Lau Siu-ming was born in 1931 in Hong Kong. Among the first local dancers to pursue dance training in Europe, he studied and worked with some of the greatest artists of the times while on scholarship at l'Ecole Superieure de Danse Cannes Rosella Hightower. Hightower encouraged him to bring his experiences and Chinese heritage to his dancing. With this in mind, for his graduation project, he choreographed a duet for Hightower and himself entitled Rebirth of the Phoenix. Premiered at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, it was the hit of the evening. Among those who came backstage to meet and congratulate him was Maurice Béjart who invited him to dance for the Ballet du XXe Siècle where he performed Béjart’s major works including Romeo & Juliet, Ninth Symphony, Le Sacre du printemps, and Bolero.

On his return to Hong Kong in 1967, he engaged in dance education and was dance master and choreographer for Rediffusion Television and Television Broadcast Limited. In 1979, director Tsui Hark and producer Ng See-yuen asked Lau to act in The Butterfly Murders Since then, he has acted in numerous films and TV serials. Some memorable performances were in several more Tsui Hark productions including A Chinese Ghost Story I, II, III (1987, 1990, 1991) and Swordsman (1990), the Hui Brother’s comedy Front Page (1990), and China Strike Force (2000). He is well known and acclaimed for his myriad roles in TV serials.

Well into his eighth decade, Lau continues to act and dance. He received the Hong Kong Dance Award 2002 for performances in Hong Kong Ballet’s White Snake and Hong Kong Dance Company’s The Butterfly Lovers. Most recently, he danced in the critically acclaimed 2007 Hong Kong Arts Festival’s My Life as a Dancer. Lau has served as guest lecturer for the Academy’s School of Drama and advisor or founding member of numerous organisations including the Academy’s School of Dance, Hong Kong Ballet Group, Hong Kong Dance Federation, and Hong Kong Children’s Choir and is a Leisure and Cultural Services Department Dance Adviser. A tireless supporter of Hong Kong dance and drama, Lau regularly attends performing arts productions and activities.