AAPI Dance Festival at APAP (Day 1)

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) are pleased to present an afternoon of thrilling AAPI dance with performances from the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Jadin Wong Fellow Kanon Sugino, Jadin Wong Artist of Exceptional Merit Nikaio Bulan Sahar Thomashow (they/he) and KAŌS Dance Collective, Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, and J CHEN PROJECT.

Please note this is Day 1 of a two-day festival. Day 2 is on Sunday, Jan 12 from 4:15–6:15pm also at The Ailey Citigroup Theatre (link here).

The AAPI Dance Festival at APAP is a part of the Dance Managers Collective Showcase.

Tickets:
General Admission Tickets are $25. If you would like to attend both days, we encourage you to reserve a Two-Day Pass at the special price of $30. We hope you’ll join us for both showcases!

Program:

1:45 pm - “As the Roots Undo” by Nikaio Bulan Sahar Thomashow and KAŌS Dance Collective
“As the Roots Undo” is a collaborative work that centers around adaptation as a means of survival and the exhaustion that comes with it. It is a snapshot depicting the feeling of living through each seemingly identical day - understanding the necessity of adaptation in order to survive as you distance yourself from the version of you that existed before. The dancers see that they’re not alone and find strength in collective perseverance.

Dancers: Carl Ponce Cubero, Ciana Jao (she/they), Johnny Mathews III (he/they), Mic Carter, Nikaio Thomashow (they/he), and Sabrina Herbosa Reyes

2:00 pm - “Mirage no Wana” by Kanon Sugino
This work is an exploration of Japanese culture, heritage, language, societal norms, body image, and mental health, portraying the multidimensionality of the culture and its people. Amidst the richness and beauty of Japan is a concealed toxic and self-deprecating culture.

Dancers: Manatsu Aminaga, Kira Shiina, and Kanon Sugino

2:15 pm - “Leaving Pusan” by Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company

“Leaving Pusan” tells the story of Dana Tai Soon Burgess’s great grandmother’s emotional and physical departure from Korea in 1903 – she voyaged to Oahu, Hawai'i on the first steamship, the Gaelic, that delivered Koreans to work on the sugar cane and pineapple plantations. She worked on the Del Monte plantation her entire life.

Dancers: Natasha Ames, Joan Ayap, Trevor Frantz, Felipe Moltedo, Aleny Serna, and Baylee Wong.

2:45 pm - “AAPI HEROES” (Excerpt) by J CHEN PROJECT
“AAPI HEROES” entertains and pays homage to the vibrant legacy of Asian American history! We follow our young explorer, Kai, on a captivating journey across time to discover iconic Asian American figures such as Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Chinese American star, and Bruce Lee, a legend in martial arts and philosophy. It also brings to life the mythic NuWa, Goddess of Creation, and the global K-POP phenomenon.

Dancers: Chieh Hsiung, Sumire Ishige, Maya Lam, and Carl Ponce Cubero

3:15pm - Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company

Experience the artistry of Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, celebrated for its authentic and diverse programs that spotlight AAPI dance and foster cross-cultural collaboration. This dynamic performance highlights the Company’s innovative approach to blending tradition with modernity:

“Lion in the City”
A thrilling reimagining of the beloved Lion Dance, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop. Nai-Ni Chen’s collaboration with Rokafella and Kwikstep unites Chinese movement with urban dance in a joyous prayer for peace.

“Tiger and Water Lilies”
Grace and power converge in this BalletMet commission, blending Asian traditions with contemporary ballet as dancers portray the duality of motion versus stillness.

“Carousel”
Step into a dreamlike world inspired by European carousels and equestrian elegance, filled with whimsy and vibrant characters.

“Unfolding”
A poetic collaboration with Korea’s Hanulsori troupe, inspired by shared cultural heritage and the timeless principles of Yin and Yang.

Artistic Director: Greta Campo
Rehearsal Director: Candace Jarvis
Dancers: Caleb Baker, Sarah Botero, Rio Kikuchi, Madeleine Lee, Max O'Connell, Esteban Santamaria, Madelyn Sarver, Evan Stewart, Kathryn Taylor, Yuchin Tseng

BIOS

About Dana Tai Soon Burgess

Dana Tai Soon Burgess (Founding Artistic Director) is a leading American choreographer and cultural figure. The Washington Post Pulitzer Prize-winning dance critic Sarah Kaufman writes of Burgess, “Not only a Washington prize, but a national dance treasure.” He founded and directs DTSBDC, Washington DC’s premier modern dance company, now in its 31st season. His work explores intersectional identities-the flowing together of diverse perspectives, histories, and traditions. In 2016, the Smithsonian named him the first ever choreographer-in-residence. Three portraits of Burgess reside in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian as well as his family archive. Burgess has served as a Cultural Ambassador for the U.S. State Department for over two decades and was awarded three Fulbright Senior scholarships for dance. Burgess is a recipient of the Selma Jeanne Cohen Dance Lecture Award (2021) and the Aaron Stein Memorial Fund Award (2021). His memoir, Chino and the Dance of the Butterfly: A Memoir, received a Silver Medal IPPY Award in 2023. Burgess is a professor emeritus of dance and the host of Slantpodcast.com dedicated to conversations with APIA creatives. For more information visit www.dtsbdc.org

About Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company

Now in its 32nd season, Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC) is a culturally diverse company that performs dances that uplift, inspire, and bring new insights to seasoned dance lovers and new audiences alike in Washington, DC, around the United States, and the world. DTSBDC creates and performs modern dances that explore intersectional identities—the flowing together of diverse perspectives, histories, and traditions that result in shared audience understanding. DTSBDC is a leader in the national movement to collaborate with and perform at visual arts museums as well as theaters. In 2016, DTSBDC was named the Smithsonian Institution’s first-ever resident dance company. This year the company begins a series of new residencies including a yearlong “social impact” residency at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. DTSBDC has a long history of artistic collaborations and partnerships with other organizations including: NASA, the U.S. State Department, National Gallery of Art, the Kreeger Museum, the Mayor’s Office of Asian Pacific Islander Americans, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and more. DTSBDC has been presented at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, The Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse, Arena Stage, the United Nations, La MaMa, the Asia Society, the Korean Cultural Center, as well as at the White House at the invitation of President and First Lady Michelle Obama. As a US State Department cultural envoy, DTSBDC has toured extensively both nationally and internationally to 5 continents and over 30 countries.

About J CHEN PROJECT

J CHEN PROJECT is a 501c3 nonprofit contemporary dance company based in New York City led by emerging Chinese American dancer and choreographer Jessica Chen. Their mission is to create dance works that emphasize identity, cultural diversity, and belonging, and to promote radical, equitable access to the arts. Chen’s choreographic work has been presented at notable venues, including MoMA, Lincoln Center’s Restart Stages, and the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. Their performances have reached a global audience, including the World Expo-USA Pavilion in Shanghai and a feature by Google Arts & Culture, in collaboration with the Asian American Arts Alliance. They have received funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts. Their current production, “AAPI HEROES,” engages audiences of all ages and includes the Bessie-nominated piece “NuWa.”

About Kanon Sugino

Kanon Sugino (she/her) is a Japanese American dance artist born and raised in New York. After graduating from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Purchase College, SUNY, with a BFA in dance and a BA in arts management. She has performed in works choreographed by Bill T. Jones, Norbert De La Cruz lll, Peter Chu, Darrell Grand Moultrie, MICHIYAYA, Jie-Hung Connie Shiau, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, and more. Soon after graduating, she joined Nimbus Dance as a company dancer, and is now working with Doug Varone and Dancers and MICHIYAYA Dance. As a choreographer, she has presented work at the We Belong Here: AAPI Festival curated by Jessica Chen, a split bill performance curated in collaboration with Arts On Site, and a self-curated show at the Puffin Room Art Gallery.

About Nai-Ni Dance Company

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is a leading force in creating innovative cultural experiences that capture the hope, resilience, and energy of the immigrant journey. Each performance highlights the struggles, triumphs, challenges, and joys of this experience. Through its productions, the Company fosters cross-cultural understanding while addressing important themes of identity, authenticity, and equality.

About Nikaio Bulan Sahar Thomashow

Nikaio Bulan Sahar Thomashow (they/he) is a Jewish and Filipino-American dancer, composer, and educator originally from Northern NY. They graduated from Oberlin College in 2018 and then served as the Oberlin Shansi Fellow at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia). They’ve worked with companies such as Daloy Dance Company (Philippines) and EMERGE125 (NYC). Nikaio is currently a teaching artist for the Misty Copeland Foundation BE BOLD program, as well as the director of KAŌS Dance Collective. Nikaio and KAŌS have presented works for organizations such as NYS DanceForce and Movement Research at the Judson Memorial Church, and have held residency at TOPAZ ARTS and Green Space.

Accessibility:
There is a ramp to access the front entrance of the building on 9th avenue. Wheelchair accessible restrooms are available on the ground floor and performance entry level (PE). Doors to those restrooms are wave-activated to open on both sides.

To keep everyone safe and healthy, if you are not feeling well or have been exposed to COVID-19, please stay home.