Dancing the Asian American Experience

May 3, 2021—Chatham Square Library

What is it like to be an Asian American choreographer in the United States in 2021?  Four talented, contemporary Asian American choreographers, each representing a different dance style and all with an NYC connection, talk about their work and discuss their experiences in the dance world and in present-day America. Moderated by Phil Chan, author of Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing Between Intention & Impact, and featuring choreographers Rohan Bhargava, Jessica Chen, Brinda Guha, and Edwaard Liang. The program will include discussion, video clips, and a Q&A session at the end.

PHIL CHAN is a co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, and most recently served as the Director of Programming for IVY, connecting young professionals with leading American museums and performing arts institutions. He serves on the Leaders of Color steering committee at Americans for the Arts, the International Council for the Parsons Dance Company, and the Advisory Board of Dance Magazine. He is the author of Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing between Intention and Impact, and a 2020 New York Public Library Dance Research Fellow. (Photo by Eli Schmidt)



ROHAN BHARGAVA was born and raised in New Delhi, India, where he trained at the Danceworx Academy of Performing Arts. After relocating to New York City in 2012, Rohan founded the Rovaco Dance Company. Recently, Rohan was awarded the Jadin Wong Fellowship as an Emerging Dance Artist by the Asian American Arts Alliance. (Photo by Jacob Kruty)

JESSICA CHEN is Director of the J CHEN PROJECT, a non-profit modern dance company based in New York City. Her choreography has been performed in a wide range of venues locally and beyond and she has taught master classes, seminars, and workshops internationally. Jessica is also a trained Gyrotonic instructor and has worked with Broadway dancers and actors, as well as non-professional clients of all ages. (Photo by Vanessa Gonzalez Bunster)



BRINDA GUHA, a trained Indian Classical Kathak dancer and independent choreographer, is the co-founder and manager of the Kalamandir Dance Company and the Symposium Coordinator for Dance/NYC. In 2017, Brinda created WISE FRUIT NYC, a seasonal, live arts installment, and she also dances with the dynamic percussive trio, Soles of Duende.

EDWAARD LIANG, a former dancer with the New York City Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, has built an international reputation as a choreographer. Since 2013, Edwaard has served as Artistic Director of BalletMet, based in Columbus, Ohio. His choreographic works have been performed by such companies as the Bolshoi Ballet(Russia), the Houston Ballet, the Kirov Ballet (Russia), the New York City Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, the Shanghai Ballet, and the Singapore Dance Theatre. (Photo by Chiun-kai Shih)





This virtual program is being presented by Chatham Square Library, Outreach Services and Adult Programming, and Jerome Robbins Dance Division of NYPL.



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