CHICAGO —The highly anticipated Divine Performing Arts New York Company (DPA) opened their first of three Chicago performances in the Civic Opera House on Saturday, December 27, to a nearly full house of people from the Chicago area as well as guests and tourists visiting for the holidays.
It was an exciting family outing, experiencing a new holiday tradition with their loved ones —parents bringing their children, adults bringing their parents, and of course, there were friends and couples who came to enjoy the show.
Some audience members said it was their first time seeing the Divine Performing Arts New York Company and also their first time attending a classical Chinese dance and music production. For instance, Mr. Server, an architect, brought his three children. He said he had a friend who was involved in the New York production team and he spoke very highly of the show. The Bodkin Family of three discovered the show through Ticketmaster. They said they had seen performances before, but never anything like this.
Also in the audience were those who came out of interest in Chinese culture. Rich brought his sisters Brianna and April to see DPA’s 2009 World Tour because he had been interested in tai chi in the past. Because of that interest he wanted to learn more about Chinese culture and traditions. One Chinese family from Chicago came because the grandmother saw an advertisement in the local Chinese newspaper and wanted to see this Chinese show with her own eyes.
Pam, who came with her husband, said her favorite was the Dragon Springs Drummers‘ a fast paced, all male, hand-drum dance. She said she especially liked the “brilliant colors” and “color coordination.” She also praised the singers in the show.
Ms. Holland, a retired school teacher from North Carolina, and her son Mr. Holland, an analyst from a Chicago firm, said they liked Persecuted on a Sacred Path which told the story of a family whose father was persecuted because of his belief in Falun Gong. As he nears death, celestial beings come down from the sky to welcome him to heaven.
Mr. Holland said he had been entertaining his mother for a week. They went to see the play “Wicked” and the musical “Christmas Spectacular” earlier this week.
Divine Performing Arts was their last special event before her departure. Ms. Holland said it was, “all wonderful, the music was wonderful and very soothing, the dancers very good and the vocalists very talented.” Asked if they would come to see the company next year, they responded: “Definitely!”
Two families came for their young children. Mike, a financial firm owner and his wife Maria, a doctor, brought their children, Emily who is seven and her four year old twin brothers. They chose this show because Emily has just begun studying dance.
Ms. Jun and her husband Lair drove three hours to Chicago to celebrate the third birthday of twins Audrey and Aaron by attending the DPA performance. Jun said that her daughter Audrey said she wanted to dance in the show as well! “What could I say to that?” Jun said through laughter, “I could only say that you’ll have to be a very good girl and then we’ll talk about it when you are a little older.”
The DPA New York Company will hold the final Chicago performance at 2pm Sunday December 28.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Divine Performing Arts 2009 World Tour.
Please see DivinePerformingArts.org for more information.
