(FORT LEE, NJ) Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, a rare Asian American women-led dance company, has been mourning the loss of its artistic leader Nai-Ni Chen for the past week. Ms. Chen is an embodiment of immigrant Chinese American dance artists who came to America to contribute to the world of dance and has since created a company with deep roots in many aspects of community life. Her sudden passing also leaves a legacy of 30 years of work to create cross-cultural dances that empower the next generation of immigrant artists and honors diverse influences in mainstream American culture.
Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will hold memorials for Nai-Ni Chen virtually on January 8 and in-person on January 9, 2022. Nai-Ni Chen, who died in a swimming accident while on vacation with her family in Hawaii on December 12, 2021, was founder, choreographer, and Artistic Director of Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.