Events

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, an Asian American woman-led dance company, has been performing and touring for over 25 years. Artistic Director Nai-Ni Chen has created more than 90 dances, and some of the most popular pieces such as Raindrop (2003) and The Way of Five - Fire have been performed over 100 times locally and around the world. Historically, professional costume designers, including Karen Young, Anna-Alisa Belous, Olu-Orondava, Jon Can Coskunses, and Angel Tsai, produced the company's costumes. Despite the quality of their work, the athleticism of the performances results in sweat-drenched costumes with increasing wear and tear. Costume repair and maintenance is a constant challenge for a busy dance company. The loss of New York City's garment industry and many professional seamstresses has also impacted the dance community. Costume makers are increasingly difficult to find for smaller dance companies with finite budgets.