Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company to perform at Jersey City Theater Center

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will perform Red Firecrackers on Sunday, December 15, 2024 at 4pm at Jersey City Theater Center, 165 Newark Ave, Jersey City. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased at https://jctcenter.org/. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more people, please call 201-795-5386 for information on how to book.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, a renowned pioneer in Chinese dance, is excited to present its stunning performance Red Firecrackers at JCTC. This special production honors Chinese immigrant culture and promises to be a vibrant and artistic journey through one of the world's most celebrated holidays: The Lunar New Year. Each year, nearly 500 million people travel to their ancestral homes in China, joined by millions more in the Chinese diaspora worldwide, to commemorate this significant occasion.

Red Firecrackers choreographed by the late Nai-Ni Chen, explores the rich traditions surrounding the Lunar New Year. The performance recounts the ancient legend of villagers who unite to fend off the Nian, a mythical beast that terrorizes the earth each year. Through dazzling props, elaborate costumes, enchanting music, acrobatics, and dynamic dance, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company brings this timeless story of bravery, creativity, and community to life.

This captivating production not only offers a sensory feast but also delves into the historical significance of Lunar New Year customs. Red Firecrackers highlights the importance of unity in overcoming challenges, reflecting the spirit of the New Year. It also serves as a meaningful prelude for the community to celebrate their own Lunar New Year festivities.

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to witness the magic and beauty of Lunar New Year traditions, interpreted through the extraordinary talent of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Celebrating over 30 years of dance-making, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is a rare Asian American female-created touring company that honors and advances the dynamic spirit of Chinese American cultural tradition. Led by Nai-Ni Chen, a visionary in Asian American dance, the company emphasizes the immigrant experience through multicultural performances. Founded in the early 1990s, the company's diverse repertory bridges Asian and American arts, collaborating with musicians like the Ahn Trio and artists such as Myung Hee Cho. Recent works like "A Quest for Freedom," developed with the Ahn Trio, exemplify the Company's commitment to innovative, cross-cultural productions. Nai-Ni Chen’s unique choreographic styles reflect the grace and splendor of the Chinese cultural traditions she studied in Taiwan and the dynamic spirit of modern and contemporary dance she acquired in New York. The Company’s contribution to the community has been honored by OCA, the leading national Asian American advocacy organization, New Jersey Chinese American Chamber of Commerce and the International Institute in Jersey City. The Company has toured extensively in the United States and at international festivals around the world . Their global presence includes performances in Mexico, Canada, Russia, and China, supported by esteemed institutions and foundations. Nai-Ni Chen has been honored with over 20 awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, and prominent institutions – including the Lincoln Center Institute, the Joyce Theater, Dancing in the Streets, New Jersey Ballet, Ballet Met, Dancing Wheels and Baraka Sele at NJPAC – all have commissioned notable works.

Acknowledgement

Programs of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company have been made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/ Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Jersey Cultural Trust, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, DanceNYC Dance Advancement Fund, the Hyde and Watson Foundation, E.J. Grassman Trust, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, New Music USA, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, American Dance Abroad, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ Cultural Exchange Fund, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, PSEG, Proskauer, WAC Lighting and the Glow Foundation. WQXR is a media partner of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

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