H T DANCE COMPANY-CHEN DANCE CENTER
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Mission Statement
Chen Dance Center is a non-profit arts organization with a reputation for quality cultural and educational programs. Established in 1979, Chen Dance Center programs and activities reflect its mission to provide moving experiences in Asian-American and contemporary dance through artistic creation, arts education, and presentation. Through its Company H.T. Chen & Dancers, Theater and School, Chen Dance Center has brought unique programs to countless audiences in NYC, across the country and around the world.
About This Cause
In January 2020, just before the pandemic, a 5-alarm fire tore through the 70 Mulberry Street building and Chen Dance Center lost everything - a fully equipped theater, central office, 3 pianos and practice rooms, 3 dance studios, dressing rooms, storage and support areas, costumes, props, and archives. The organization is temporarily displaced, with a new mailing address: P.O. Box 777, New York, NY 10108. For the last 47 years, Chen Dance Center had its home in the heart of Chinatown, drawing a diverse audience to this cultural and economic enclave. Known for its experiential learning program, CDC has collaborated with over 80 public and private schools and presented cultural experiences and contemporary dance to 10,000 students annually from across the city, and on national tours to cultural centers and universities. The organization has been supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, Surdna and MetLife Foundations, New York Community Trust, the National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and Con Edison. Founder/Directors H.T. Chen and Dian Dong were Juilliard alumni who have received the NYS Governor’s Arts Award, NYC Mayor’s Award for Art and Culture, Bessie's Special Citation, Mid-Career Award from the Martha Hill Dance Fund Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Organization of Chinese Americans. When H.T. Chen passed away in 2022, Dian Dong led the organization to provide virtual classes and live educational performances free of charge to thousands of citywide students, as well as to Chinatown children and families. The company also traveled to urban and rural communities in NY, NJ, MA, TN and MS to present concerts and outreach. Our outdoor performances and virtual workshops have been presented to bring joy, harmony and greater understanding through dance and culture. In times like these, the arts play an essential role in child development, as well as their physical and emotional well-being. For adults and caretakers, we began a free dance & wellness class. In 2021, we partnered with Dance Education Lab (DEL) to create a new K-12 dance curriculum for the NYC DOE addressing social justice through the works of H.T. Chen. Chen Dance Center’s Company, School and Theater • H.T. Chen & Dancers – presents original works that combine authenticity with innovation. The company is distinguished by works addressing Asian-American history and tours nationally as well as internationally. The company was featured on the Kennedy Center's Arts Across America series, the American Dance Guild's virtual festival, and Directors H.T. Chen and Dian Dong served as Grand Marshals of the 2021 DanceParade. • The School – Nicknamed the ‘Chinatown Juilliard’, The School provides over 500 community children and families each week with affordable, quality instruction and training in dance and music through year-round classes at the Center. Currently, the School has a special partnership with PS42 to provide underserved children with free after-school dance classes and early childhood dance classes. • The Theater – A black box venue presenting emerging choreographers and independent choreographers. Although the theater was destroyed in the 2020 fire, the organization continues to support emerging and indigenous choreographers through creation support. Cited as an important cultural force in NYC, the Theater has helped launch the careers of hundreds of dance artists through production support and commissions. "Mr. Chen has long been one of New York dance's most persuasive storytellers, addressing issues of acculturation well before they become fashionable in dance." - Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times – "Shanghai-born artistic director, Chen Hsueh-Tung studied ballet and modern dance as well as traditional Chinese dance, all of which he has synthesized into a remarkably fresh and arresting style." - Dance Magazine - "What a wonderful company you are to work with! Great dances, terrific dancers and everything so professionally handled.” - Lincoln Center Institute -