Alternating the traditional with the contemporary, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company closes out the Asian Arts & Culture Fall Season on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 7:30 in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall.

Modern dance movements from "Raindrops" influenced by choreographer Nai-Ni Chen's home city of Keelong, China (also know as the Rain Harbor), are featured along with traditional costume and dance from the 500-year-old art form of Chinese Kunque Opera in "Legend of Double Spear Warrior." The long "water sleeves" adorning the costumes of the dancers in "Passage to the Silk River" mimic the movement of the colorful ribbons highlighted in "Festival," a work exploring the ancient folk tradition of Dragon Boat racing. Inspired by the nomadic life style of the Mongolian peoples, "Triple Rhapsody" showcases the dynamism and athleticism of the company's three male dancers. This multicultural company--featuring dancers from the US, Cuba, China, and South Korea--is a true reflection of the diverse choreographic language of its founder, Nai-Ni Chen. For lovers of both traditional and contemporary dance, Nai-Ni Chen is sure to please!

Friends of the Fine Arts Center 20th-Annual Gala & Auction

The Hotel Northampton
A Benefit for Artist Community Educational Residencies

The 20th-Annual FAC gala will whisk you away to four global hot spots filled with excitement and intrigue.

Get your tickets now! Call 413-545-2511 or 800-999-UMAS.

South Africa's magnificent 26-strong Soweto Gospel Choir bursts with earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, a capella numbers, and accompaniment by an exciting four-piece band and percussion section. Add energetic dancing and vibrant, colorful costumes, and the mix is awe-inspiring. This young, dynamic, multiple Grammy Award-winning choir performs traditional and contemporary music, adding its own unique feel and interpretation to both. The choir performs in six of South Africa's 11 official languages, and has appeared alongside Robert Plant, Bono, Diana Ross, Jimmy Cliff, and Peter Gabriel.

Don't miss this dynamic performance at the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall on Wednesday, December 3 at 7:30 PM. Tickets are available now from the FAC box office at 545-2511, 800-999-UMAS, or online.

The Arts Give Back and so can you by bringing a new, unwrapped toy, game, winter clothing item or non-perishable food item to donate to families through the Amherst and Northampton Survival Centers. See the NSC or the ASC websites for lists of needed items.

The Asian Arts & Culture Program (AACP) in conjunction with the Barnes & Noble Booksellers at Mountain Farms Mall, Hadley, MA is hosting a special free preview event featuring the Nai-Ni Chen Dancers on Tuesday, December 9 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Dancers from the company (appearing in a full production at the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall on Thursday December 11 at 7:30 PM) will be on hand to meet patrons and perform short excerpts from the company repertoire. Additionally, a percentage of all in-store Hadley Barnes & Noble purchases made Dec. 9 from 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM will be donated to AACP educational programs.

If your holiday gift giving includes a stop at the Hadley Barnes & Noble please use this book voucher to support AACP by making your purchases anytime on Tuesday, December 9. Just present the voucher along with your purchase at the register.

And don't forget to see the full company of Nai-Ni Chen Dancers on Thursday, Dec. 11, in The Way of Five. Nai-Ni Chen's exploration of the ancient Chinese theory about the cycles of creation and destruction highlights the five elements: wood, water, fire, metal, and earth.

Franz Wright's most recent collections of poetry include Walking to Martha's Vineyard (Alfred A. Knopf, 2003), The Beforelife (2001), Ill Lit: New and Selected Poems (1998), Rorschach Test (1995), The Night World and the Word Night (1993), and Midnight Postscript (1993). He has also translated poems by René Char, Erica Pedretti, and Rainer Maria Rilke. Wright has received the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, as well as grants and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Whiting Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The reading is free and open to the public.