World-renowned dancer dies in apparent drowning off Oahu
Published: Dec. 13, 2021 at 7:39 PM HST|Updated: Dec. 14, 2021 at 12:31 PM HST
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - An internationally-known dancer and choreographer died while on vacation in Hawaii.
Nai-Ni Chen was reportedly found unresponsive while swimming off Kailua Beach on Sunday.
Chen is from Taiwan and founded the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company in New York in 1988. She’s known for blending traditional Chinese dance with contemporary styles.
A tribute on her dance company’s page said in part, “Nai-Ni Chen was a creative genius and always had an eye for joy and surprise. Her ever shining smile twinkled her eyes like a star in the sky. Her movement was like a concrete stream - strong but soothing!”
Nai-Ni Chen was 62 years old.
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