Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company to Celebrate The Year Of The Horse At Kupferberg Center For The Arts

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, the renowned international touring dance company founded by Chinese American choreographer Nai-Ni Chen and now led by Artistic Director Greta Campo and Executive Director Andy Chiang, will perform at the Colden Auditorium at Kupferberg Center for the Arts. Tickets are $22, with discounts for students, seniors, Queens College students, and more.

Join in for a family dance performance and embrace the spirit of the Year of the Horse through the power and beauty of dance. Immerse yourself in a world of wonder as the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company takes the stage, blending ancient Chinese traditions with contemporary movement.

Kupferberg Center Program

Lion in the City

Choreography: Peiju Chien-Pott, Hip Hop Legends Kwikstep and Rokafella

Music: DJ KS360/Kwikstep, Henry Lee (Lion Dance Drum)

Dancers: Kathryn Taylor Esteban Santamaria, Caleb Baker

This exhilarating work brings a modern edge to the traditional Chinese New Year celebration. Commissioned by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), this unique version develops a dialogue between contemporary/Chinese movement and Hip-Hop, celebrating the pioneering spirit of the collaboration. The Lion Dance itself is a prayer for peace and harmony on earth, symbolized by a child playing freely with a ferocious beast.

Reverberation of Joy

Choreography: Zhongmei Li

Music: An excerpt of a new work by Angel Lam commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the generous support of theVirginia B. Toulmin Foundation to be premiered by the Quad City Symphony Orchestra on February 7, 2026, at the Adler Theatre in Davenport, IA

Mongolian Harvest

Choreography: Lawrence Jin

Music: Chinese Traditional

Dancers: Lorenzo Guerrini, Caleb Baker, Sarah Botero, Yuchin "Kiki" Tseng, Kathryn Taylor, Madeleine Lee, Madelyn Sarver, Esteban Santamaria

Commissioned by NJPAC, this dynamic work captures the essence of the nomadic Mongolian way of life. Known for its powerful footwork and expressive upper-body movements, the dance celebrates the generous spirit of the Mongolian people and their respect for the great prairie. Inspired by the joyful Naadam Festival, the piece portrays aspects of herders' daily activities including cooking, hunting, and traditions.

Carousel

Choreography: Nai-Ni Chen

Dancers: Lorenzo Guerrini, Caleb Baker, Sarah Botero, Yuchin "Kiki" Tseng, Kathryn Taylor, Madeleine Lee, Madelyn Sarver

Inspired by the dual imagery of playful, dreamlike carousels and the majestic elegance of real horses, this buoyant piece is one of Nai-Ni Chen's most celebrated abstract works. It explores the flow of energy and the dynamics reminiscent of the brush strokes used in Chinese ink painting, melding childlike wonder with the nobility and pride of equestrian movement.

Festival (Dragon Dance)

Choreography: Nai-Ni Chen

Music: Chinese Traditional

Dancers: Yuchin "Kiki" Tseng, Madeleine Lee, Madelyn Sarver, Lorenzo Guerrini, Sarah Botero, Caleb Baker, Kathryn Taylor,Esteban Santamaria, Yao Zhong Zhang