AAPI Dance Festival: Rising Stars

Please join the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company for AAPI Dance Festival: Rising Stars, a showcase celebrating emerging choreographic voices from the Asian American community in New York.

Tickets: $25 for the showcase, or $40 for a full festival pass.

The full festival pass includes access to the Rising Stars showcase in addition to the two showcases at Ailey Citigroup Theatre (Saturday, Jan 10 & Sunday, Jan 11).

Program for Sat, Jan 10 from 7-9pm:

Opening Remarks
Andy Chiang (Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company) and Lisa Gold (Asian American Arts Alliance)

“World of Gotham” by Gotham Dance Theater
World of Gotham is a collection of repertory from two evening length productions “re:motions” (2022) and “22” (2021), which showcases our choreography strengths in street jazz, contemporary, dance theatre, and Filipino-folk fusion.

Please note: This performance includes strobe lighting, which may affect individuals with photosensitivity.

Dancers: Amanda Lowe, Dahyun Kim, Davonna Batt, Emily Hart Lopez, Jessica Watkins, Marc Nuñez, Michaela Ternasky-Holland, Nadia Khayrallah, Sarina Gonzalez, Stephanie Shin

“Who Am I?” by Maya Kulkarni with Aishwarya Madhav
This piece is an interpretation of an ancient Sanskrit poem called Nirvana Shatakam. The story will be presented through the lens of a woman’s life and share vignettes of various stages she goes through in her life - childhood, marriage, motherhood, and old age, and ends with her conversation with her inner conscience, who is untouched by the ups and downs of life. In a transformation, the dancer becomes the witness who is now one with the universe and dances to the cosmic vibrations.

Dancer: Aishwarya Madhav

“On the Subject of Bananas” by Stephanie Shin & Artists
“On the Subject of Bananas” utilizes gesture, rhythm, and intimacy to investigate the absurd humor, quiet harm, and nuanced reception of the pejorative term “banana.”

Dancers: Maya Lam, Rachel Ha-Eun Lee, Stephanie Shin

“How To Make A Really Cool Frog” by Jie-Hung Connie Shiau & Artists
“How To Make A Really Cool Frog” is an exploration on preservation. In order to preserve their sense of self, the four performing artists travel across environments, created by each other and the musical scores, to explore how to preserve themselves on their own or with one another.

Dancers: Blu Furutate, Mayu Nakaya, Tiare Keeno, Zack Sommer

“Taipei’s Sky” by Chieh&Yoyo-Compound Playground
This duet traces a shared Taiwanese journey through three atmospheric chapters. It opens in the glow of a Taipei karaoke room, where playful movement meets the familiar lift of “Taipei’s Sky.” The story shifts into an urban love poem shaped by the rhythms of daily life — the pulse of MRT announcements, the nostalgia of pre-1960s melodies, and partnering that moves like two people exploring a beloved city. The final chapter turns toward faith, blending rock hymns of protection with the vibrant energy of Beiguan, where ritual, play, and devotion merge into a celebration of home and belonging.

Performers: Chieh Hsiung, Yu-Wei Heath-Hsiao

“NYC” by Umami Playground Dance Inc.
A kinetic portrait of New York City — its subways, streets, noise, rhythms, and restless energy. Dancers shift through the city’s contrasting vibes and collisions, capturing the chaos, beauty, grit, and pulse that make NYC unforgettable.

Dancers: Guangmin Shen, Yurie Ono, Kevin Chen, Bea Martin, Da Hyun Kim, China Braekman, Kai Nakayama, Luyan Li, Wan Rong Tseng, Rachel Hsu, Shannon Healey

BIOS

About Gotham Dance Theater

Gotham Dance Theater (GDT), founded by Marc Nuñez in 2015 in Queens, is a contemporary street dance company that represents the borough’s rich cultural diversity. Through Marc’s Filipinx-American, gay immigrant experience, and the perspectives of his dancers, GDT highlights and celebrates the experience and strength of immigrants, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Since 2019, GDT’s annual programming includes “Summer Suite,” a series of free public performances and classes, which is presented in part by Queensboro Dance Festival, with the goal of making dance accessible to local and culturally rich communities like Jackson Heights and Corona.

The GDT aesthetic is a blend of Marc’s professional dance career from concert dance (Donald McKayle’s Etude Ensemble, Mike Esperanza’s BARE Dance Company) to musical theater (Peter Pan, Newsies) to commercial dance (Rihanna, Todrick Hall). The choreography dynamically combines the energy of street styles and the flow of contemporary with human connection at its forefront. https://www.gothamdancetheater.com/

About Maya Kulkarni

Maya Kulkarni - Maya is the creator of Shilpanatanam, a new dance vocabulary that has drawn enormous attention in dance circles and audiences in the US and India. She has choreographed 40 new works over the past 12 years in the Shilpanatanam style, blending classical forms with innovative themes. https://mayakulkarni.org/

About Aishwarya Madhav

Aishwarya Madhav is an Indian classical dancer and an Arts educator. She is an emerging artist known for her striking footwork and her storytelling expertise. She has performed widely across India and the US at prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, Yale University, and 92Y, as well as at renowned festivals such as Drive East, Battery Dance, and Making Moves Dance Festival. https://aishwaryamadhav.com/

About Stephanie Shin

Stephanie Shin’s work and process bridges individuality and collectivism, inviting audiences into a dialogue on belonging and perception, transforming personal narrative into collective reflection. https://www.stephshindance.com/

About Jie-Hung Connie Shiau & Artists

Jie-Hung Connie Shiau & Artists is a dance company that makes work about the multidimensionality of the immigrant human experiences and challenges societal norms through imaginatively guttural physical relationships. https://jiehungconnieshiau.com/home

About Chieh&Yoyo-Compound Playground

Compound Playground, founded by Chieh Hsiung and Yu-Wei Heath-Hsiao (Yoyo), is the creative home for their collaborative artistic work. Under this umbrella are two projects: Islanders, a New York–based music and dance theater collective created with Taiwanese artists, and Chieh & Yoyo, their duet company focused on intimate, movement-driven storytelling. Together, these groups reflect Chieh and Yoyo’s shared mission to build an open, inclusive environment where art feels alive, accessible, and rooted in community. Drawing inspiration from Taiwanese culture, Compound Playground brings the warmth, humor, and collaborative spirit of Taiwan into performances and creative initiatives. Their projects connect artists from diverse backgrounds while sharing Taiwan’s energy and narratives with broader audiences. https://www.instagram.com/compoundplayground

About Chieh Hsiung

Chieh Hsiung (she/her) is a Taiwanese immigrant dancer, choreographer, and educator whose work has become a distinctive voice in New York City’s contemporary performance landscape. As co-lead of Compound Playground, she creates bold, immersive worlds where audiences are invited to step inside shared stories shaped by movement, memory, and cultural ritual.

About Umami Playground Dance Inc.

Umami Playground Dance Inc. is a collective of movers blending street, club, and contemporary dance to create playful, culturally rich works. This piece explores the vibrant mix of NYC - its beauty and chaos intertwined through diverse movement and music. https://umamiplayground.wixsite.com/umami-playground-dan

About the AAPI Dance Festival

The AAPI Dance Festival is an annual celebration of dance and choreography that highlights the artistry and innovation of choreographers of Asian descent, presented as part of the Dance Managers Collective’s APAP showcase at City Center and the Ailey Citigroup Theatre.

Organized by the Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, the festival features two showcases at Ailey Studios with performances by Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, A4’s Jadin Wong Fellow, and other acclaimed companies, as well as the Rising Stars showcase at City Center, spotlighting emerging choreographic talent.

The AAPI Dance Festival is made possible with support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, and individual donors like you.

Thank you to production community partner Queensboro Dance Festival for their support at the Rising Stars showcase at City Center.

Accessibility: The first performance of the showcase includes strobe lighting, which may affect individuals with photosensitivity. Learn more about accessibility at City Center here.