Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company Announces Guest Artists and This Week's Schedule for The Bridge

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: http://nainichen.org/company-class.

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 10/26/2020

Monday Yuka Notsuka (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am
Tuesday No Class-Election Day
Wednesday Nai-Ni Chen (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am
Thursday Greta Campo (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am

Friday Christian Mintah (West African Dance) at 11am

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.

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.

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.