Season reflection from Artistic Director Nai-Ni Chen

Very often I feel that the journey of this Company is like a voyage on an unpredictable sea. Sometimes the wind is blowing just right and we sail quickly and effortlessly, and sometimes we are tossing in a storm, trying hard to keep our balance. Looking back at this twenty-first season of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, I am amazed at what we have achieved. Once again, having a few new dancers on board contributed to the artistry and accomplishment of our work this year, but it also created some difficulties in the beginning as we readjusted the relationships among the dancers and found a new chemistry for the group. We spent hours and hours in our Manhattan rehearsal space at the Harlem School of the Arts. We traveled to ten states in the US, including California, Virginia, Iowa, Indiana, and New York, and, as always, we enjoyed our audience here in our home state of New Jersey. We also traveled for the first time to the British Virgin Islands. In all, the total number of audience members we reached with our artistry numbered nearly thirty thousand. The magic that theater creates continues to amaze me and will inspire me for many years to come. Through it, we touched many people's hearts, and, in return, their energy and support enlivened us and gave us courage and strength to continue on our journey in these difficult times. I thank all the dancers for their wonderful work. I thank Liz and Heather, whose dedicated work at the office kept us going. I thank Andy and Elyse, who spent hours to find new funding resources for us. I also thank all the Company's board members for their love, passion, and support. With them all, I look forward to our many new challenges as well as the opportunities ahead.