Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company Unveils 2026-27 Season
The 2026/27 Season opens with a performance at Lake Superior State University Performing Arts Center on Friday, August 28.
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, one of the nation's leading contemporary dance ensembles, founded by Chinese-American choreographer Nai-Ni Chen and now led by Artistic Director Greta Campo and Executive Director Andy Chiang, has announced its upcoming 2026-27 season.
The 2026-27 season opens with a performance at Lake Superior State University Performing Arts Center on Friday, August 28, as well as a showcase at the Midwest Arts Expo (MAX) at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, WI on Wednesday, September 23. The tour will then continue across the Northeast and Midwest through June 2027.
Season Highlights
September 23, 2026 – Midwest Arts Expo (MAX) Showcase, Milwaukee, WI
Back for its second year at MAX, the company will showcase Nai-Ni Chen's blend of Chinese tradition and modern innovation at the Baird Center.
January 16-17, 2027 – AAPI Dance Festival, New York, NY
The company returns to the AAPI Dance Festival at Ailey Citigroup Theatre, produced in collaboration with the Asian American Arts Alliance and as part of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals Conference.
January 31-February 10, 2027 – Lunar New Year Performances
January 31 – Kupferberg Center for the Arts, Queens, NY
February 6-7 – New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Newark, NJ
February 9-10 – Hostos Center for Arts and Culture, Bronx, NY
May 7, 2027 – Alden Theatre, McLean Community Center, McLean, VA
For more than three decades, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has performed across the United States and around the world at venues including Lincoln Center, The Joyce Theater, Jacob's Pillow, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Its work bridges cultures and generations through stories that explore a range of personal and shared experiences.
In addition to its performances, the company is nationally recognized for its commitment to arts education and community engagement. Through school residencies, workshops, and collaborative projects, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company works to foster creativity and cross-cultural understanding.
Key pieces include Lion in the City, a collaboration bridging traditional Chinese movement and hip-hop; Peacock Dance, from the Dai ethnic group; and Movable Figures, an exploration of body shape inspired by shadow puppetry. Other featured works, including Way of Fire, Raindrop, and the Flowing River Under the Moonlight duet, explore elemental themes and nature. The program culminates in Festival, a finale celebrating community and heritage. Through these works, the company continues its mission to increase the visibility of the immigrant journey and explore identity, resilience, and cross-cultural unity.
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company 2026-27 Season
August 28, 2026
Lake Superior State University, Sault Ste. Marie, MI
September 23, 2026
Midwest Arts Expo, Milwaukee, WI
January 16-17, 2027
Ailey Citigroup Theatre, New York, NY
January 22, 2027
Johnson Community College, Overland Park, KS
January 26, 2027
College of Staten Island, Staten Island, NY
January 31, 2027
Kupferberg Center for the Arts, Queens, NY
February 6-7, 2027
New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ
February 9-10, 2027
Hostos Center for Arts and Culture, Bronx, NY
May 7, 2027
McLean Community Center, McLean, VA
June 29, 2027
USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts, Wheatley Heights, NY
|
Balanchine’s Apollo & Other Works Vancouver Playhouse (9/11-9/12) |