Li Lei, Ph.D.
Dr. Li Lei received her Ph.D. degree in Dance and Dance Education with an emphasis in Dance Teaching and Administration in Higher Education from New York University in 1999 and M.A. degree in Dance from Brigham Young University in 1994. Dr. Lei is a professor emeritus at Utah Tech University (formerly known as Dixie State University). She was a tenured professor at Utah Tech University and taught dance theory, technique, composition, and performance courses. She was the Director of Dance Department at Utah Tech University from 2000 to 2018. Under her leadership, the Dance Department established and implemented degree programs of BA/BS in Integrated Studies – Dance Emphasis, BA/BS in Dance, and Minor in Dance. Dr. Lei founded the Dixie State Dance Company in 2001 and remained its Artistic Director for 17 years.
Under the invitations from Dickinson College (Dr. Kenneth Laws) and Brigham Young University, Dr. Lei came to the United States in 1991 as a visiting scholar to give lectures and conduct workshops on Physics of Dance. Before coming to the United States, Dr. Lei taught physics at a university in China for nine years. She was also a professional dancer for eight and a half years in China, for five years as a principal dancer, performing ballet as well as Chinese traditional and ethnic dances. She is one of the few people in the world having extensive professional experience in both dance and physics, and still making significant contributions in the application of physical laws and principles to dance teaching and learning. Her articles on Physics of Dance were published in American dance research publications. Her Ph.D. dissertation title is The Relevance of Newton’s Laws and Selected Principles of Physics to Dance Techniques: Theory and Application (Copyright © 1999 Li Lei). Dr. Lei has taught workshops and seminars on scientific teaching methodology to dance educators and students at universities, as well as given presentations at international conferences and universities worldwide.