Teachers
About the Teachers
We have an excellent teacher to child ratio at our Kindergarten to ensure that each child receives the attention he or she needs
Lesley Yuan
PrincipalTeacher Yuan graduated from Henan University of Science and Technology and has been engaged in Chinese language teaching for many years, taking a serious and responsible approach to education. She has her own unique teaching methods in character recognition and reading instruction. Teaching philosophy: Set educational goals based on the individual circumstances of each child, targeting them effectively. Uncover the children's points of interest, transitioning from passive to active learning of Chinese culture.
Anna Xiao
Vice PrincipalEducation & Background
Graduate of Beijing Language and Culture University (Degree in Finance)
Advanced Studies in Music Education, Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, China
Certified Sensory Integration Assessment Instructor, Smart Tree International Early Childhood Education, China
Certified Teacher with 14 Years of Teaching Experience
Completed U.S. CDA Coursework; CPR & First Aid Certified
Currently Pursuing a B.A. in Education
My Teaching Style:
Joyful Learning, Individualized Instruction, and Respecting Each Child’s Unique Pace of Growth.
Shan Jiang
Vice PrincipalTeacher Jiang has loved dancing since childhood and was admitted to the Fujian Province Preschool Teachers College. During her school years, she frequently participated in cultural and artistic performances. After starting her career, she won second prize in a regional young teachers' dance competition. After moving to the United States, she continued pursuing her passion and obtained certification for Chinese Dance levels 1-9. She currently serves as a dance teacher at a school.
Qingqing Ye
TeacherTeacher Ye graduated from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, majoring in Fashion Design. She worked in Chongqing as a clothing designer for the Danish brands "Only" and "Very Moda" as a storefront image display designer. In the United States, she served as the Southwest regional supervisor for storefront image display and as a clothing matching trainer for the brands "Lee" and "Wrangler." She established her own women's fashion brand in 2018 and has been engaged in art teaching since then.
Fang Xu
TeacherTeacher Xu graduated from Hangzhou Normal University, majoring in English and American Literature. She has many years of experience in foundational English education and has previously worked at a Montessori preschool; in recent years, she has been serving as an English teacher at Green Apple Chinese Art School. Her teaching philosophy is to be loving and patient. She consistently employs an enlightening and encouraging teaching model, focusing on tailoring her approach to individual student needs and making learning enjoyable.
Weiping Chen
TeacherThe teacher has over thirty years of professional dance teaching experience and has repeatedly received the "Virtue and Art Double Excellence" Outstanding Teacher award from Central China Normal University. During her tenure in Phoenix, she guided students to win top awards in the International Peach and Plum Cup finals in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021, including the Top Ten Platinum Awards for female solo dance, first place in youth modern dance, Best Individual Performance, Most Potential Award; Top Ten Platinum Awards for female duet and trio dances, Best Coordination Award; and Top Ten Platinum Awards for group dance, first in overall group score, and first place in Chinese dance group category. Teacher Chen also received the Best Choreographer Award and the Full Peach and Plum Garden Award.
Rong Wang
TeacherMrs. Wang graduated from the Chinese Language and Literature program at China West Normal University. She has taught at national key high schools in China for many years and has been involved in training primary and secondary school teachers for over twenty years. He is a provincial-level Mandarin tester in China. In the United States, he has consistently worked in Chinese language education.
Zhang Xinyue
Pianist teacherXinyue is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree in Piano Performance at Arizona State University (ASU). She graduated with a Master’s degree with Distinction (highest honors) from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the UK.
Growing up in a family with a strong artistic background, she was immersed in music and art from a young age. Her mother is an avid pianist, her father is skilled in guitar, drums, and vocal performance, and her uncle is a doctoral supervisor in the Fine Arts Department at a renowned Chinese university.
She began studying the piano at the age of four. During her youth, she performed on the same stage with world-renowned pianist Lang Lang. She has been admitted with scholarships to prestigious institutions including the Central Conservatory of Music Gulangyu School (Xiamen), Mannes School of Music (USA), the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
Throughout her artistic journey, she studied under Professor Du Taihang at the Central Conservatory of Music and received long-term guidance from the famous British piano pedagogue Gordon Fergus-Thompson at the Royal College of Music. During her Master's studies, she studied with Roberto Plano—an internationally acclaimed pianist and Van Cliburn International Piano Competition jury member—and Frank Wibaut, founder of the Hastings International Piano Concours and renowned educator. She has also participated in public masterclasses with internationally recognized pianists such as Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Yury Shadrin, Philippe Cassard, and Robert Hamilton.
Currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance with a Talent Scholarship, she studies under Dr. Baruch Meir, a Bösendorfer Artist and Chairman of the Jury for the Bösendorfer International Piano Competition.
As an active new-generation pianist on the international stage, she won First Place in the preliminary round of the GOCAA International Music Competition, advanced to the finals, and signed as a contracted artist with GOCAA and JuCheng Theatre, leading up to a China city theater summer tour in 2027. She was a semifinalist in the 15th Rosario Marciano International Piano Competition (Martha Argerich Foundation), won First Place in the International Fanny Mendelssohn Piano Competition, First Prize in the Global Genius Music Competition (UK), First Prize in the Professional Group (China Division) of the Zhuhai Hengqin Mozart International Piano Competition (AAF Foundation), and the Gold Award in the Youth B Group of the China Youth Liszt Piano Competition National Finals. Additionally, she was a finalist in the Mozart International Piano Competition (ranking 4th prize, 6th place overall), and received the Excellence Award in the Youth Division of the Huanglong Music Festival.
Her artistic footprint spans the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe. She has been invited to give concert performances in the Washington D.C. area, the Buxton Opera House (UK), and Manchester Cross Street Chapel, as well as solo recitals at Parsons Music in Beijing and Harbin, and the Steinway Performing Arts Center in Shanghai. Her ticketed concert at the Buxton Opera House drew significant local attention, selling out both tiers of the venue.
As an invited guest artist at international music festivals, she has participated in the María Herrero International Piano Competition & Music Festival (Spain), the 10th Vigo International Piano Competition (Spain), and the Euro Music Festival (Poland). In 2026, she was invited as a concerto soloist with the Euro Music Festival Orchestra, performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K.466 under conductor Tomasz Tomaszewski, receiving high acclaim from the professors in attendance.
She is currently a contracted young performer with GOCAA and a contracted artist with Hemiola Music and Global Art & Culture USA, which released her album Chopin: Ballade No. 1. The album is available on major global digital streaming platforms including Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, QQ Music, and NetEase Cloud Music.
In addition to her performing career, she has long been dedicated to piano pedagogy and nurturing young talent. She guided a student to win the North Carolina State Finals of the NCFMC (National Federation of Music Clubs), was awarded the Santa Cecilia Outstanding Teacher Award, and has served as a jury member for the Magnolia Competition in Beijing and the North American division of the Sound of Music Australian International Music Competition.
At the same time, she actively promotes classical music and international cultural exchange by sharing performance and teaching content on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and RED (XiaoHongShu), accumulating a large follower base. She firmly believes that music is not only an art form, but also a language connecting different cultures and eras, and remains committed to bringing classical music closer to younger audiences through performance, education, and social media.
Jiajun Li
TeacherJiajun Li was born and raised in eastern China and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from the Communication University of China in Beijing, as well as a Master’s degree in Music Theatre Performance from Arizona State University.
Performing has been an integral part of Jiajun’s life for as long as he can remember. The moment he saw his first musical, Cats, in high school, Jiajun felt an undeniable spark. Having the ability to tell stories through singing and movement continues to inspire him every day. With his bright energy, expressive storytelling, and passion for the stage, he hopes to bring joy and connection to every audience he meets. Jiajun is currently based in Tempe, Arizona.
Outside of performing, Jiajun is devoted to developing his skills as a performer and collaborator, as he believes in continuously striving for excellence and fostering a sense of community within theatre spaces.
