Lin Mei-hong

Lin Mei-hong (born 1959) is a Taiwanese choreographer. Lin began dancing with the Lanyang Dance Troupe in Taiwan, then moved to Italy and Germany for further training. She has spent the majority of her career in Europe, with the Ballet in Plauen, Theater Dortmund, and Staatstheater Darmstadt. Between 2013 and 2022, Lin was artistic director for the ballet of the Austrian Landestheater Linz.

Lin has produced adaptations of The House of Bernarda Alba, Macbeth, and Carmina Burana, among others. She has also choreographed Die Brautschminkerin, which was nominated for a Der Faust award in 2011.

Life and career Lin was born in Luodong, Yilan County, Taiwan, in 1959. As children, the four Lin sisters took ballet and piano classes. and joined the troupe itself around the age of 10. Aged 16, she pursued further study at the National Dance Academy, Near the end of her time in Italy, Lin attended a performance by the Tanztheater Wuppertal, led by Pina Bausch. Lin began as director in 1991 of the . While affiliated with Staatstheater Darmstadt, Lin was also director of Lanyang Dance Troupe. In 2013, Lin began work as artistic director of TANZLIN.Z, of the Landestheater Linz in Austria. While at the Landestheater Linz, she has worked with Taiwan-based artists, such as the Romanian choreographer Constantin Georgescu. Lin was placed on paid leave from the Landestheater Linz in September 2021 and eventually terminated in February 2022. She was replaced by .

Works Lin choreographed Kavalan Princess by Taiwanese playwright Yu Yuan-keng in 1999. Lin's original works, such as Violett, Lila, PurPur, have also been performed by Staatstheater Darmstadt. The 2010 performance of a second original work Schwanengesang (Swan Song) during the Taiwan International Festival, was the first time Lin had staged a dance in Taiwan since starting her career in Europe. In 2011, Lin premiered Die Brautschminkerin (Bridal Makeup), based on Li Ang's Rouged Sacrifice, Lin returned to Taiwan in 2019 to perform Die Brautschminkerin. Writing for the Taipei Times in 2019, Diane Baker observed that full-length contemporary ballet performances were rarely staged in Taiwan, naming Taiwan natives Allen Yu and Lin, as well as Ballet Preljocaj, Hong Kong Ballet, and Ballet am Rhein in the full list of performers.

Personal life Lin is married to theatre manager Bernhard Helmich.