Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will perform Song of the Phoenix on October 29, 2024 at 7:30 pm at Susquehanna University's Degenstein Campus Center Theater, 151 Weber Way, Selinsgrove, PA. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.susqu.edu/academics/lectureships-and-speaker-series/artist-series/

 

Experience the majestic thunder of the Martial Arts and the mysterious whisper of poetry through the global language of dance. Song of the Phoenix is a new program from acclaimed choreographer Nai-Ni Chen that brings the audience on a flight through space and time to a place where tradition meets innovation and freedom arises from discipline. The phoenix, known in both eastern and western cultures as an awe-inspiring creature of death defying strength and majesty, represents the power and mystery of the feminine for the East and renewal for the West. Applying the ancient wisdom of the Chinese I-Ching, Song of the Phoenix expresses modern concerns of the changing environment and events in human life with refreshing theatrical ideas, powerful dance movements that keeps the audience excited, surprised and most importantly, connected through the arts.

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Song of the Phoenix will feature a revival of Tiger and Water Lilies, receiving the Company Premiere at Susquehanna University; Awakening II, a duet created during the pandemic and one of the latest pieces by Nai-Ni Chen; and Lion in the City, a newly commissioned work, created in collaboration with hip-hop legends Rokafella and Kwikstep.

 

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.

The Artist Series seeks to encourage an aesthetic appreciation of diverse cultures as well as the artistic heritage of humankind. Performances are often linked in ways that advance intellectual engagement through master classes, lectures or content of the artistic presentation.

 

Tickets are required for Artist Series and main stage season performances. Learn more about how to purchase tickets at https://www.susqu.edu/about-susquehanna/in-the-community/box-office

 

Adult $20 | Senior $15 | Non-SU Student $5

 

Support Susquehanna University’s Artist Series and become a friend of the arts by calling 570-372-4237 or emailing artistseries@susqu.edu.

 

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.