Press

  • "That commitment to whatever she’s dancing has made Cheng an artistic director’s dream, and a choreographer’s, too."

    — Oregon ArtsWatch

  • "musicality, technical skill, attention to detail, intelligence and heart"

    – Dance International Magazine

  • "embraces a theatrical sensuality and attack, with a crisp, technical precision"

    – The Dance Current

  • "innate ability to make simple theatrical devices heartbreaking"

    – Dance Magazine International

  • “Technically it’s a killer…Cheng became that creature of the forest, mischievous, seductive, flirtatious, manipulative, elusive… [she] danced compellingly and believably, using the muscles in her fingers, her wrists, her face, her beautiful neck, and her feet until she achieved that final stillness.”

    — Oregon ArtsWatch

  • "beloved by Portland audiences as a lyrical and dramatic dancer... Xuan shares her passion and support with everyone she touches."

    – En Face Magazine

  • "Cheng had gorgeous, prehensile feet, the way she could bend and articulate them made her pointe shoes look like gloves."

    — DanceLog NYC

  • "a tenacious dancer"

    — Pointe Magazine

  • “'[She is] really and truly invested, mind, body, and soul in learning and growing with every opportunity. … Every day. She sets a perfect example for the entire company—and is a total sweetheart at the same time.'”

    — Kevin Irving, former Artistic Director, Oregon Ballet Theatre (Oregon ArtsWatch)

  • "The opening night was strongly cast... Xuan Cheng, who has just joined the company this season... [was] expressive in the moonlit duet full of soaring lifts."

    — EJ Insight

  • "Cheng did not miss a step or beat during her turn as the fairy (Sylphide) and was cool and direct in her dancing from Act 1 through her tragic demise."

    — Critical Dance

Feature Articles

  • Wall Street Journal

    “Less Painful Ballet Shoes Are Here. Some Dancers Refuse to Use Them.”

  • Oregon ArtsWatch

    “After a beautiful last performance in the title role of La Sylphide, Xuan Cheng takes her final bow as Oregon Ballet Theatre's principal ballerina.”

  • Portland Tribune

    “given a nice opportunity with Hong Kong Ballet, to be a principal dancer and a ballet mistress, felt too good to pass up.”

  • Xuan Cheng and Taras Domitro rehearse Septime Webre’s “Romeo and Juliet” at Hong Kong Ballet. Photo by Jerry Qiu.

    Pointe Magazine

    “Xuan Cheng’s resumé is an impressive list of competitions, companies and roles. But beyond her laudable accomplishments is a tenacious dancer whose curiosity to see the world shaped a 22-year performance career that is, apparently, far from over.”

  • Photo by Jingzi Zhao

    En Face Magazine

    "beloved by Portland audiences as a lyrical and dramatic dancer... Xuan shares her passion and support with everyone she touches."

  • Photo by Jingzi Zhao

    Oregon ArtsWatch

    “A Portland ballet star moves on to Hong Kong”

  • Dance International Magazine

    “musicality, technical skill, attention to detail, intelligence and heart… characterize her performances in a wide swath of classical and contemporary ballets”

  • 1859: Oregon's Magazine

    “Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Xuan Cheng keeps raising the bar with hard work and training.”

  • Willamette Week

    “Outside of ballet, Xuan Cheng says her life is pretty boring…”

  • Portland Tribune

    “Ye Li and Xuan Cheng, accomplished dancers and married couple, teach next generation of dancers…”