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Traditional Chinese dances come to Queens Coll. stage

By Jennifer Saavedra

Taiwan-born Nai-Ni Chen, dancer, choreographer and owner of the company since its 1988 inception, explained that the overall mood of the show will be festive. “It will be very fun and joyful and have a lot of color,” Chen said.The 2007 Lunar New Year begins Feb. 15 and is the Year of the Pig.The performance will incorporate a northern lion dance endemic to the dancing styles of northern China and will include a lion costume akin to a “big, furry dog,” Chen said. Moreover, the dance will use martial arts and revolve around a lion leader and his attempt at dominating the lion. “The northern lion dance is very theatrical and dramatic,” she said.Another featured traditional dance, though less dramatic, will be the south-western Chinese peacock dance, where dancers will emulate the movements of the bird and emphasize hand gestures.The original piece titled “Raindrops,” will be performed by four female dancers and center around a playful female bond inspired by Chen's childhood experiences in the rainy city of Keelung in Taiwan. “It will be mixed with a feeling of mystery, joy and sentimentality at what it was like to be young and not afraid of getting wet,” Chen said.This dance is reflective of Chen's preference to incorporate elements of nature and climate change in her dance pieces. She said her attraction to water rises from the idea that water, like dance, “is very mysterious and full of movements.”Though Chen, 47, played a major role as choreographer in the production of the upcoming performance, as a dancer she will only play minor roles.What does she hope to transmit to the audience on the night of the performance?”I hope to take them to a different world. I think when people come to the theater, it is a chance for them to leave their reality and share a magical moment.”Tickets for the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company's Feb. 10 performance at 7:30 p.m. in the Lefrak Concert Hall at Queens College are available for $12 and can be purchased by phone at 718-544-2996.