lifestyles
Dancing away the differences
Photos courtesy of Chen and Dancers
Chen and Dancers doesn't just dance. It educates.
By Casey Barnes Kansan staff writer
Watching Chen and Dancers is like opening a book you have never read before, said H.T. Chen, director of Chen and Dancers, a modern dance company based in New York City's Chinatown.
The dance company expresses its own unique style, using its heritage to build on modern dance, Chen said. It will perform two works with roots in Asian themes at 8 p.m. Friday in the Lied Center.
The dancers use hybrid props or fans with different colored cloths attached to them to catch the attention of the audience. The colors of the clothes might symbolize concepts in the dances such as marriage or death.
The dance company arrived Sunday in Lawrence, presenting several demonstrations to elementary and junior high school students and teaching them the cultural and historical importance of their dances.
The dancers are from around the world, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States. Each of them is trained in modern dance and ballet. Several members are also trained in traditional Chinese dance.
"With the lecture demonstrations, we hope to demystify the art of choreography and creating dances," said Dian Dong, associate director of the dancers.
"We teach them that dances always start with an idea, like a moon. We want them to understand what the moon means here and what the moon means in Chinese history."
They will also work with dancers and share cultural creation stories at the Lawrence Arts Center and Haskell Indian Nations University.
In the dance company's 16 years of operation, this is its first visit to Kansas and the Midwest. The dancers hope their stay will be educational.
"This is the first time we will do this type of sharing and trading of ideas and stories," Dong said. "There is such a rich possibility for exchange with the dancers at Haskell."
"It is one thing to just go to a school and do a show." Dong said. "It is not just like you are the audience and we are the performers. We try to bring people together through our demonstrations and prepare activities that will reach more people."
Chen said the interactive style is to educate and to make those who may or may not see the program aware.
"We want to create something from our own heritage and to help understand, promote and relate the Chinese culture." Chen said.
Chen founded the company in 1978 and also operates the Arts Gate School, where 250 students between the ages of 4 and 18 are enrolled.
NOVEMBER 16,1994 PAGE 4B
KULife
Cultural Calendar
EXHIBITIONS AND LECTURES
Exhibition—paintings by Kansas City artist Jane Pronko, Nov. 11-Dec. 1 at The Lawrence Arts Center, 200 West Ninth St.
Reception—United Way of Douglas County, "Make the Caring Connection," 4:30-6 p.m. tomorrow at the Lied Center. Tickets $3 public.
Exhibition—Kansas Metalsmithing: History and Influence, Oct. 31-Nov. 18 at the Art and Design Building gallery.
Exhibition-Sculptural Concerns: Contemporary American Metalworking, Nov. 5-Dec.18 at the Spencer Museum of Art.
Exhibition—From Kashmir to Kutch: Textiles of Northwest India, Nov. 12 Jan.8 at the Spencer Museum of Art. Exhibition—Land and Its Uses: Photographs from the Collection, Sept. 3 Dec. 31 at the Spencer Museum of Art.
PERFORMANCES
Benefit Show—Social Service League of Lawrence, 8 p.m. Saturday at The Lawrence Arts Center, 200 West Ninth St. Tickets $3.
University Theatre presents
"Tartuffe," 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre. Tickets $8 public, $4 students, $7 other students and senior citizens.
Faculty Recital—Kansas Woodwinds, 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Swarthout Recital Hall.
Fall Concert—KU Trombone Choir, 5 p.m. Sunday at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St.
Fall Concert—Jazz Ensembles II and III and KU Jazz Combo I, 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Crafton-Preyer Theatre. Faculty Recital—Oread Baroque Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Monday in Swarthout Recital Hall.
Fall Concert—The Lawrence Youth Symphony, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lawrence Riverfront Plaza, 1 Riverfront Plaza. Admission is free.