In the midst of the COVID-19 Crisis, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is keeping its dancers in shape by conducting regular Company Classes online from Nai-Ni and Company dancer's living rooms using Zoom. After a few weeks, Company members and Nai-Ni invited former dancers of the Company and friends to join through Zoom. At the same time, company dancers translated their online dance teaching skills to serve K-12 students and students with disabilities in underserved communities. Dance has brought them rays of hope and joy in their confined environment.

As a Company rooted deeply in diversity and committed to the dancer's artistic journey, Nai-Ni Chen began inviting her friends who are world renowned as well as up and coming dancers and choreographer to come teach the Company class. The response has been extremely positive, especially in this time when Asian Americans community is experiencing racism and hate.

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company invites dancers from around the world to join the Company at noon for a free one-hour Company Class every weekday. Interested dancers can join the class by registering on Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company's website: http://nainichen.org/company-class

Classes are as follows:

Week of 4/27/2020

Monday Greta Campo (Kinetic Spiral)

Tuesday Ying Xin (Graham)

Wednesday Yuka Notsuka (Contemporary)

Thursday Nai-Ni Chen (Kinetic Spiral)

Friday Greta Campo (Ballet)

Hailed as a Spiritual Choreographer by Dance Magazine and recipient of multiple choreographic fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Nai-Ni Chen has been creating dances professionally for over thirty years in the United States. She has built a diverse repertory of over 80 original works and toured to major venues in the US and international contemporary dance festivals in 12 countries. She will be teaching her signature technique KINETIC SPIRAL which is a blend of the dynamic, ever-evolving spirit of contemporary dance and the grace and splendor of the Chinese artistic traditions.

Greta Campo is the Associate Artistic Director of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, She began her dance training in her native Milan at the Carcano Theater, where she was first introduced to Martha Graham's work. She performed with the Martha Graham Dance Company in their 2012 New York Season and later on their international tour. Greta is a recipient of the 2016 Rising Star Award from the Fini Dance Festival.

Xin Ying, choreographer and principal dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company, graduated from Nanjing University of Arts's choreography major in 2004. Her work received China Lotus award in 2008. And as a choreographer toured with Sichuan University of Arts to Hong Kong, Hungry and Germany, as 3rd section director for National Sports Opening and worked with more than 7000 performers. She joined Martha Graham Dance Company in 2011 to presume her professional dance career and now is a principal dancer and has worked with renowned choreographer all over the world. She made her own version of "Lamentation Variation" into dance film. Her work "a??"(the nest) using google 3D paint brushes and VR technology was presented by Graham Dance Company at Google. She has collaborated with Kate Spade, Barney NY, Norma Kamali, Black Berry, Tracy Reese, NYC Dance Project, and the Ballerina Project.

Yuka Notsuka was born in Fukuoka, Japan. She began her Ballet training in her hometown at age four. Later she broadened her training to include Jazz and Tap. Later Yuka moved to New York City to further pursue her career as a dancer. In 2015 she entered the Ailey School as a scholarship student. She performed in Ailey Spirit Gala Concert at Lincoln Center choreographed by Tracy Inman (Co-Director, The Ailey School) and Robert Battle (Artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater). Yuka joined the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company in 2017. She also has been in training and served as Teaching Assistant at the Luigi Jazz Dance Center under Francis J. Roach.

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