Saturday, May 17, 2008

NY Season Release in Chinese




陳乃霓舞團
週五, 六 (五月廿三日及 廿四)
于艾力劇場 公演
水 火

本週五, 六 (五月廿三日及 廿四) , 華裔現代舞蹈家陳乃霓將率領她的精華
舞者于 405 W 55 ST ( 9th Ave) 艾力劇場 (Ailey Citigroup Theater) 演出她
的最新作品(五行之二) 水 ,(五行之一) 火 , 以及她近年發展的數支代表性的作
品。

陳乃霓舞蹈團是紐約哈林區著名哈林藝術學校的駐校藝術團體。她個人在新州潛心
發展以天地的自然為師的舞蹈語言,並在主流社區中發揚中華文化的真精神。以她
在文化大學中所受到的中國古典文化的熏陶,加上她從美國各現代舞蹈宗師的課堂
作品中,領悟到的兼容並包、寬大自由的情懷,自創一派。她的風格獨特,與一般
時下的前衛風格完全不同。在紐約舞蹈節中演出時,紐約時報主要舞評珍妮佛‧鄧
寧曾說:[ 陳乃霓慧眼獨具,妙法自然,她的編舞手法極具自信,如海中的暗濤洶
湧,使舞蹈進入一個個新的高潮 ]。由於她的努力不懈,她的舞蹈團已發展為美國
舞蹈界中極少見的純表演性質的職業舞蹈團。她的藝術成就,並得美國國家藝術基
金會的認同,年年的巡迴演出,在美國各大劇院佳評如潮。在歐洲及亞洲也到極高
的評價。去年,她得到美國總統藝術協會的獎金,巡迴墨西哥七大城。

最近, 星條報(Star Ledger) 專業舞評強森(Robert Johnson) 指出 她的舞蹈[
優雅具活力,充滿了無形的氣勢],波士頓鳳凰報權威舞評希高(Marcia Siegel)
說 [ 她的舞蹈將中華文化的養料帶入了現代舞的世界]。

這次演出,除了她的最新作品(五行之二) 水 以及(五行之一) 火 之外,
陳乃霓將演出她的兩首得意作品-- 香 及 衍。 香 以希臘神壇雕塑為主題,由作
曲家瓊芭柏拉(Joan La Barbara) 作曲。 衍是數年前,陳乃霓得到中大西洋藝術
基金會(Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation) 藝術獎金與韓國丈鼓(Chang-Go)名家李
伍碩聯手合作,發展以易經中天行健為題的越界現代舞(Cross-Cultural Contemporary
Dance)。

觀眾若想看陳乃霓舞蹈團的演出,請早訂票 ( 成人$30 / 學生$15 ),訂票電話(800)650-
0246 (留言),網址: www.nainichen.org
劇院地址是 405 West 55 Street (9th Ave), New York, NY 10011. 門口售
票。

Wednesday, May 14, 2008




Combat and rain
Nai-Ni Chen at John Hancock Hall
By MARCIA B. SIEGEL
The Phoenix
May 13, 2008 11:58:40 AM



Taiwanese choreographer Nai-Ni Chen danced with Cloud Gate Dance Theater before moving to New York in 1982, and her work, like theirs, is a suave amalgam of traditional Chinese elements and modern dance. Chen’s company of 10 dancers appeared Saturday night at John Hancock Hall, sponsored by the Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts. The program demonstrated how the traditions can nourish contemporary dance, with practical tools like movement and symbolic objects as well as philosophical and literary themes.

Chen’s movement style was showcased in the opening piece, Raindrops, for four women. Wearing pastel silk halter-top jumpsuits with flying panels of silk front and back, the women clustered together at first, revolving and lifting their arms with palms upraised. They skimmed across the floor in tiny sidesteps and tilted swirls, their torsos undulating in elegant zigzags and curves. With small sudden jumps or abrupt tumbles to the ground, they’d interrupt their swift trajectories, then recover.

The music, by three composers (Henry Wolff, Robert Rich, and Sainkho Namtchylak), changed from high, resonant bells to deep gamelan gongs to rhythmic drumming with Jew’s harp and electronics. After the meditative beginning, the women danced with rice-paper umbrellas, possibly celebrating the rain they’d been praying for. Then they returned to their quick running and jumping patterns for a lively celebration.

Following Chinese dance conventions, Chen’s men and women almost always dance separately, or at least in separate styles. But though the women looked decorative and moved in small spheres most of the time, they never looked cute or doll-like to me. In fact, with the incorporation of martial-arts skills, they could oppose the men in contests of attack and evasion — a duet or a duel with fans in The Way of Five — No. 2, an escalating group counterpoint of dominance, submission, and recuperation in Unfolding.

To show the classical roots of these encounters, Chen included a dance for an acrobatic warrior from China’s Kunqu opera, as adapted and performed by Yao-Zhong Zhang. A former actor with the Shanghai Kuan Opera troupe, Zhang stomped on his platform shoes, stroked the long feathers streaming out of his headdress, and twirled two spear-like batons while doing helicopter turns.

In Chinese opera, you overcome your opponent with athletic prowess and intimidate him by means of resplendent costumes, headgear, and make-up rather than brute force. Weapons evolved into fans, to deceive and surprise. Similarly, long sleeves attached to a robe could conceal and, when flung out around the character’s body, dazzle and distract. Nai-Ni Chen described gorgeous white halos and ripples around herself in Passage to the Silk River. But she wasn’t only manipulating the sleeves, she was dancing herself, in clever chaîné turns and flourishes that animated the silk.

Six women carried eight-foot-long rods in Bamboo Prayer, making the flexible props into extensions of their bodies. Held vertical as the dancers ran in circles, the sticks swayed like saplings. Thrust along the floor or placed in certain patterns, they could link the dancers, provide grids for stepping games, or perhaps even invoke magic spells.

Chen’s program notes told us about the legends and metaphysical images that underlay all these dances. Lindsey Parker represented the spirit of the river and Qiao Zeng the fisherman getting his sustenance from her spring floods. But watching the dance, I thought they could have been lovers or even lifelong companions on a fateful journey, as he poled an invisible boat and she hovered around him.

For the finale, Festival, the whole company joined in a procession of dancing, tumbling, flag dances and a calligraphic extravaganza of long silk scarves in bright colors, foaming and spurting above the stage.

Monday, May 05, 2008

Nai-Ni Chen Teaches Technique and Repertory Workshop at Peridance


Nai-Ni Chen will be conducting an intensive workshop at Peridance

June 9-13
11:30 am

Call Peridance at 212-505-0886
or visit Peridance

Peridance Center
International Dance School
890 Broadway
6th Floor
New York, NY

NAI-NI CHEN DANCE COMPANY SEEKS DANCERS FOR OUR 2008-09 SEASON

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is seeking full-time male and female dancers for
our 2008-09 season.
Strong dance technique and
performance background are required.


All ethnic backgrounds are welcome.

Appropriate attire required; leotard preferred.
Please bring current résumé and photo to the audition.

National touring and
educational programs year round

Work begins in July 2008
Call the Company to make an audition appointment at 800-650-0246

or email matthew@nainichen.org


Auditions
June 12 & 13, 2-6 pm

Callback
June 16, 12-4 pm

at
Harlem School of the Arts
645 St. Nicholas Ave. (between 141 & 145 Sts)
New York


Subways
A/B/C/D to 145 St

To find out more about the Company,
visit our website
www.nainichen.org

REMINDER!
Join us for our 2008

New York Season!
Ailey Citygroup Theater
May 23 & 24 at 8 pm


Call for tickets: 800-650-0246
or visit
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

Adult
$30
Student/Senior/Child
$15

Ailey Citigroup Theater
405 W. 55 St.
New York, NY