By Kelly Waldron
After 11 years, The Artist Series welcomes back the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company to Degenstein Theater on Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
This Asian American dance company was founded by Nai-Ni Chen in 1988 with only five dancers. However, it soon grew to a company of 12 that now tours both nationally and internationally and has been honored with over 20 awards from the National Endowment for the Arts.
This isn’t an ordinary dance company though. The company’s founder developed a unique choreographic style that combines Chinese traditional dance with contemporary American style.
In order to do so, Chen studied Chinese Dance, Peking Opera and Martial Arts in Taiwan then later became a professional modern dancer with the Cloud Gate Dance Company according to executive director, Andy Chiang.
Over time Chen continued to refine her techniques and expand her vision to make it more adaptable to dancers in America and using the “Kinetic Spiral” technique as a foundation to her dances.
“As her experience grew, her dances are able to communicate issues of identity, equality and authenticity in an organic way through movement and group composition. This brings together dancers and collaborators from diverse backgrounds to join her to further develop the company,” Chiang said.
This company continues to focus on the representation of the Chinese American immigrant experience, race and gender equality and beauty of their founder’s original vision.
“The company’s mission is to be a resource to the AAPI dance community and be the premier resource for Asian and Asian American culture in the United States,” said Chiang.
According to the Associate Director of Event Management and Manager of the Artist Series, Keelie Schock, the artist series is about bringing a higher level of artistry to campus and the surrounding community, and this dance company will be bringing a representation of past and present culture that most people would never get to witness otherwise.
In the past, the Artist Series has welcomed other dance companies, such as; Velocity Irish Dance, Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México de Silvia Lozano, the Russian National Ballet, Parsons Dance and the Elisa Monte Dance Company. But nothing quite like Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.
The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has been preparing a new program since its last performance at Susquehanna University in 2013. This program will feature new dancers that have since been added to the company.
Chiang said that they are happy to return to the SU stage and present a new program to the community.
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will perform only on Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Degenstein Theater.
To purchase tickets for this performance, visit the box office Monday-Friday from noon-5 p.m. or visit: https://susqu.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1447 . Tickets are free for SU students.