An explosion of color, energy and motion, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company fuses the dynamic freedom of American modern dance with the grace and splendor of Asian art, taking audiences beyond cultural boundaries to where tradition meets innovation and freedom arises from discipline.

Background:
Program (subject to change):
Raindrops
The inspiration for this dance was drawn from the choreographer's childhood memory of the city in which she was born, Keelong, also known as the "Rain Harbour" in Taiwan. Raindrops premiered in 2003 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Incense
The dance draws ideas from the offering of incense in an ancient temple. The raising white clouds of the incense is said to bring the believer’s prayer from their hearts to god’s ears. This dance was originally inspired by the sculpture titled Nine Muses by Carlos Dorian installed at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey.

On The River of Dreams
In Northeast China, the Black Dragon River lies beneath the White Mountain. Each spring, the glacier on top of the mountain melts and flows down to the fertile soil and river beneath. The choreographer's inspiration for this dance derives from her imagination of this beautiful combination of the reflection of the tall White Mountain in the black water and a fisherman on his boat, paddling through the river. Beside him is the spirit of the water accompanying him through his long journey into eternity.

The Way of Five - Fire
This is Nai-Ni Chen’s exploration of the ancient Chinese theory that the cycles of creation and destruction correspond to the ever-changing phenomena of nature. The “Five” refers to the five elements: wood, water, fire, metal, and earth. Each element, as part of the forces of nature, creates another element in harmony and destroys another in conflict. This exploration is focus on the element of “Fire”.

Bamboo Prayer
In Asian culture, bamboo represents mankind's nobility and virtue. It symbolizes justice, strength and humility. This dance uses Rattan, the flexible Bamboo, as props. With it, the choreographer calls attention to the spirit of women. Their strength and resilience nurture the ever-changing world.

The Way of Five -Water
This third in Ms. Chen’s series of dances based on the five elements of nature is focused on Water. Music for this piece was funded by the Live Music for Dance Program of the American Music Center.

Unfolding
The book I-Ching says, "The Tao is ever changing, alternating movement withoutrest". As nature unfolds at a vibrant pace, so does our life's journey. This dance was originally commissioned by Dancing in the Streets in New York and premiered in the gardens of Wave Hill in the Bronx.

Nai Ni Chen Dance:
A blosssom of color, energy and motion, "like endlessly proliferating forces of cosmic energy," says the New York Times. The dances of Nai-Ni Chen fuse the dynamic freedom of American modern dance with the grace and splendor of Asian art. The Company's productions take the audience beyond cultural boundaries to where tradition meets innovation and freedom arises from discipline.

Choreographer/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.