Big Brother (2007)


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Apple Dreams (2007)
H.T. Chen’s use of space, dynamics and imagery is masterful and the Winter Garden captures his imagination as a canvas for Apple Dreams. Scenes expand and contract, bringing the viewer on a journey from the mundane to the magical. Mr. Chen paints in broad strokes, yet allows intimate details to emerge. In one scene, 15 dancers fill the space with running, shouting, spinning - creating a vortex of energy. This is followed by a scene where a tiny boy ventures alone into the woods in search of treasure.  Infants, elders, tree ghosts, colorful banners and goddesses inhabit the fantastical world of Apple Dreams.

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Shift (2006)

Described by the New York Times as “…one of New York dance’s most persuasive story-tellers…”, Mr. Chen’s SHIFT is a bold, company work that delves into the recesses of the sleeping mind, playing out the beautiful, surreal, exciting, and often eerie livelihood of dreams.  Set against a commissioned electronic score by Fitz Patton, and lighting by Joe Doran, the dancers’ motions and emotions move seamlessly from the agitated, to the satiated, and even the quirky.  They come together momentarily, stopping to share a slow dance or accomplish a task, and then drift apart, back to their personal journey.

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Meditations of a Drunken Peacock (2001) is a fantasy of musings. Inspired by an 11th century Chinese poem by Su Tung P'o, this piece depicts the poet's wish to have the moon and flowers as drinking companions. The dancers rise and fall with the elated happiness of the inebriated. While many of H.T. Chen's works explore more profound themes, Meditations of a Drunken Peacock instead allows the choreographer's light-hearted side to show.

"H.T. Chen made intoxication an aesthetic pleasure in Meditations of a Drunken Peacock, the charming [work of] H.T. Chen & Dancers." -Jack Anderson, The New York Times

Bian Dan (2000) Highlighting the dramatic and dynamic interweaving of generations and cultures that occurs in Asian immigrant families, Bian Dan gives voice to their experiences of struggle and hope. In Chinese, the two characters Bian Dan stand for the bamboo shoulder poles used throughout Asia to carry heavy loads. In the work, the bamboo pole is symbolic of both burden and strength, representing the mixed cultural burdens shouldered by immigrants and their children, as well as their integrity and endurance. In particular, Bian Dan examines the parent-child relationship and explores the misunderstandings caused by cultural and generation gaps. In each venue, Bian Dan features community members of all ages.

"Chen, who makes a buoyant appearance in the dance's curtain call, beautifully mixes the citizens' troupe into the proceedings, and they respond to his direction with great zest."
-Richard Christiansen, Chicago Tribune

Warriors of Light (1998) is an abstract journey, evoking imagery of the human spirit as it seeks to attain enlightenment. The piece portrays a sense of struggle and journey towards something higher, exemplified in both the individual and the group. Various props are used to highlight the upward progression of the piece: Hand-held lanterns illuminate 'the way' as the surroundings darken, and plexi-glass poles - a modern variation of the Chinese Opera long-poles, are used in a meditative way for enlightenment rather than for traditional staged combat.

"In Warriors of Light Mr. Chen blends new and old dance forms with remarkable smoothness."-Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times