Rosa Mei

Rosa Mei has over 20 year experience in martial arts. She is a US gold and silver medalist, former member of the US wushu team and a black belt in aikido. She is the only female disciple of renowned traditional kung fu master Zhang Xinbin, specializing in Tongbei, based on the movements of a white gibbon. Uniquely suited for this project, Mei specializes in martial arts weapons work (single and double hand swords, spear, short and long staff) which will help in this time-lapse recreation since many of the historical women warriors carried axes and swords.Her company Cie 13 is known for its quirky, movement-based works in traditional and non-traditional theater settings –from an elevator factory in Antwerpen to a hockey stadium in Prague to the National Theater of Romania. Awarded a prestigious European Cultural Foundation Grant in 2005 and 2008, Mei’s work is supported by the Flemish Cultural Ministry of the City of Antwerpen and has been widely praised for its innovative direction and virtuostic performers. Recent collaborations include works with Turkish artists for the 0090 Festival, a new creation with the Beijing Modern Dance Co. for the 2010 Europalia Festival, and a Scandanavian tour of her martial arts ballet Havamal, sponsored by the Nordic Culture Fund.