Xu Yan graduated from Affiliated Dance School of Shanghai Theatre Academy in 2011, in the same year she joined the National Ballet of China and has worked in the Company so far.

Xu Yan starred in many world classic ballet works including Giselle, Swan Lake, Onegin, La Sylphide, La Bayadère and Jewels. She has also danced the leading roles in Chinese ballets such as Chinese New Year (The Nutcracker Chinese Version), Like Flowers, A Dream of Red Mansions and the symphonic ballet Inspiration and Glory. She has danced “the Crane Queen (Menghe)” in Chinese ballet The Crane Calling, and “Flying Apsara” in The Light of Heart, and danced in almost all the repertoires of the Company. In 2017, she starred in Swan Lake at the invitation of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. In 2022, she  participated as a choreographer for the first time in the 12th Ballet Workshop with the ballet work Live Show ; In 2023, she once again participated in the 13th Ballet Workshop as choreographer with the work A Room of Her Own.

Xu Yan won the Silver Award in Ballet Junior Females Division B of the 9th National Dance Competition (Taoli Cup) and the Bronze Medal in the 2nd Beijing International Ballet and Choreography Competition. At the same time, she and Qiu Yunting got the Award of Internship to the Moscow Theatre.