As she recalls, it was not until she studied contemporary dance that she knew how to express herself with dance.

"One of the most beautiful things about dancing is that it comforts and speaks for me," she says.

As a productive choreographer, Wan has created dance dramas, such as Tang Wan in 2008, which is based on the tragic romance between Lu You, a famous poet in Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), and his wife Tang Wan, and The Song of Everlasting Sorrow in 2009, which is inspired by the classic poem by Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Bai Juyi.

In 2015, Beijing Dance Academy launched a new school, School of Creative Studies, with Wan as its first president. Now, she has retired from the position but has not slowed down as a choreographer.