Monday, March 29, 2010

Nai-Ni Chen Dancers Shine

Civic Music brings stellar group to Burlington

By BOB SAAR
for The Hawk Eye
3/27/2010


Perhaps the brightest facet of Civic Music flashes when it brings cultural presentations down to our side of the river. The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company proved that last night at Burlington's Memorial Auditorium.

Nai-Ni Chen Dance is a blend of modern jazz and traditional Asian dance and art, and as such conjures multiple images.

Poetry in far motion is too trite. Nai-Ni Chen Dance tells stories without words.

The New York Times called them a "blossom of color, energy and motion."

Burlington has witnessed a number of Broadway musicals, replete with song and hoofing in the vein of American culture; the best of these in recent years was "Chicago" in 2008.

Compare the choreography and dancing of Nai-Ni Chen Dance with "Chicago" and this is the result: Exotic not erotic. Sensual not sexual. Precious not precision.

A hallmark of any truly creative artist is the abandonment of self before self-serving perfection takes over, and the eight Nai-Ni Chen Dance members are, without question, world-class interpretive dancers who interpret with their souls.

The troupe presented last night's largish audience with humans who danced like tigers, like serpents, like birds and horses and fishes and wraiths and even children. No one really knew exactly what was the symbolism of each dance, but everyone knew that life was the celebration.

Brilliant choreography brilliantly executed.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is art in the truest sense.

Jung Hm Jo of Korea estimated the dancers practice and rehearse "five hours every day." Their fluid and fluent bodies support that idea: The four men and four women have taut, lithe and sinewy physiques, not the Schwarzeneggerian beefcake that so many American dancers attain with too much weight training.

Ethereal at times, street raw at others, the dances were all, with a few exceptions, interpretive jazz, blending African, Asian, Native American, Middle Eastern and Latin moves with music that reflected all of those origins as well.

One curious moment occurred when the singers on the accompanying prerecorded soundtrack sounded like Yoko Ono had joined the band.

"Love Song of Xishuangbanna" is a stylized celebration from the Dai people of southwest China, portraying two young lovers. "Peacock Dance," a solo presentation by Min Zhou of China, is another Dai dance; Min played the role of the sacred peacock with perfection.

Chien-Hao Chang of Taiwan is in America for the first time, and he found Iowa to be as exciting as New York, where, he said, "there are a lot of dancers and choreographers."

The troupe heads for the Virgin Islands for its next show, and Burlington awaits Civic Music's season closer, cowboy music legends Riders in the Sky Thursday, April 29.

Friday, March 12, 2010

New Jersey ballet kicks up its heels for gala

By Robert Johnson/The Star-Ledger

March 12, 2010, 5:30AM

New Jersey Ballet has planned a colorful, theatrical event for patrons who attend the company’s annual gala benefit Saturday at Prudential Hall in Newark.

In addition to classical showpieces — sunny and vibrant pas de deux from “Le Corsaire” and “The Flames of Paris” — the Livingston-based troupe will reprise “The Three Riddles of Turandot,” a darkly romantic gloss on Puccini’s opera by contemporary choreographer Nai-Ni Chen. The commissioned piece received its premiere in January.

James Kinney’s “March,” from last year, adds an upbeat note of musical theater dancing; and Saturday’s performance will have more than touch of pizzazz, as the New Jersey Tap Ensemble, another beloved local institution, teams up with the ballet dancers in “Top Hat Medley,” the rousing finale.

“We want you to be jumping out of your seats,” says New Jersey Ballet artistic director Carolyn Clark.

The “Le Corsaire” pas de deux will introduce Newark audiences to Kuei-Hsien Chu, a former dancer with the English National Ballet who makes the latest addition to New Jersey Ballet’s international roster of dance artists. Chu will partner ballerina Mari Sugawa, while company principals Kotoe Kojima-Noa and Albert Davydov will be featured in “The Flames of Paris.”

Michelle DeFremery, the company’s resident bombshell, will lead the company in “March.” In this atmospheric dance in several scenes, we follow the heroine as she makes her way through a big city. Using gestures and groupings rather than props to convey his dramatic ideas, Kinney describes a series of cityscapes, starting with the morning rush-hour on a Manhattan subway platform, passing down streets crowded with tourists and strolling languidly through Central Park.

“Turandot” is considerably less carefree. In this fantastic tale set in China’s Middle Kingdom, choreographer Chen dramatizes the life-and-death choices that the ballet’s questing hero, Calaf, must make, as he guesses the answers to three riddles posed by Princess Turandot. The prize for answering all the riddles correctly is Turandot’s hand in marriage, but execution is the penalty for failure. The piece is replete with “emotion and drama,” Clark says.

Kerry Mara Cox and Andre Luis Teixeira are the protagonists in this luxurious cat-and-mouse game. As Turandot, Cox threads her way menacingly on pointe through ensembles in which the movement of swaths of fabric complements the dancers’ energy.

Intricate rhythms are the key to “Top Hat Medley,” jointly choreographed by Kinney and New Jersey Tap Ensemble artistic director Deborah Mitchell. This sampler, dressed with piano-key elegance in tuxedos and black-and-white gowns, will feature such outstanding tap artists as Karen Callaway Williams.

According to New Jersey Ballet’s associate director, Paul H. McRae, the company’s recent collaborations with other prominent dance groups in New Jersey are part of a “cross-marketing” strategy to broaden audiences. Says Clark, “We thought that if we collaborated with different groups, it would introduce ballet to other audiences, and get them to realize that there’s more to ballet than just ‘Swan Lake.’”

The New Jersey Ballet Gala

Where: Prudential Hall, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, One Center Street, Newark

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

How Much: Performance-only tickets are $30-$50. Patron tickets —which include cocktails — are $300. Silver Patrons, $750, also get dinner after the show. Call (973) 597-9600, or visit njballet.org.

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company brings the global language of dance to the stage

Daily Sundial

March 10, 2010

By Stephanie Bermudez

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, which is one of the few Asian American professional dance companies in the USA, will be performing at the Plaza del Sol Performance Hall on Tuesday, March 16 at 8 p.m.

“The dances of Nai-Ni Chen fuse the dynamic freedom of American modern dance with the grace and splendor of Asian art,” said Pamela Bock director of marketing and strategic communications of the Valley Performing Arts Center. “ … Celebrating the diversity of ideas shaped by the immigrant experience, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company bridges the gap of understanding between East and West.”

Bock said recently the Company was honored by a distinctive grant award from both the President’s Committee on Arts and Humanities and the Department of State to represent the United States.

Choreographer and dancer Nai-Ni Chen is an artist whose work defies categorization, as she is continually working on new ideas from influences around the world.

“Her mesmerizing and dramatic contemporary choreography has gained increasing recognition among domestic and international presenters and festivals,” Bock said.

The dance company will be performing “Song of Phoenix,” which features original choreography of Nai-Ni Chen.

“The phoenix, known in both eastern and western cultures as an awe-inspiring creature of death- defying strength and majesty, represents the power and mystery of the feminine for the East and renewal for the West,” Bock said.

According to Bock, it brings together a seamless blend of ancient rituals and modern concepts in a unique repertoire.

“Gliding across the stage with color, lyricism and a subtle whisper of Chinese tradition … Nai-Ni Chen wishes to bring the audience on a flight through space and time to a place where tradition meets innovation and freedom arises from discipline,” Bock said.

Lena Ho, 26, says she has heard a lot of good things about the dance company and looks forward to seeing the performance. “I really enjoy watching live performances, especially from such talented artists,” said the creative writing major. “Being an Asian American myself, I’m excited to see what talent Nai-Ni Chen will bring to CSUN.”

Ho said she has already bought her ticket and plans to attend the performance with her boyfriend. “I try and take advantage of CSUN’s low ticket prices since I am about to graduate and won’t get the same discounts anymore,” Ho said.

Kathy Anthony, managing director of the performance hall believes the company will be a real treat for those who attend. “The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is a visual treat,” said Anthony. “Their costumes and movement fuse two cultures beautifully in dance, and they have done this for many, many successful years,” Anthony said.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will be performing 8p.m, Mar.16, in the Plaza del Sol Performance Hall. For more information about the performance or to purchase tickets online visit www.arts.valleyperformingartscenter.org.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

The Roar of the New Year at Sacred Heart

By Colin Gustafson, STAFF WRITER - Greenwich Time

Published: 09:54 p.m., Monday, March 1, 2010
On any other day, Convent of the Sacred Heart students would have erupted in chants of "Go! Go! Go!" as soon as Roary the Tiger sauntered into the school assembly hall.

On Monday, however, the same cheer for the school's 10-year-old tiger mascot came in Mandarin Chinese: "Jia You! Jia You! Jia You!"

Students showed their school spirit with multicultural flair Monday morning, celebrating both the 10th anniversary of their mascot's creation and the Feb. 14 start of the Chinese New Year of the Tiger.

The celebration featured an assembly of traditional Chinese folk dances by Fort Lee. N.J.-based Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, complete with from fan- and ribbon-dance routines, and acrobatic displays of martial arts and spear twirling.

Students were later treated to a lunch of authentic Chinese cuisine with fortune cookies for dessert.

The language lessons did not end with the chanting. At the start of the assembly for middle school students, Head of School Pam Hayes welcomed students with greetings of "Happy New Year" in English, Cantonese ("gung hay fat choy") and Mandarin ("xing nian kwai le").

"I'm very pleased with Ms. Hayes' pronunciation," Sacred Heart Mandarin instructorJoanne Wu Havemeyer later joked.

Students also learned more about their favorite tiger.

Joined at the front of the assembly hall by Roary, Sacred Heart senior Paige Terry later recounted the story of how the school's mascot came to be 10 years ago. Formerly without a mascot, the school polled students in 2000 about their preference for a mascot, giving a tiger, a dragon and a "green storm" as options. The votes came back overwhelmingly in favor of a tiger.

Later, in 2006, they gave their tiger the proper name "Roary" after a similar poll that posed "Stripe" and "Grite" as other options. Since then, Roary has inspired the names of four middle school athletic teams: the Cubs, Tigers, Paws and Stripes.

"The tiger symbolizes intelligence, natural leadership, courage, selflessness and takes on the role of protector," Paige said during the assembly, as Roary mimed each trait.

Students said they enjoyed having the opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture.

"I really enjoyed the vibrant colors and the energy the dancers brought to the stage," said seventh-grader Sloane Ruffa, 13.


Photos: Bob Luckey / Greenwich Time

Monday, March 08, 2010

Review: Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

Jan 31st, 2010

By Jasmina Wellinghoff
Special to the Express-News

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company which appeared at the Carver Community Cultural Center Saturday night, is easily one of the most interesting dance groups we have seen in a long while.

Led by Taiwan-born Nai-Ni Chen, the New Jersey-based company cast a spell over the audience by weaving a tapestry of elegant dances set to unusual, goose-bump inducing musical scores. With a background in both Chinese traditional styles and modern dance, Chen blends the two genres in her choreography in a most auspicious manner. She also knows how to use props to add both visual and narrative dimensions to her work.

The evening opened with "Bamboo Prayer," featuring five white-clad women -- including Chen -- holding bamboo sticks at least twice their height. At first the women crouched while holding the poles pointing upward. Then the dance unfolded with dignified poise as they proceeded to create images of work and rituals with their bodies and their sticks. The latter were thrust out and bounced off the floor in unison, crossed in the air, arranged in patterns on the ground for the women to step in and out of, held between toes and pulled back and forth between pairs of dancers like stretchy cloth. Eventually, the dancers gathered in a circle, their poles held at an angle in front of them, crossing each other and thumping the floor.

The program notes said that that the bamboo used was rattan, which is known for its flexibility. Evidently, the choreographer was making a statement about the nature of women who may bend, work and suffer but do not break.

Another strong group piece in Act I was "The Way of Five - Fire," which refers to fire as one of the five elements of creation according to ancient Chinese thinking. (The others are wood, water, metal and earth.) With dancers wearing red outfits, the piece built up gradually like fire would, from crisp sparks to wild flames. The props were fans held by both men and women but these fans were no dainty feminine accessories. Brandished like weapons and forcefully snapped shut and boldly redeployed, they conveyed aggression or might. The feeling of gathering force -- or maybe passion -- was underscored by the overall choreography, which included strong elements of martial arts. The audience loved it.

The most traditionally Chinese number was "Passage to the Silk River," a solo by Chen. She appeared on stage, a small figure in white, wearing "water sleeves," which are very long, loose silk sleeves that hang way down over the hands. With exquisite art movements, she brought them to life and made them dance with her, undulating like waves, twirling like whirlpools or trailing behind like quiet streams.

In Act II, however, the most memorable number was a very different piece, "Dancing with the Yak," set to a Tibetan folk song and choreographed by Shu Ze-Hong. Featuring striking folk costumes, the dance opened with two men (Chien-Hao Chang and Wei Yao) bent and arranged so that their bodies and costumes created a shape of a yak, while a young woman (Min Zhou) stood right behind them. The lights were low; it could have been early morning in the mountains. Then the guys rearranged themselves, raising their opposite arms to look like horns, and she hopped on the back of the "yak." They cavorted together, the men often stepping about in imitation of the animal's gait, and all three dancing with long sleeves similar to the water sleeves, which is apparently a Tibetan tradition as well. At the end, they settled down sweetly together for the night.

Two other dances -- "Incense" in Act I and "Raindrops" in Act II -- were complex and appealing but both went on for too long without offering either narrative or aesthetic reasons for their length.

However, the finale "Mirage," though also longish, did accomplish its apparent mission of conveying a sense of journey through harsh, desert landscapes when people see dancing mirages on the far horizon. Here, there were elements of Indian dance in the head movements and the barefoot stamping of the ground. As the journey abruptly dissolved, the mesmerized audience might have felt that they, too, had seen a mirage, a gorgeous mirage of chiseled dancing bodies.

With the exception of the Tibetan piece and the Peking Opera-styled "Passage to the Silk River, the dances were set to original scores that can best be described as richly textured. Gongs, bells, whispers, howls, chanting, murky crowd noises, drumming of all shades, echoes, meditative sounds and more complemented rather than accompanied the dancing.

Besides the dancers already mentioned, the cast included Julie Judlova, Kerry Lee, Chu-Ying Ku, Chun-Yu Lin, Nijawwon Matthews and Jung Hm Jo.

Friday, March 05, 2010

Center for Refugees brings dance troupe to annual fundraiser

By LISA KAPPS

Observer-Dispatch

Posted Mar 04, 2010 @ 07:00 AM

Area residents can experience a variety of cultures when they get their “Passport to the World” Friday, March 5, at the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees’ annual fundraiser. The event begins at 6 p.m. on the Mohawk Valley Community College campus.

Now in its seventh year, Passport features an ethnic food reception and cultural entertainment, said Alison Swartz, coordinator of public relations and events.
As part of Passport, the Refugee Center has partnered with MVCC to bring the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company for a performance at 8 p.m.
“The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is one of the few Asian-American dance companies that are in the United States,” Swartz said. “Their specialty is a mix of traditional and contemporary dance. What’s unique about them is they’ve got these costumes and these props that they incorporate in their dances.”
“It’s really a way for people to g

et out and enjoy a different culture through dance,” said Shelly Callahan, director of programs and services for the center.
The evening also will include a silent auction featuring items provided by locally owned, international businesses, including baskets made by refugees and gift certificates to stores and restaurants owned by refugees.
All proceeds from the event support the programs and services of the MVRCR, which include resettlement services for refugees, health and family services, and multicultural services, including education, training and outreach.
Tickets are $50 and are available by contacting Swartz at 738-1083, ext. 127 or by e-mailing alisons@mvrcr.org.


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Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company at Mohawk Valley Community College

On Friday, March 5, MVCC presents PASSPORT TO THE WORLD PERFORMANCE: Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, at 8 p.m. in the MVCC Theater, Information Technology Building on the Utica campus. Admission is $5 general, $2 with college ID, free with MVCC ID. In partnership with Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute and the MV Resource Center for Refugees.

Location Information:
Utica Campus - Information Technology Building
1101 Sherman Drive
Utica, NY 13501
Phone: 315.792.5400
Room: MVCC Theater

Contact Information:
Name: William Dustin
Phone: 315.731.5722
Email: wdustin@mvcc.edu

Monday, March 01, 2010

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company at Mohawk Valley Community College

On Friday, March 5, MVCC presents PASSPORT TO THE WORLD PERFORMANCE: Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, at 8 p.m. in the MVCC Theater, Information Technology Building on the Utica campus. Admission is $5 general, $2 with college ID, free with MVCC ID. In partnership with Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute and the MV Resource Center for Refugees.

Location Information:
Utica Campus - Information Technology Building
1101 Sherman Drive
Utica, NY 13501
Phone: 315.792.5400
Room: MVCC Theater

Contact Information:
Name: William Dustin
Phone: 315.731.5722
Email: wdustin@mvcc.edu