EARLY TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Classical foundation.
International artistry.
Born in Chengdu, China, Mi Deng began her journey in ballet at the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy, where she received rigorous professional training and graduated with distinction. At the age of 16, she joined the National Ballet of China, beginning her professional career at one of Asia’s leading ballet companies. Her exceptional talent and artistry soon earned her promotion to Soloist.
Mi’s artistic journey expanded beyond China as she embarked on an international performing career. She joined Tulsa Ballet in the United States as a Principal Dancer, and later became a Principal Dancer with La La La Human Steps in Montreal, further expanding her artistic range through the company’s distinctive contemporary movement language.
Her career then brought her to Monaco, where she became a Principal Dancer with Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo. This marked an important chapter in her artistic development, allowing her to work at the highest international level while exploring an extensive repertoire that bridged classical ballet and contemporary dance.
REPERTOIRE & INTERNATIONAL STAGES
From the classics
to contemporary creation.
Throughout her performing career, Mi brought to life a diverse repertoire including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Faust, The Nutcracker, Cinderella, La Bayadère, Le Corsaire, and many other classical and contemporary works.
Her career took her to some of the world’s most celebrated stages, including the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, and the historic Opéra de Monte-Carlo, captivating audiences throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.
Mi had the privilege of working with an exceptional range of internationally renowned choreographers, including Jean-Christophe Maillot, Jiří Kylián, Hans van Manen, Roland Petit, Édouard Lock, Edward Clug, William Forsythe, and many others. These experiences shaped her distinctive artistic perspective—one that combines the discipline and precision of classical ballet with musicality, individuality, contemporary expression, and theatrical presence.
AWARDS & CREATIVE WORK
Recognition
beyond the stage.
Mi was awarded Third Prize at the 2nd Shanghai International Ballet Competition. Her distinctive presence and artistry also led to appearances in notable commercial and creative productions, including Cartier’s Tank watch campaign, as well as productions associated with Cirque du Soleil and Reebok.
FROM ARTIST TO MENTOR
Developing dancers
one artist at a time.
Following her international performing career, Mi embraced a new chapter as Artistic Director of Mi Ballet School, dedicating her experience and artistic knowledge to mentoring the next generation of dancers.
She is also a Registered Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), United Kingdom, one of the world’s leading organizations in dance education and training. Drawing upon decades of professional experience, Mi has developed her own highly individualized approach to ballet education, emphasizing technical precision, musicality, artistry, stage presence, and the unique potential of each dancer. Her teaching experience has also extended to respected institutions including Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and Mount Royal Ballet Academy.
MI BALLET PROFESSIONAL COACHING
Focused training.
Individual potential.
Mi later established Mi Ballet Professional Coaching in Vancouver, Canada, focusing specifically on high-level individualized ballet training, pre-professional development, and competition coaching.
Drawing upon her extensive international stage experience, Mi works closely with each dancer to develop classical technique, artistry, musicality, repertoire, stage presence, confidence, and competition performance. Rather than applying a single training formula to every student, her coaching is shaped around the individual dancer—their strengths, challenges, artistic identity, and long-term potential.
Under Mi’s coaching, students have achieved outstanding results at major international ballet competitions, including Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), Universal Ballet Competition (UBC), and ADC|IBC, earning honors including 1st Place in Classical Ballet, 1st Place in Small Ensemble, 2nd and 3rd Place in Contemporary, Top 12 distinctions, finalist placements, and international scholarship opportunities.
At YAGP, 100% of Mi Ballet students entered under Mi’s coaching have received awards, and 100% have been invited to the YAGP Finals, reflecting both the consistency of her training and her highly individualized approach to competition preparation.
Through this work, Mi has developed a coaching philosophy that goes beyond preparing dancers for a single competition. Her goal is to help each dancer develop the technical foundation, artistic maturity, confidence, and individuality necessary to grow into a complete artist.
A NEW CHAPTER IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Vancouver
to Aliso Viejo.
Mi Ballet Professional Coaching has now expanded from Vancouver to Southern California, establishing its new studio in Aliso Viejo. This new home represents the next chapter of Mi’s commitment to providing focused, high-level ballet training and competition coaching in an intimate and professional environment.
With an emphasis on individual development, artistry, technical precision, and stage experience, Mi continues to guide young dancers toward international competitions, professional training opportunities, and their highest artistic potential.