The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, the internationally touring dance company founded by Chinese American choreographer Nai-Ni Chen, will present a free Lunar New Year performance at the Carmine Carro Community Center in Marine Park on Saturday, Jan. 24.
Presented in partnership with Marine Park Alliance and the Brooklyn Public Library, the event celebrates the Year of the Horse with an interactive dance experience designed for families and young audiences. The program features vibrant costumes, colorful props, movement-based learning and hands-on activities that invite the audience to engage with Chinese cultural traditions in an accessible and joyful way.
The 2026 Year of the Horse program introduces audiences to the richness and diversity of Chinese culture through dance, music and storytelling. Performers guide viewers on a journey across regions and traditions, explaining how geography, history and community celebrations shape classical and folk dance forms. Narrated by the dancers themselves, the performance combines cultural context with demonstrations of foundational techniques in an age-appropriate and engaging format.
Audience participation is central to the experience. Selected volunteers are invited on stage to learn simple movements and explore how gesture and rhythm communicate meaning. The program includes elements of silk ribbon dance, allowing participants to experience the flowing movement and visual beauty of the form. New for the Year of the Horse is an energetic lion dance segment celebrating festival traditions, along with a dynamic Mongolian dance inspired by horsemanship and grassland culture, highlighting themes of strength, freedom and resilience associated with the horse.
The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is an Asian American, woman-led professional touring company that performs in educational settings, community spaces and major venues. Its mission centers on creating innovative cultural experiences inspired by the immigrant journey, bringing visibility to themes of identity, authenticity, equality, struggle and joy. Choreography is developed collaboratively with dancers from diverse backgrounds, making each rehearsal an immersive, cross-cultural creative process.
The Carmine Carro Community Center is at 3000 Fillmore Ave. The event starts at 12:00pm and more information is available here.
