Nai-Ni Chen Dance Co Celebrates Year of the Serpent at NJPAC
As the winter winds begin to ease in February, and we welcome signs of Spring in 2013, preparations begin across the globe for the Year of the Serpent, a most auspiciousness symbol, related to the great Dragon.
In celebration of the arrival of Spring and the Year of the Serpent, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is preparing an impressive feast of dance and music to delight audiences in its 14th season at NJPAC's Victoria Theater, Saturday & Sunday, February 9 & 10 at 2 PM.
To offer those families a more complete cultural experience, there will be lobby exhibits of folk crafts, paper cutting, origami and sale of New Year related arts and craft items. The Company is also having its annual Gala Banquet after the show, which features a 12 course banquet at the Chinatown Restaurant in Harrison on Sunday after the show.
On stage, artistic director Nai-Ni Chen has developed a colorful and exciting program that highlights the beauty of the Chinese American tradition and the innovative works she has been developing since she immigrated to the United States 30 years ago. The program not only includes the Dragon Dance and Lion Dance, which are must-haves for the Chinese New Year, it will also feature an exciting Chinese Opera excerpt from the Legend of the White Serpent, one of the major operas in the history of the art form. The program will also feature Nai-Ni Chen's most recent creation "Whirlwind" with music by Glen Velez. A mesmerizing work of great power, Whirlwind is a summation of Nai-Ni Chen's experience traveling on the Silk Road, a meeting place of cultures and people since ancient times. Additional highlights of the program include traditional dances from the Bai people of the Yunan Province, the Coinstick Dance, as well as Chinese music played on authentic instruments by renowned Pipa Master Hong Tao Sun.
For the ultimate Chinese New Year experience, the audience is invited to purchase tickets to the Company's Year of the Serpent Gala Banquet in the Chinatown Restaurant in Harrison, NJ. There, joined by the Company, they will enjoy a sumptuous 12-course banquet on a table in family style.
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