Willy Tsao established CCDC in 1979 and has become its Artistic Director since 1989 and Chief Executive Director from 2004 to 07. His important choreographic works include Requiem, Hell Screen, Wanderings In the Realm of Lightness, Three Romantic Chinese, A Letter to Aung San Suu Kyi, Tales from the Middle Kingdom, China Wind · China Fire, Sexing Three Millennia, 365 Ways of Doing and Undoing Orientalism, One Table N Chairs, The Conqueror and Warrior Lanling. His works have been presented in arts festivals in Canada, Korea, Israel, Germany, Singapore as well as Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei in China.

Tsao has dedicated incessant efforts in the development of modern dance in China. In September 1987, he started teaching modern dance in the Guangdong Modern Dance Experimental Troupe in Guangzhou and at the Beijing Dance Academy in the following year. In 1991, he was invited to be the Artistic Advisor of the Youth Dance Company of the Beijing Dance Academy. Since 1995, he started conducting intensive modern dance workshops in different cities in China. He helped setting up the Guangdong Modern Dance Company and was then the Artistic Director from 1992 to 98. He was the Artistic Director of Beijing Modern Dance Company from 1999 to 2005. In 2001, Tsao was invited to be the Artistic Director (Dance) of the Closing Ceremony of the 9th National Games. He was invited to be the Guest Professor of Tianjin Institute of Physical Education in 2002. In 2004, he became the General Manager of the Guangdong Modern Dance Company again. In November 2004, Tsao and the Beijing Modern Dance Company accompanied Mr Hu Jintao, the President of the People's Republic of China in his official visit to South America, and did 15 modern dance performances there. In 2005, he received the "Hong Kong Dance Alliance Dance Awards" for his choreography of One Table N Chairs. In September 2005, he established Beijing LDTX Modern Dance Company and became its Company Director and Artistic Director.

Tsao's contributions have been widely recognised. In July 1999, Tsao was awarded "Bronze Bauhinia Star" from the Hong Kong SAR Government for his significant contribution to the development of local arts. Other awards and honours include the "Dancer of the Year Award" from the Hong Kong Artists' Guild (1988), the "Ten Outstanding Young Persons" (1990), the "Badge of Honour" from the Queen of the United Kingdom (1993), and the "Louis Cartier Award of Excellence - Outstanding Choreographer" (1998). Tsao received the Honorary Fellowship from The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in July 2000.

Tsao holds numerous public offices related to the development of arts in Hong Kong including a member of Curriculum Development Council on Arts Education and the Dance Advisor of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tsao was the Representative of Arts Interest (Dance) of The Hong Kong Arts Development Council from 2004 to 2007.