The Pan American Chinese Dance Alliance (PACDA) announced that the 7th Annual Taoli World Dance Competition and Historic Collaboration with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company to Advocate for Community Culture, Dance Equity, Justice, Visibility, and Empowerment will take place July 29-31, 2022 at University of California, Irvine. The competition, whose headquarters are located in Irvine, was created by the esteemed dance educator, Professor Pan Zhitao who founded several dance competitions and organizations including the “peach and plum cup” dance competition (1985), and Chinese folk dance department in Beijing Dance Academy (1987). He is the deputy director of the academic committee of Beijing Dance Academy and the director of the expert committee of the Chinese Folk Dance Examination Center, the Chinese Dancer Association, and the Chinese national folk dance.
According to their website, the primary mission of the Taoli Cup Dance Competition, organized by PACDA, is “to promote Chinese dance art and creations, to train Chinese dance teachers and professional dancers, to provide a platform for dance competitions, master classes and activities. To enrich cultural life and to create opportunities for effective and substantive cross-cultural exchanges in the performing arts between Chinese dancers and teachers in the U.S. and dance professionals in China.” It also highlights the achievements of the dance instructor of the dancers competing, aid in advancing higher levels of both teaching and performance and inspire new choreography from dance artists.
PACDA, an association includes more than 100 community dance groups in the United States and Europe, states that the Pan America Multicultural Dance performance will be held at the Claire Trevor Theatre at The Barclay, UC Irvine Building #711, 400 Mesa Road, Irvine, CA, on July 29, 2022, 1pm-6pm PT. The competition is free and open to the public. Contestants will be required to pay a fee. There will be in-person competitors from across the United States and Canada, as well as virtual competitors from China, Japan, and Singapore.
“Additionally, there will be a series of conference events leading up to the 7th Annual Taoli World Dance Competition, marking the first year back to in-person master classes and competition after the onset of the pandemic. In addition, there will be virtual events and competitions held simultaneously. Highlights include: the first international conference for Chinese dance instructors, students, and parents; an in-person and virtual competition; an award ceremony; master classes; and a dance gala on July 31, 2022 at 7:30pm PT. Tickets for the gala are free and available through The Barclay box office.” – PACDA press release.
The master class series will be held in person on July 30 and July 31, 2022 at South Coast Chinese Cultural Center, 10 Truman St, Irvine, CA. Teachers include world renowned dancer Peiju Chien-Pott former principal dancer of the Martha Graham Dance Company, faculty of the Alvin Ailey Dance, and the Director of Contemporary Dance in Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, and Principal member Rio Kikuchi of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will also offer a master class in Nai-Ni Chen’s signature technique, Kinetic Spiral. Classes being offered include classical dance, Chinese folk dance, modern and contemporary dance. Spots are limited.
Pan America Multicultural Dance Gala
Chinese Folk Dance Master Class
Taught by Shin Yue Wang
July 30, 2022 | 9AM-12PM
Tuition: National Peach contestants $100; public $120
Age: 12+ and 2+ years of dancing
To register, click HERE.
Please bring Mongolian dance costumes, the program will be performed at the Pan American Multicultural Dance Festival on July 31, 2022
Classical Dance Master Class
Taught by Erdong HU with assistant teachers Ying She and Xue Han
July 30, 2022 | 1:30PM-4:30PM
Tuition: National Peach contestants $100; public $120
Age: 12 years old and above and two years or above of dancing
To register, click HERE.
Modern and Contemporary Dance Master Class
July 31, 2022 | 9AM-12PM
Taught by Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company’s Peiju Chien-Pott and Rio Kikuchi
Tuition: National Peach contestants $100; public $120
To register, click HERE.
PACDA mourns the loss of one of its most beloved judges and panelists, Ms. Nai-Ni Chen, the founder and artistic director of the Fort Lee, New Jersey-based Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company which has toured nationally and internationally for more than 34 years. Chen passed away in 2021 at the young age of 62. Her company is now led by Creta Campo, Artistic Director, Ying Shi, Director of Traditional Dance and Preservation, and Peiju Chien-Pott, Director of Contemporary and Creative Dance.
In celebration of Nai-Ni Chen’s life, this year’s event will feature one of her signature works, The Way of Fire, performed by the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. The music for this work is by Tan Dun, performed by Yo-Yo Ma and Glen Velez. Also, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company’s Director of New and Contemporary Dance – the world-renowned dancer/choreographer and former Principal Dancer of the Martha Graham Dance Company, Peiju Chien-Pott – will be offering a Martha Graham technique workshop. Rio Kikuchi, a principal member of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, will offer a workshop in Kinetic Spiral, a dance training that incorporates Chinese Dance, Martial Arts, Ballet, and Contemporary Dance into a unique Chinese American style.
To learn more about PACDA, please visit their website.
To learn more about Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, please visit their website.
To Purchase Tickets for the Gala performance on July 31, 2022 at 7:30 pm at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, please click HERE.
Written and compiled by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle. Information from PACDA press release.
Featured image: Pan America Multicultural Dance Gala Poster – Courtesy of PACDA – Retouched by LADC
