A Message From Miki Orihara

Nai-Ni and I came to NY around the same time. Yet we had very different paths. I admire everything she has done, contributing to the art of dance including her heritage as a Chinese dancer, supporting dancers,  community building, and keeping creative energy moving forward… During the pandemic, her company started to give free online classes, which still continue. Nai-Ni and her partner/husband Andy Chiang produced The CrossCurrent Contemporary Dance Festival, the festival aims to foster creative contemporary dance choreography in the Asian American Community. The festival will increase the visibility of Asian and Asian American dance, foster cross-cultural dialog and provide a more equitable context to discuss dance and its role in the NY/NJ dance communities. Her idea expanded into many paths. We want to honor her. I personally wanted to get to know her more and I want the world to get to know her more.

PC: Nai-Ni Chen - Photo by Carol Rossegg