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Tuesday, May 18, 2021

VIRTUAL DANCE INSTITUTE, MAY 17-21 

NAI-NI CHEN DANCE COMPANY

Announces

The Bridge

Virtual Dance Institute

 of boundary-breaking dance experiences

Free One-Hour Company Class on Zoom

Open to All Dancers at an Intermediate to Advanced Level

May 17-21, 2021

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has established a new dance institute through Zoom, The Bridge. The Institute’s aim is to bring together dancers, choreographers and directors around the world to experience the master teachers of color whose practices are embedded in the community and are focused on advancing the art of dance that transform the personal, environmental and metaphysical spaces. 

Interested dancers can join the class by registering on Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company’s website: https://www.nainichen.org/thebridge.

As a virtual dance institute, The Bridge will invite world-renowned as well as up-and-coming dancers and choreographer to come to guest teach the class. Advanced/Intermediate level professional or pre-professional dancers who are looking to explore beyond their own boundaries and looking for new dance experiences are encouraged to participate. 

The core program is based on Nai-Ni Chen’s Kinetic Spiral, which is a cross-cultural dance vocabulary that integrates the Chinese martial arts philosophy in TaiChi with contemporary dance practices she studied in America. Guest artists will cover a wide range of folk and classical dance styles.

The Bridge Class schedule are as follows: 

Week of 5/17/2021

  • Monday Yuka Notsuka (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am
  • Tuesday Christian Mintah (West African Dance) at 11am
  • Wednesday Nai-Ni Chen (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am
  • Thursday Andrij Cybyk (Ukrainian Dance) at 11am
  • Friday Greta Campo (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am

About Nai-Ni Chen's Kinetic Spiral: Tap into the creative energy of the universe through Kinetic Spiral. Nai-Ni Chen’s signature technique is based on the principle of ever-changing universal forces of Yin and Yang. Dance phrases from Nai-Ni Chen’s repertory will be taught.

About Christian Mintah’s West African Dance: An exploration of West African Dance with Christian Mintah

About Andrij Cybyk and Ukrainian Dance: Take a Ukrainian Dance class with master teacher Andrij Cybyk.

About the Artists

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.


Andrij Cybyk has devoted his professional career to the study and performance of traditional dance, largely of the Eurasian Region. He holds the title of Artist of Folk Ballet from the Virski School of Academic Ukrainian Folk Dance in Kyiv, Ukraine. Andrij has toured the world performing the traditional dances of the Eurasian region with companies such as Riverdance, the Duquesne University Tamburitzans, Nai Ni Chen Dance Company, ALLNATIONS Dance Company, Barynya, and Michael Mao Dance, among others. He is the former Artistic Director of the Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble of NYC and the current Artistic Director of the Iskra Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and Academy of Whippany, NJ.

Christian Mintah is a dancer/choreographer trained in Ghanaian (West African) traditional dances, African Contemporary dances, and popular African dance (now commonly known as Afrobeat dance). He has choreographed for singer Adina from Ghana and worked with Lil Shaker and Kojo Que of BBnZ Live of Ghana in the official dance video for the song Mamayie. Christian also performed in many dance productions and music videos such as katso, Asem yi dika, wogb3j3k3, Dum Drum and Use Your Head. Currently, Christian is a third-year MFA in contemporary dance at Case Western Reserve University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Studies and Dance studies from the University of Ghana.

Yuka Notsuka was born in Fukuoka, Japan, is a member of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. 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.


About Nai-Ni Chen

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 Asian artistic traditions.