Naya is passionate about helping people transform their lives through the power of self-expression.  She engages her clients with her uniquely relevant expertise in multidisciplinary arts.

She brings over 20 years of Eastern and Western experience as theatre director, performer, musician and visual artist to help those she works with achieve authentic and effective communication in personal and professional relationships.

As an Effective Expressive Communication coach, Naya offers:

• Effective self-expression workshops and 1:1 sessions
• Communication skills for creating a successful career and a fulfilling family life
• Personal healing through interdisciplinary arts
• A personalized and safe environment for clients to practice self-expression and learn effective communication skill

For more information, please visit http://www.nayachang.com/coach/

During my Dresher Ensemble Artist Residency Program 2013-2014, I dived into experimenting with projection, lighting and audio in relation to a solo theatrical piece I was working on at the time called “Moving Space”. I was happy to have Francis Phan join and assist me with technical and video support. We shot the footage in a couple days with our Sony Nex7 and had access to multiple projectors and lighting at the studio.

Two years later, we produced the music and the video together. Special thanks to ‪ClimbingPoeTree‬, for their inspirational words!  We are grateful for the support from Paul Dresher and the Dresher Ensemble Artist Residency Program. We created this with zero budget. This is a first step to many other projects – particularly, we are looking forward to working with our dear friend Juliette Deschamps Makeïeff for a performance piece. 

I am so excited about the upcoming 2014 Drama Therapy Conference.  The topic is – In Harmony with the Elements: Drama Therapy and Wellness – I am honor to work with Armand Volkas and Roni Alperin on Waking Dream Theatre full day workshop. Please come and join us!  2014 Drama Therapy Conference

Waking Dream Theatre: Exploring a Collective Dream World Through Drama
Armand Volkas, MFA, RDT/BCT, MFT
Naya Chang, MFA
Roni Alperin, MA

In Waking Dream Theatre, you will refine improvisational forms and co-create collective dream worlds where personal story, current life challenges, music and creative expression intermingle. At once, meaningful practice and performance art, waking dreams spark deep insight while remaining poetic and playful. Balance, generosity, mindfulness and collaboration are its values.

I will be collaborating with Armand Volkas on a summer workshop exploring collective dream world again!  This time, we have Roni Alperin joining our team!  Together, we will be co-presenting at the pre-conference full day workshop at the 2014 Drama Therapy Conference at Yosemite. Please come and join us at our exploration at the Living Arts Center this summer or at Yosemite this fall!

A 7-Week Workshop on Tuesdays 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. from July 8 to August 19, 2014. Including a Sunday Intensive on August 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Culminating in a Performance on Tuesday August 19 at 7:30 p.m.

Conducted by Armand Volkas, MFT, RDT/BCT In Collaboration With Naya Chang, MFA & Roni Alperin, MA, MFT Intern 

WAKING DREAM THEATRE

In Waking Dream Theatre, you will learn and refine a series of acting forms. These techniques will allow you to interact with dream images that emerge from your unconscious through theatre improvisation. You will be invited to take creative risks with the encouragement of a supportive group and facilitators.

During the weekly sessions and all-day workshop, the group will co-create a collective dream world where personal story, current life challenges and creative expression intermingle. Waking Dream Theatre is at once a meaningful practice and a performance art. This workshop will allow you to discover, reveal yourself and be witnessed. Waking Dream Theatre can spark deep insight while remaining poetic and playful. The series will culminate in a performance in front of an invited audience integrating the forms that have been taught with music, movement and creative ritual. No previous theatre or improvisation experience necessary. Shy people are welcome!

Techniques to be Explored and Refined:

• Dramatic Resonances: an advanced Drama Therapy form based on the creative responses of participants, who collaborate to deconstruct an original narrative by creating a series of aesthetic pulses that generate multiple interpretations of it. (Susana Pendzik)

• Creative Ritual: an approach that incorporates the universal wisdom of ancient & modern cultures for patterning psychic processes using ritual forms, in a way that helps to structure and integrate difficult & complex aspects of life.

• Sound and Movement Transformations: in the tradition of Joseph Chaikin’s Open Theatre, archetypal images are revealed in rhythmic trance-like states.

• Scene/Transformation/Scene: Images and relationships are explored collaboratively through sound and movement that dissolve into scenes and then back into sound and movement.

• Personal Story Narration: Using the story theatre form, individuals embody and narrate stories from their lives.

• Spontaneous Self-Revelatory Performance: Individuals improvise personal stories and experiences while the group/ensemble supports the story through embodied empathy, accepting offers and creating mood and environment.

• Improvised Waking Dream Narration: A participant improvises a dream narrative. The narration and images reveal themselves to her/him and their meaning is explored in a group context.

• Sociodramatic Transformations: The group explores a common issue or social role while free-associating on a theme.

• Image Theatre and Forum Theatre: Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed techniques are used to explore such themes as power, oppression and liberation.

• Psychodramatic Transformations: Psychodramatic structures are interwoven with the transformations technique.

• Affective Memory, Sense Memory and Authenticity: Stanislavski’s Method is adapted and used to help participants identify and express their authentic selves.

• Viewpoints: Viewpoints is a technique of composition that provides a vocabulary for thinking about and acting upon movement and gesture.

• Suzuki Theatre Method: A non-naturalistic approach to acting which uses traditional Japanese and Western avant-garde theatrical styles and techniques in training and performances.

• Linkletter Voice Method: Freeing the natural voice

For more information and registration:

I am invited to speak at the Annual Gala of Taiwanese American Junior Chamber of Commerce – Northern California (TAJCC_NC) about the Power of Expressive Arts.  I am very thrilled to be speaking on topic of my passion and linking the expressive arts back to my home community!

For more information: http://www.tajccnc.org

Creator of Main Art, Alice Chang, successfully produced and is bringing “Love, Paiwan Tribe” to Orient International Festival of Oriental Music SHRINE AT BAZAAR in Rotermann square, Tallinn, May 29 – June 2, 2013.  I am honor to be apart of the artistic team.

The text is taken from the original link at http://www.erpmusic.com/festival-orient/orient-2013

ACT’s production of Sophocles’ Elektra opened on Oct. 31, 2012
Translated and adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Directed by ACT’s artistic director Carey Perloff
Original music by David Lang

I feel very blessed to be a member of this vibrant team creating this epic Greek tragedy as the assistant to the Pulitzer Prize–winning composer – David Lang!

This powerful play features the fierce René Augesen who plays Elektra and Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis who plays the Chorus Leader.  Beautiful and witty Caroline Lagerfelt plays Clytemnestra, Anthony Fusco is the tutor who fools everyone with his excellent storytelling ability, Steven Anthony Jones (Artistic Director of Lorraine Hansberry Theatre) plays Aegisthus, and three very talented ACT MFA third-year actors – Allegra Rose Edwards who plays Chrysothemis, Nick Steen who plays Orestes and Titus Tompkins who plays Pylades.  This production includes one live musician –  cellist Theresa Wong – who bows, plucks and vocalizes throughout the play creating atmosphere while being a second chorus member representing the public.