SAN FRANCISCO—The Divine Performing Arts Chinese New Year Spectacular, with live orchestra, performed once more at the grand War Memorial Opera House on Sunday Jan. 11 and Ms. Look, the executive director of an arts organization, thought the show was wonderful.
“It’s a beautiful spectacle—the costumes, the colors, the choreography—just really was amazing. I just loved the unison, and the athleticism of the dancers was just fabulous.
“I thought the choreography was very unique ... such graceful movements ... different than a lot of other kinds of dance. That the Chinese dance had the very unique aspect that was so graceful—at the same time they were moving beautifully together but in a graceful way.”
When asked what her favorite performance was Ms. Look said that there were so many, but that she really loved The Udumbara Bloom, saying, “It really evoked the sense of a flower blooming ... I just thought that was absolutely gorgeous.”
The legendary Udumbara flower of Buddhist lore blossoms but once every three thousand years. Its unfolding is said to herald the coming of a great sage or enlightened being.
Referring to another piece, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution, she said, “The piece about the persecution was certainly emotionally drawing—it was just wonderful,” adding that she had tears in her eyes. “It was very moving—especially the child, the little girl seeing her father—it was very very moving.”
The dance tells the tale of a father who is persecuted in China for practising Falun Gong, a traditional spiritual discipline. The fantastic scenes that ultimately unfold present a message of hope and tell of a longstanding Chinese belief that good people are ultimately rewarded, even if not in this lifetime.
Ms. Look felt that the spirituality displayed in the show was also very moving, saying, “It really showed a sense of Chinese culture, of how important that piece of culture is, and I think the sense that that’s being lost to some degree to the way things are now.”
It was the first time that she had heard the stories, the ancient myths and legends that were told through song and dance, saying that it was very nice.
Ms. Look also felt that the live orchestra brought much to the show. “… the vibrancy just adds so much … so it was wonderful to have that.
“It was just an overall wonderful experience—such variety. The drumming as well ... that was very very nice.”
Ms. Look would very much like to come back and see the show again. “It was wonderful. Definitely come back next year if it is in town next year.”
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Divine Performing Arts 2009 World Tour. For more information please visit DivinePerformingArts.org
