Esbenshade Series: Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

Choreographer/dancer, Nai-Ni Chen, was a unique artist whose work crosses many cultural boundaries. Each of her dances reflect her personal vision as an immigrant and an American female artist with deep roots in Asian culture. From this very personal perspective, she created new works that reflect current issues with global influences. Some of her works were developed in collaboration with renowned artists such as the Ahn Trio, Glen Velez, Joan La Barbara, Jason Kao Hwang, Tao Chen, Tan Dun, Huang Ruo and the Chinese Music Ensemble of New York.

Bridging the two shores of Asian elegance and American dynamism, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is a premiere provider of innovative cultural experiences that reflect the inspiring hope and energy of the immigrant’s journey. The company’s ground-breaking works have focused on themes from ancient legends that reflect issues of the present to purely abstract, contemporary dances influenced by the mix of cultures that Nai-Ni Chen experienced in New York. An Asian American company that celebrates cross-cultural experience, the company’s productions naturally bring forth issues of identity, authenticity, and equality.

The company has been presented at some of the most prestigious concert halls such as the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, and Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. The company appears annually at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Queens College, the College of Staten Island and on Ellis Island. Internationally, the company has presented at international festivals including Russia’s Open Look Festival, the Silesian International Contemporary Dance Festival, Poland’s Konfrontations International Festival, Korea’s Chang Mu International Dance Festival in Korea, the Meet in Beijing International Arts Festival, and the Tamaulipas International Arts Festival in Mexico.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has received more than 20 awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and numerous citations of excellence and grants from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Advancing dance education, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is currently in residence in New Jersey City University’s A. Harry Moore Laboratory School and Regional Day School teaching dance to urban children with disabilities.

Enjoy all of our upcoming performances on our new Byrider Stage!