the Adventure of the Golden Bells, Butterfly Dreams, Reflections, East Meets West’s Part I and Part II and The Bell. These works have been performed throughout America and in international Festivals. Hua Hua also designed for a national U.S. television program, Between the Lions for “Sad Dad” story. She has received Individual Creative Artist Fellowship from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts 2003. From early 2000 to the present, Hua Hua joined Tan Dun in his multimedia opera, The Gate. Hua Hua has discovered the essence of the character, Koharu, by combining eastern and western ideas with many of her own notions, and by using her abilities in design, sculpture and performance to create the puppet representing the Japanese character of Koharu. Bio_&_Resume_files/HH%20Bio%202010%20doc.


Resume 


Education


University of Connecticut, Master of Fine Arts Degree, Puppet Arts, 2000.


Haidien Language Institute, Study of the English language, 1990.


Beijing Art Academy, Training in puppetry, voice, dance, drama and Beijing-Opera, 1972 -74.


Awards


• Individual Creative Artist Fellowship  Pennsylvania Council on the Arts 2003


• Special Dramatic Arts Award for Excellence, University of Connecticut, 2000.


• Frank Ballard/UConn League Award, University of Connecticut, 1999.


• Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry Award, University of Connecticut, 1998.


  1. •Jim Henson Memorial Prize in Puppetry, University of Connecticut, 1997.


  1. •University of Connecticut School of Fine Arts Medal for distinguished contribution to the


advancement of the arts presented in recognition of her work as a puppet master, actor, director and writer, 1994.


  1. •Beijing City Cultural Bureau Award for Best Writer/Director of a new production and award for Best

Performance for her portrayal of the dancing woman in a puppet review, The Happy Party, in China 1994.


  1. •Beijing City Cultural Bureau Award for Best Performance in her portrayal of the title character in Zhong Kuei, in

China 1994


• Chinese Ministry of Culture National Award for Best Director for The Fox and the Grapes, in China 1992.



• Chinese Ministry of Culture National Award for portrayal of the mouse in Chinese traditional fable, The Cat and the Mouse Get Married, in China 1992.



Professional Experience


       • Collaboration with Kun Yong Lin Dancers  for their project “ Renard” Igor Stravinsky for Kimmel Center Performing Art Festival 2011 - Masks Designer and Sculptor. April, 2011.


      • Collaboration with Kun Yong Lin Dancers  for their project “Mandala ”, - Visual Artist . Create  Paper-Sculpture for the First scene  - “The Earth”,  February, 20l1.



      • “Monkey King & the Adventure of the Golden Bells”, Visual Expressions - Artistic Director, Shadow Mask designer and Scenery Designer, August, 2010.



       • “East Meets West II -  the journey continues ”, Visual Expressions - Conceptual Artist, Puppet Designer, Sculptor and Performer. March, 2008.


• “Chinese Dragon Story”  Shadow Mask Theater production for Artist in Education

          Residency at schools – Co-Writer, Instructor and Director 2006


• “Monkey King First Adventure” – Shadow Mask Theater production for Artist in Education Residency for Schools  - Co-Writer, Instructor and Director 2005


• “Reflections” Multi-Theater production -  Conceptual Artist,  Puppet Designer, Sculptor, Choreographer      and     Performer, 2005.


• “Chinese Puppet Performance”,  Chinese Puppet performance Class at University of Connecticut  -  Guest Artist 2005 


• “Chinese Dragon” “Chinese Calligrapher” Lecture/Demonstration of China’s Folk art and Chinese Calligrapher for Artist in Education Residency – instructor 2004


• “Butterfly Dreams”, Multi-Theater production- Conceptual Artist, Puppet Designer, Sculptor, Choreographer  and Performer, 2001.


• “East Meets West”, Visual Expressions - Conceptual Artist, Puppet Designer, Sculptor and Performer, 2001.


• “The Gate”, Multimedia and Multiculture Orchestral Theater. Collaboration with creator and composer Tan Dun’s Orchestral Theatre IV  - Puppet Designer, Sculptor, Choreographer and Performer, 2001 to present.

It performed in many countries including the U.S.A. Belgium, China, France, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Brazil, England, Portugal, Spain, Singapore and Taiwan. The Gate was recorded on CD and DVD with the Flemish Radio Orchestra in Belgium.

• “Playing with Klee”, Ming Ri Theatre, Hong Kong - Puppet Designer, Builder and Performer, 2001.


• “Sad Dad”, Between the Lions, PBS - Puppet Designer, Builder and Performer, 2000.


• “The Bell”, University of Connecticut - Conceptual Artist and Designer, 2000.


• Confratute, University of Connecticut, Conference for Teachers of the Talented and Gifted - Master Class Leader, 2000.


• Teacher’s Institute in Puppetry, Master Classes in Puppetry for Teachers - Co-Leader, 1999 & 2000.


• International Festival of Puppet Arts, O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, CT, presenting performance companies from France, Germany, Israel and Spain - Co-Producer, 1999.


• “The Eight Immortals”, Puppet production. University of Connecticut - Assistant Director and Cultural Consultant, 1999.


• National Puppetry Conference, Waterford, CT - Emerging Artist Project, “The Bell”, 1999.


• International Summer Academy of String Puppetry, Taught by Albrecht Roser (Germany), Storrs, CT - Assistant of the Guest Artist, 1998, 1999 & 2000.


• Mentor Connection, University of Connecticut - Mentor for High School Students, 1998, 1999 & 2000.


• “IBM GOLDEN CIRCLE”, IBM, Kapalua, HI, Lead Builder, 1998.


• National Puppetry Conference, Waterford, CT - Creative Consultant, 1998 & 2000.


• University of Connecticut - Instructor of traditional Chinese Rod Puppet Performance, 1997 & 1998.


• Barclay School, Towanda, PA - Puppetry Consultant, 1997 - 1999.


• “Visit from the Footbinder”, Lincoln Center, NY - Production Consultant, 1997.


• University of Connecticut - Guest Lecturer on Traditional Chinese Puppetry in schools, libraries, universities and arts organizations throughout New England, 1996 - present.


• Good Friends Cultural Development Center. Beijing, Co-founder. This enterprise offered puppet performances, puppet design, manufacture and sales, 1995 - 1997.


• Morley Productions, New London, CT, Production Planner and Puppet Performer, The Adventures of Hua Hua & Morley, Chinese-American joint venture television production, 1994.


• Northeast Regional Festival of The Puppeteers of America, Storrs, CT,  Special Guest and Featured Performer, 1994.


• Beijing Amusement Park, Artistic Advisor - wrote, directed and produced puppet shows performed daily from April through October, 1990-96.


• Beijing Normal University, Consultant and Performer for Learn Chinese. a Chinese language instructional production, 1982-83.


• China Puppet Arts Troupe, Performer and Director, 1974-95. National and international performance tours, show development, performer training, international liaison, public relations, booking agent.


- Stage Production:


I Love Beijing, 1975; A Red Flower on the Grassland, 1976; The Treasure Board, 1978; The Monster, 1989; Zhu Ba Jie Piggybacks a Young Beauty, 1980; A Red Boy, 1981; Dragon Knife, 1983; The Crane and the Tortoise, 1984; The Lion Dance, 1986; The Wedding Festivities in the Bridal Chamber, 1991; The Monkey King, 1992; The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, 1985.


- Television Production:


China Central Television, Consultant, children's programs, 1986-96.


China Central Television, Puppet Performer, Land Demon and Sea Monster, a 30-episode children's series, 1994.


China Central Television Producer and Director, The Mineral Water Kettle, commercial, 1993.




Hua Hua Zhang also works in the Education field. She has been invited, as guest artist, to teach Chinese Puppet performance at the University of Connecticut and Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers. She has also been invited by numerous high schools, middle schools and elementary schools in the United States to design programs for puppet arts in the classroom. Her programs involve creativity and imagination that make her well known in the field of education and beloved by teachers and students.