SOPAC Presents Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company On April 10

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) — The South Orange Performing Arts Centre presents the award-profitable Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company in a 60-minute virtual presentation Saturday, April 10 at 7:30pm.   Sponsored by the Geraldine R. Dodge Basis, the The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Corporation has gained additional than 20 awards from the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts and a lot of Citations of Excellence and grants from the New Jersey Point out Council on the Arts.  

Bridging the grace of Asian class and American dynamism, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Firm is a premier company of impressive cultural ordeals that mirror the hope and electricity of the immigrant’s journey. The company’s ground-breaking is effective have targeted on themes from ancient Chinese legends that replicate issues of the present time to purely summary, modern dances impressed by the art of Chinese calligraphy.  An Asian-American organization that celebrates the cross-cultural encounter, the Company’s productions convey forth issues of identification, authenticity, and equality.

The highlighted dances incorporate two earth premieres along with two performs created in 2019. The software will also characteristic an job interview with Nai-Ni Chen by renowned dance critic Robert Johnson. She speaks about her inspiration and the deeper themes of each dance, further improving viewers appreciation of her works.

Luminescence (premiere), with new music by Max Richter and featuring dancers Yuka Notsuka and Rio Kakuchi explores the inner thoughts of sanctuary we come across in the grace, magic and wonder of character and reminds us how we coexist with other daily life forms. This concept highlights our have to have to honor the magnificence in mother nature and to regard and preserve the environment.

Shadow Drive (premiere) with audio by Max Richter and Somei Satoh highlights our craving to link with some others although we are in an isolated condition. That includes dancers Evan Matthew Stewart, Candace Jarvis, Greta Campo, Sonny Shiu, Rio Kakuchi and Ethan Gwynn

Real truth Sure (2019) Music by Joan La Barbara, Para Avis and Nocturnal Emissions. Real truth Bound was developed as a response to the disaster of religion and have confidence in perceived in culture these days. To uncover clarity, the seeker for truth of the matter ought to glimpse further beneath the surface to explore the core. To generate this dance, Nai-Ni Chen employed improvisation and her track record in common Chinese theatrical motion and various variations of martial artwork to collaboratively generate this piece. Dancers include Greta Campo and Ethan Gwynn.

Introspection (2019) Audio by Jacob Ter Veldhuis and Prism Quartet. Generally, dancers are lit by exterior lights on stage.  In this dance, the dancers light-weight by themselves from various views and on to each and every other in purchase to look further into their have identification. Sonny Shiu, Greta Campo, Evan Matthew Stewart and Yuka Notsuka are highlighted in this piece.

Tickets are $10, and free of charge for SOPAC members. To purchase tickets, get in touch with SOPAC at (973) 313-2787 or available on-line. The Box Workplace is at this time readily available by mobile phone M-F, 12-4 p.m.

Nai-Ni Chen Creative Director/Choreographer has been producing dances professionally for around thirty a long time in the US. She has designed a various repertory of above 80 original functions and toured to major venues in the US and international festivals in 12 nations all-around the globe.  A cross-cultural choreographer who aims to deliver audience across the cultural boundaries, she has developed her unique movement and choreographic styles that reflect the grace and splendor of the Chinese cultural traditions she analyzed in Taiwan since youth and the dynamic spirit of modern-day dance that she acquired in New York from luminaries this kind of as Mary Anthony, Bertram Ross, Doris Rudko and Patricia Rowe.

Nai-Ni Chen has gained various a long time of Choreographer Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey Condition Council on the Arts. She has been a principal affiliate of the New Jersey Doing Arts Middle and was a resident artist of the Harlem School of the Arts.

For her contribution to the Chinese American tradition, she has gained awards from the New Jersey Worldwide Institute, the Business of Chinese Us residents, and Chinese American Chamber of Commerce. As a life time dance educator she is the receiver of The Distinguished Service to the Subject Award from the Affiliation of Instructing Artistes in 2020.  She has also served on Dance connected panels for the National Endowment for the Arts, The NY Condition Council on the Arts and Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. 

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Enterprise is a leading provider of impressive cultural activities that reflect the inspiring hope and electrical power of the immigrant’s journey.  The company’s ground-breaking works have focused on themes from historical Chinese legends that replicate challenges of the current time to purely summary, modern dances impressed by the artwork of Chinese calligraphy.  An Asian American company that celebrates the cross-cultural practical experience, the Company’s productions naturally bring forth challenges of identification, authenticity, and equality.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Firm has been introduced at some of the most prestigious concert halls this sort of as the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Centre in New York, Cerritos Heart for the Executing Arts in California, the Raymond F. Kravis Center, Tampa Bay Executing Arts Middle in Florida. The business seems annually at the New Jersey Accomplishing Arts Middle, Queens School, the Higher education of Staten Island and on Ellis Island. Internationally, the Organization has been presented by global festivals together with Open up Glimpse Pageant in Russia, the Silesian Intercontinental Contemporary Dance Competition and the Konfrontations Global Festival in Poland, the Chang Mu International Dance Festival in Korea, the Satisfy in Beijing Worldwide Arts Competition in China, and the Tamaulipas Intercontinental Arts Pageant in Mexico.

Since 2006, SOPAC has been serving as a premier carrying out arts heart in the location. SOPAC delivers impressive creative and cultural experiences for various audiences in an personal, inviting atmosphere. The arts heart hosts a assortment of live performances, community gatherings and education programs for all ages. SOPAC is household for Seton Hall University Arts Council’s performances, which includes Classical Concert Collection, Jazz ‘N the Corridor performances and Seton Corridor University Theatre productions. SOPAC plans are built probable in element by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey Point out Council on the Arts. The South Orange Accomplishing Arts Middle (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.  SOPAC is grateful for the generous assist of the Geraldine R. Dodge Basis and BCB Lender, our year sponsor.