May 13, 1997 Department of Dance Contact Ruth Heller (541) 346-3387 or John R. Crosiar 346-3135 EUGENE--Taiwan native Nicole Chen says studying dance in the United States has given her a new outlook on life, one that is reflected in "View from the Bridge," her graduate choreography concerts on May 23-24 at the University of Oregon. Set for 8 p.m., Chen's free master's degree performances will be in the Dougherty Dance Theatre, a wheelchair-accessible performance space on the third floor of Gerlinger Annex, 1484 University St. "It feels like I am standing on a bridge to witness, observe and learn the differences of the Eastern and Western cultures, dance philosophies and communication styles," she says of the perspective that inspired her concert's title. "As I've learned about the Western dance, I've found myself breaking Chinese dance traditions by incorporating modern dance styles into Chinese dance." Chen's choreography project has two parts, a modern dance and a Chinese modern dance. The modern dance "Change?" depicts an individual's internal struggle to maintain her personality as she resists the urge to imitate others' personalities. The answer to the question of "Change?" is left open for the audience to answer at the close of the dance. The second piece, "The Winds Say...," combines Chinese dance characteristics with modern dance. Chen's intent is to combine the two styles to produce a Chinese modern dance with a unique aesthetic. Chen's costume designs are inspired by her experience with traditional Chinese dance. The dancers will manipulate the extremely long sleeves, like props, to provide a visual effect that extends the body's line. The idea came from Chen's previous experiments with the traditional ribbon dance. She modified the techniques of the ribbon dance, then incorporated modern dance movements into the choreography. The audience will view a videotape of Chen performing a ribbon dance at the start of the second piece. By looking at a traditional Chinese dance and comparing it with the live performance of the new Chinese modern dance, the audience will be able to observe differences in style. For information, call the Department of Dance, (541) 346-3386. To listen to a 24-hour taped message about current performances at the School of Music, including the Department of Dance, call GuardLine from a Touch-Tone phone at 485-2000, ext. 2533. -30- #P-2261/A&E