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link to i-danse.com]
Yung-li Chen a native of Taiwan, received her MFA degree from Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase College in 2008. Upon graduation, she founded I-danse. As artistic director of I-danse, Yung-li Chen helms a powerful exploration of the dance form that continually produces fascinating and moving dance pieces. Her works have won several composition awards in Taiwan and have also presented in Japan, Spain, and Mexico. In New York, the venues that have hosted her include such prominent festivals as Reverb Dance, DUMBO Dance, American Dance Guild, and Downtown Dance, as well as top series and programs like Dixon Places Mondo Cane! Commission Program, Choreographys Canvas, WAXworks, and Fertile Ground New Works Series.
"An excerpt from Yung-li Chen's Pursuit of Balloons was slight, but what resonated was the light, airy jump of Christopher Ralph, a dancer of promise who still has one year left at Purchase College."
September 12, 2008
Gia Kourlas, New York Times Review
"An absurd fragment of a solo—an excerpt from Yung-li Chen's The Pursuit of Balloons—offered the evenings most lightweight moment, with the very engaging performer Christopher Ralph being pulled on atop a teetery little metal cart and then bounding about twisting a balloon into naughty shapes to what sounds like an old Heidelberg drinking song."
September 17, 2008
Deborah Jowitt, Village Voice Review
"A brief excerpt from Yung-li Chen's The Pursuit of Balloons to an Einsturnzende Neubauten song, which brought Christopher Ralph bouncing and bounding around with a long red sausage balloon that he tied in knots to resemble a toy dog."
September 17, 2008
Hilary Ostlere, Financial Times Review
One of the most original dance companies was I-danse, founded by Taiwanese immigrant Yung-Li. In a performance that can be accurately described as dementedly whimsy, the audience watched innovative dance steps against a backdrop of music by People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz, Animal Collective and Einstuerzende Neubauten. The music's haunting quality was punctuated by sharp twists and turns and the clever use of props such as yellow smiley-faced balloons and shopping carts. With song titles like "Ghosts before Breakfast," the music enhanced the tone of the performance. I-danse was only recently founded and there remains much to be seen from this young choreographer.
September 15,2008
Daniella Adler, The Knight News
Various routines with a mix of cultures and music demonstrated many areas of contemporary dance styles, from some very sombre performances to those that had the audience laughing and clapping along with the dancers rhythm. Taiwanese dancer Yung-Li Chen of I-danse performed in a homemade, brightly coloured tutu to the music of Chinese pop star Jay Chou.
Febuary 4, 2009
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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