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NEW YORK—The heart of Chinese culture beats strong and true in this season's production of the New York-based Divine Performing Arts Chinese New Year Splendor . The show's second hometown performance was a resounding success last night at Radio City Music Hall.
Costumes and sets inspired by China's fabled Tang Dynasty sparkled and beamed in a fantastic array of colors before a captivated audience.
Gwen Arment, once a dancer upon that very stage, clearly touched at seeing show's awesome beauty.
"The arms were so beautiful on the lead dancer in the Falun Gong number. The way she used the arms, it was as if nothing was attached, so expressive. I think the whole body is expressive. Their bodies do whatever they want them to; it is as if there is no gravity whatsoever…. She goes beyond traditional Chinese dance. Amazing. And her expression and grace..."
This has particular meaning for Arment, as she is a dance teacher and vocal instructor herself and she would really love to take a class in traditional Chinese dance with DPA dancers. She said, " They are very beautifully trained, their elevation, jumps and turns. They just fly thru the air—both the girls and the guys."
Stephen fills in "I really enjoyed the show. The tenor was incredible."
From the dancer's genuine smiles, to the songs and dances depicting China's ancient history and spiritual culture.
"It's a different culture," Arment said. "We have to remember that. It is presented differently. We are very American. Actually I'm a first generation Italian but I'm an American so I'm used to Broadway or the ballet. This is so different—expressed through different performing arts all in one piece."
"They are explaining it for us in their own way. We are used to things moving fast because we have very short attention spans. It's a different culture. The last one really touched me, the drums, and dancing too. That was incredible. The audience loved it too."
Divine Performing Arts prides itself on presenting true Chinese culture based on meticulous research. That research has become all the more difficult since the destruction of the ancient culture during the Cultural Revolution led by the Communist Party in China.
The Splendor continues in New York until February 9 with a run that includes fifteen shows over eleven days. Divine Performing Arts then continues its global tour through Europe, Asia and Australia.
The Chinese New Year Splendor continues in New York through Saturday, Feb. 9. For other shows in the Divine Performing Arts world tour, please visit: http://www.divineperformingarts.com/
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese New Year Splendor.
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