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Nai-Ni Chen dancers blend Chinese and Western styles
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
YOUNGSTOWN
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will brighten up the gray Youngstown winter when it brings its colorful, lively and exotic show to Ford Family Recital Hall on Saturday.
The New York-based company is likely the only professional troupe that blends traditional Chinese and modern Western dance. This is the Year of the Rooster in Chinese lore, and Nai-Ni Chen’s current show incorporates its symbolism.
The troupe is led by Nai-Ni Chen, who discussed the show in a phone interview last week.
“The rooster is the only bird in the [zodiac] cycle,” she said. “In China, it is compared to the phoenix, and in that way, it represents prosperity and power. Also, the rooster wakes up the earth, so it is a symbol of awakening.”
Like most traditional Chinese dance, the performance is rooted in nature.
“It starts with the lion dance to welcome spring,” said Chen. “Then there is the ribbon dance and the graceful peacock dance, which is very popular in China.” In the ribbon segment, dancers use long lengths of cloth to create a swirling visual display.
In addition to the Chinese zodiac signs, Chen’s dance troupe also incorporates the five elements of fire, water, wood, metal and earth in its performances.
In choreographing each piece, she adds an element of modern dance movement, lending another layer to the show.
Chen is a native of Taiwan, where she was a prominent dancer in the traditional Chinese form. She founded her dance troupe in 1988 after moving to New York.
“I began with the art of Chinese dance,” she explained. “Although I had many years of training in modern dance and choreography, I had so much more training in the traditional, starting when I was 4 years old.” She became a principle dancer in touring traditional companies in her homeland when she was 18.
“When I came to the United States and established a company, it was natural for me to also add contemporary dance,” she said.
America has always embraced different cultures and that message is found in her choreography. “I believe in educating the public and using dance to show that down in our hearts, we are all the same,” she said.
Chen has taken her company to China twice, including a performance in Beijing two years ago that she said was very well-received.
“For them, it is interesting to see how I incorporate a Western touch into the elements that they are familiar with,” she said.
The show coming to Youngstown includes an original score made with traditional Chinese musical instruments, but reflecting both cultures.
Chen said it is not easy to find dancers who can blend both styles. Her auditions are very competitive, and those who are selected face a heavy rehearsal schedule.
“They must have good technique to do what I am asking them to do, and they also need to be great performers,” she said.
The result of their hard work will put a smile on the faces of audience members.
“It is high energy, and I put my heart into it,” said Chen. “It is like a 12-course banquet, from appetizer to dessert, and with attention to balance and presentation.”