Ekaterina Chernikhova Dancer began her dance studies in her home city of Moscow, Russia, where she attended the Moscow School of Contemporary Dance.  Internationally, she has also attended the Ecole Superior de Danse Cannes Rosella Hightower (France) and the Cologne Dance Academy (Germany).  Ekaterina received her BFA in dance from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, where she performed choreography by José Limón, Paul Taylor, Martha Graham, among others.  After graduating she moved to New York City where she has worked with various choreographers, including Michael Thomas and his Motion Theatre Lab dance company and Pascal Rekoert.  Ekaterina is also a fully certified, practicing Pilates instructor.  This is her second season with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Jamison Goodnight Dancer was born and raised in Vineland, New Jersey. She began her dance training at Maxine’s Studio of Dance and soon became a member of the Vineland Regional Dance Company under the instruction of Maxine Chapman. She continued her education at SUNY Purchase and graduated in May 2009 with a B.F.A in Dance Performance while also receiving her Associates Degree in Business Administration. Over the years Ms. Goodnight has had the opportunity of working with renowned choreographers such as Doug Varone, Helen Pickett, Ronen Koresh and Jonathan Phelps. She has also been a guest artist with the Amy Marshall Dance Company, Syren Modern Dance, and teaches at various dance studios in the area.  This is her second season with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Guanglei Hui Dancer, from  Liaoning, China, has studied dance at many schools in China and Europe, including The Kyrgyz State Institute of Arts in Russia, where he majored in Classical Ballet, Choreography and Classical Ballet Education.  He has danced with and taught at the training center of the Guangdong Modern Dance Company in China from 2005-2011, with whom he has toured extensively throughout Europe and Asia.  Mr. Hui was also involved with the Guangdong Company's Cultural Cooperation Project with the Margearet Jenkins Dance Company, performing in the US in the fall of 2009.   He was a solo dancer with the National Ballet Academy in Russia from 2001-2003.  He received second prize at the Classical Ballet Competition in Kyrgyz, Russia, in 2003.  This is his first season with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. 

Jung Hm Jo Dancer, from Dae Gu, Korea, studied modern, ballet, and Korean traditional dance. He earned a BA in Dance from SeJong University. He then performed with Tatmaroo Dance Company and with choreographers in Korea, Japan, and Singapore, including Chung-Ja Choi, Hae-Jeon Hong, Na-Young Kim and Young-Chan Lee. Since his arrival in New York City in 2006, he has danced in Chang-Yong Sung's Moment and in a gala performance at the White Wave Dance Theater and has also appeared at La MaMa. He danced with the Sharon Wong Dance Company in Louisiana and, in Montreal, performed in La ou je vis by Daniele Desnoyers. Mr. Jo was assistant choreographer to Chang-Yong Sung on Requiem, performed by the Alvin Ailey Second Company at the Joyce Theater. Previously, he danced for Colman Lemieux & Compagnie. This is Mr. Jo's third season with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Mindy Lai, Apprentice Dancer, began dance at the age of three in her country of origin, Taiwan. Since then she has attended Chon-Wen Performing Arts School in Taiwan, and upon moving to the United States she joined Victoria Ballet Theatre, a pre-professional dance company in Victoria, Texas. She received an apprenticeship with Sierra Nevada Ballet for the summer of 2008. Currently she is a Senior at Fordham University Lincoln Center, pursuing her BFA in the Fordham/Ailey program.  This is her first season working with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.

Noibis Licea Dancer, born and raised in Cuba,  started dancing at the age of eight.  He obtained his formal training at the National School of Arts in Havana, where, as a student, he participated in dance festivals and competitions.  After graduation he danced with various companies throughout his country and later traveled to Mexico in 1998 to perform and choreograph musical shows.  In 2000, Mr. Licea moved to Miami to continue his dance career where his performince in Salome with the Florida Grand Opera and Personawiht the Florida Dance Festival were recognized by the Miami Herald and SunPost, naming him Best Male Dancer in 2001 and 2002.   In the summer of 2003, he was invited to attend workshops in Canada wiht Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal and Danny Grossman in Toronto. By the end of the summer, Noibis moved to and based himself in New York City.  Since there, he has worked with the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, "Oyu Oro" Afro-Cuban Experimental Dance Ensemble, Kay Cummings, Benoit Swam Pouffer and Patricia Hoffbauer among others.  He has taught at Dance New Amsterdam, Capezio Peridance Center, Ballet Hispanico, the Harlem School of the Arts and the Alvin Ailey School.  Noibis Licea holds a Masters of Fine Arts in dance and choreography from the Tisch School of the Arts (NYU).

Justin Lynch Dancer was born in Kingston, Jamaica. In addition to his work with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, Justin has toured the U.S. with Company Stefanie Batten Bland, Naganuma Dance and Ko-Ryo Dance Theater, and has performed in works by Takehiro Ueyama and Lydia Johnson, among others.  He also trained as a pianist at the Royal College of Music in London and at Boston University, where he heared a Bachelor's degree in Music.  This is his second season with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company.  

Riyo Mito Dancer is originally from Kobe, Japan, where she began her training in ballet at an early age. At Takarazuka-Kita High School in Japan, she learned modern and jazz dance, rhythmic gymnastics and japanese traditional arts (Nihon-Buyou and Nou-Kyogen).  She moved to New York in 2006.  Riyo trained in Horton, Graham and Dunham techniques as well as Ballet and Jazz at The Ailey School and completed the program.  She joined Parijat Desai Dance Company (PDDC) in 2006, whith whom she recently toured New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Banglore and Chennai in Inda.  She is also a member of Japan Performing Arts (since 2008).  It is her second season with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. 

Sarah Pon, Dancer, originally from Oakland, California, received her early training from Lynette DeFazio at Ballet Arts.  Sarah graduated with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2006 with a BFA in Dance.  While at UCSB, she danced in works by Christopher Pilafian, Tonia Shimin, Valerie Huston, José Limon, and performed with Nugent Dance.  Sarah is a recipient of the Patricia Sparrow scholarship and the Alice Condodina Performance Award.  She has danced for Santa Barbara choreographers Robin Bisio, Carol Press, Ian McGinnis, Marcos Duran, and Emily Wheeler.  Also involved in musical theatre, she has performed in many regional theatre productions at Woodminster Amphitheatre in the Bay Area.  Upon graduation from UCSB, Sarah was invited to join Santa Barbara Dance Theatre and danced with the company for three seasons.  With SBDT, she has toured internationally to Wales, Ireland, China, and South Korea.  In New York, Sarah has performed with Lydia Johnson Dance and is excited to join the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company for her first season.

Yao Zhong Zhang Dancer came from Shanghai, China, where he graduated from the Shanghai Kuan Opera School with a major in the male warrior role. Mr. Zhang performed with the Shanghai Kuan Opera Theater for ten years before moving to New York, where he also performs with the Tong-Ching Chinese Opera Company. He has been a member of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company since 2000.

Min Zhou Dancer graduated from the dance department at the Hubei Arts Academy.  She  later joined the Hubei Province Song and Dance Troupe and became a renowned principal performer. Ms. Zhou, an elected member of the Chinese Dancers' Association, has a wide repertoire that ranges from exquisite Chinese classical dances to gracious and playful folk dances.  While in China, she joined several performing arts groups and toured to Switzerland, Japan, Canada, and France.  In New York, she danced with the Chinese Cultural Center. She has been a member of the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company since 2004.