He was twice awarded the “Best Dancer” title. Upon graduation from China’s most prestigious dance institution—Beijing Dance Adacemy * in 1984, he joined the faculty of the Academy as lecturer and choreographer. His work includes modern, classical and regional folk styles. These works garnered many awards in dance competitions, among them The Prince and the Goddess is featured in CPAA's 2003 Chinese Performing Arts Festival.

In 1992, Mr. Yao’s choreographic work for the tremendously popular TheatreWorks production of M. Butterfly won high acclaims. He was awarded a choreography fellowship by the Arts Council of Santa Clara County in 1993. He has also taught a number of master classes on Chinese dance at DeAnza College and San Jose Dance Theatre. In 1994, Mr. Yao’s Yellow River Suite won the Gold Award when it was voted one of the “Masterpieces of the 20th Century” by six authoritative arts organizations, with the approval of the Ministry of Culture of China.

　 For CPAA’s Tenth Anniversary in 2001, Mr. Yao created the energizing Pageant of Drums , which breaks new ground in the unity of dance and drumming. Mr. Yao is listed in Who’s Who of Contemporary China .

　Mr. Yao is currently working on the choreography of a new 4-act dance drama Middle Kingdom—Ancient China , a collaboration of CPAA and Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley (BSJSV), due to premiere in February, 2005.

　* Beijing Dance Academy *北京舞蹈学院 -- The most prestigious performing arts organization in China and the dance institute known as “the cradle of China’s dance artists.” The Academy is a college level institution of higher education, offering majors including dance performance, dance education (history and instruction) as well as production. It also has an adjunct dance school that has been offering 5-year formal dance training since the 1950s.

　Mr Yao heads YaoYong Dance, CPAA's dance academy in San Jose.