The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, a trailblazer in the world of Chinese dance, is thrilled to announce its upcoming performance, Red Firecracker, for Education for the Arts. This special program is dedicated to celebrating the Chinese immigrant culture and promises a captivating display of cultural richness, artistic excellence, and a profound narrative that explores the origins of one of the most important holidays in the world: The Chinese Lunar New Year.
Red Firecracker, a creation by the late choreographer Nai-Ni Chen, delves into the rich tapestry of Chinese New Year traditions. The performance narrates the ancient tale of villagers uniting to combat the Nian, an eternal monster that descends upon the earth annually. Through a dazzling array of props, vibrant costumes, mesmerizing music, acrobatics, and lively dance, the top-notch performers of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company bring to life the story of courage, ingenuity, and the intrinsic value of community.
Choreographer/Dancer, Nai-Ni Chen (1959-2021), was a unique artist whose work crosses 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 perspective, she created new works that reflect current issues with global influences. Many of her works were developed in collaboration with renowned artists such as the Ahn Trio, Glen Velez, Joan La Barbara, Rokafella, The Chinese Music Ensemble, and the New Asia Chamber Music Society.
The Company has presented at some of the most prestigious concert halls, such as the Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center in New York, and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Florida. The Company appears annually at the 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 Open Look Festival in Russia, the Silesian International Contemporary Dance Festival, the Konfrontations International Festival in Poland, the Chang Mu International Dance Festival in Korea, the Meet in Beijing International Arts Festival in China, and the Tamaulipas International Arts Festival in Mexico.
Performance Synopsis
In the ancient times, before there was a Lunar New Year Celebration, in a far away village in China, people live joyously together. But, every 365 days, a monster called Nian comes to terrorize the people and even the greatest warrior does not seem to be able to stop it.
But the villagers’ prayers to the gods are finally answered, and an ingenious invention was created to repel the vicious monster that comes every year.
In order for everyone to remember what they needed to do every 365 days, they used the name of the Monster, Nianto, to be the same as the word for “Year”. To celebrate another year absent of the Monster, people say, “Guo Nian”, meaning the danger of another Nain visit has passed. On the New Year’s Day, people greet each other saying, “Gung Xi, Gung Xi”, set off loud firecrackers, and cover everything in red to ward off the Nian.
[The show] is a great experience for anyone wanting to learn more about the rich and inclusive history of the Lunar New Year. A reminder of why art is relevant, the show calls attention to our capacity for inclusion, creativity, growth, and education. – Edge Media Network
Thank You!
This activity is supported in part by an award from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council.
