As sensitive jobs go, it doesn’t get much tougher than this.

On August 8, choreographer Shen Wei, 39, will make his debut on the world stage as 4 billion viewers tune in to see how he has shaped the Olympics’ opener. Given the spectacle’s often political overtones—in 1936 some teams gave Hitler the Nazi salute, and in 1994 a key speaker pleaded for an end to the war in Bosnia—accepting the position was clearly a risk. And that was even before V.I.P.’s began boycotting this year’s ceremonies because of ­China’s policy on Tibet.

Yet Shen, who was born in China and is now a U.S. citizen, said yes enthusiastically after considering the offer. His plan: to skip world affairs and focus on unity. Not a bad approach, espe­cially since the choreographer is looking for a corporate sponsor for his New York-based modern-dance company, Shen Wei Dance Arts. Though his 12-person troupe won’t be performing on August 8, Shen hopes the Olympics will raise the troupe’s profile. “If there is increased focus on the company because of Beijing, I hope it will allow us to continue to share our vision powerfully,” he says. “And for a long time.”