Thunderous drums, floating heavenly maidens, soul-stirring tales…each movement, each note, each story imbued with thousands of years of culture.
As the audience watched mesmerized, Yue Fei, China’s famed general bows his head to his elderly mother. In the next act, the delicate and poised ladies of the Manchu Court glide across the stage, followed by the vibrant hostesses of the Mongolian plains who enchant all while each balances three bowls atop her head.
This is Divine Performing Arts (DPA), a company that in just a few years has managed to single-handedly revive traditional Chinese culture and bring it to the world stage and an audience of close to a million people.
In 2008, two Divine Performing Arts Companies held 215 performances covering 66 cities around the world. This year, they added a third Company, and will tour simultaneously covering more than 80 cities. In addition, the performances will feature new original costumes, bright 3D digital backdrops, and all-new programs.
The Divine Performing Arts programs aim to revive and create upright traditional human culture that has been passed down from the Divine Chinese culture. The programs feature stories and myths from 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. The classical dance, folk dance, music, and songs bring a bright, uplifting spirit. It’s complete compassion, complete beauty.
“The gorgeous costumes, the gracefulness, the beautiful choreography, the beautiful music … It’s beauty from beginning to end,” exclaimed master cellist Christine Walewska after watching it for the third time in New York City last season, calling it “an absolutely magical experience.”
“It was so marvelous,” said Canada’s award-winning author Cyril Dabydeen after watching Divine Performing Arts for the second time in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada, adding, “It transported me back in time, in a sense of a beautiful, wonderful, quintessential Chinese culture.”
Whether in Paris, Sydney, or New York, many audience members indeed felt that there was something magical about Divine Performing Arts. And it is little wonder, considering the mission of the group: to perform works of “consummate beauty and goodness,” works drawn from the richness of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization.
The only civilization to have continuously passed on its heritage through 5,000 years of history, the Chinese civilization has developed through numerous dynasties and ethnic peoples, which while assimilating to its deep culture, also enriched it with their unique national customs and characteristics.
But none rivaled the wealth and prosperity of the Tang Dynasty (618–907), considered to be China’s most glorious cultural period. It was a time when the arts, medicine, and literature flourished. And it was a time where an individual’s worth was often judged by the strength of his mind, the kindness of his heart, and his moral character, as opposed to his social status or wealth.
The ancient Chinese culture was believed to have been divinely inspired and was traditionally treasured by the Chinese people as a gift from heaven. Thus, throughout China’s history, the essence of Chinese values has included the unity of heaven and earth, harmony, kindness, and respect.
However, in the last 50 years, these traditional values have been almost entirely destroyed by the Chinese Communist Party, most notably during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) when it decimated temples, paintings, books, and some of the most precious tokens of Chinese civilization. It is these traditions that Divine Performing Arts aims to restore through its shows.
“This show gave me a real sense of goodness and meaning in life,” said Anna Liceica, soloist for the American Ballet Theater. “There was something pure and bright and also very dignified” she said in describing the dances.
“The sense of divinity, spirituality, and good values—those things for me were very transcendental, very inspirational,” said Professor Dabydeen.
“I don’t think we realize how lucky we are, in the Ottawa area, in the National Capital Region, to have the performance stop here,” stated Canada’s Environment Minister John Baird regarding Divine Performing Arts at the pre-show reception in January.
Launching its 2009 global world tour on Friday, Dec. 19, Divine Performing Arts promises to enchant again with a host of new programs, promising even more beauty, goodness, and inspiration.
For more information please visit DivinePerformingArts.org
