Hotel Manager: ‘This certainly is a beautiful presentation’

Having seen the show before, Ms. Dolby looked forward to seeing the costumes this year.
Hotel Manager: ‘This certainly is a beautiful presentation’
(The Epoch Times)
2/9/2009
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/0902081544261973.jpg" alt=" (The Epoch Times)" title=" (The Epoch Times)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1830596"/></a>
 (The Epoch Times)

MEMPHIS, Tenn.—Orpheum Theatre, on the banks of the Mississippi River, is elaborately decorated with gold trim and lush carpets, and is the location of yet another outstanding Divine Performing Arts (DPA) show. Convincing the appreciative audience of the value of traditional Chinese culture, the show is bringing joy to its viewers.

Audience members attending the Memphis performance on Feb. 8 included the general manager of the Marriott Hotel Residence Inn, Ms. Dolby, who commented on the beauty of the show.

“The dance itself is very elegant, and the dancers are just wonderful,” she shared.

Classical Chinese dance has strong expressive qualities and diversity of technique. Divine Performing Arts’ choreography ranges from grand imperial processions to legions of thunderous drums, with gorgeously costumed dancers moving in stunning synchronized patterns.

She extolled the music as well. “The music is very serene, makes you feel very peaceful,” Ms. Dolby explained. “We all have similar desires in our world. We all want to be peaceful and have beautiful things, and this certainly is a beautiful presentation.”

But if any one aspect of the show appealed to Ms. Dolby more than others, it was its costumes. “I like the colors of the costumes,” she commented. “They’re so brilliant and bright and cheerful.”

Apparel has always been an essential part of China’s five-millennia-old, divinely-bestowed culture, and Divine Performing Arts brings this heritage to life on stage.

Having seen the show before, Ms. Dolby looked forward to seeing the costumes this year. In particular she singled out “the floral with the spring—the pink, and the green, that was very pretty.”

The program Ms. Dolby is talking about is Welcoming Spring, in which quick footwork, crisp movements, and stunning bursts of color form the basis of these women’s fan dance and its sheer sense of delight.

“The fans used in these segments made the number outstanding because it portrayed Chinese culture.
I like the opening in the beginning with all the white and pink costumes, that was very pretty,” she said.

But Ms. Dolby mentioned other numbers as well. “I like the drum, the drum song at the very end,” she said.

The thunderous Tang drum was born during the most prosperous and celebrated period of Chinese civilization—the great Tang Dynasty.

Mr. Rone, a professional photographer, who also attended the show was impressed with certain kinds of dances—those that told a story.

One of Divine Performing Arts’ trademarks, these dances give dramatic portrayal to the cherished stories of yesterday and today. Their figures embody the most exalted virtues of Chinese civilization, and convey a message or moral that is still relevant today. Many have inspired people for generations, such as the tales of heroine Mulan and general Yue Fei. Others quietly lead lives of great courage today that are sure to move and inspire.

Mr. Rone, as well as Ms. Dolby enjoyed one particular story told through dance—“Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution.”

“I also like the modern piece with the little girl dancing in it. That was very nice; got emotional during that. It’s very beautiful,” said Ms. Dolby.

“Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution” explores the oppression, a painful reality for many millions of persons in China today, as witnessed by an innocent family whose father is persecuted for practicing Falun Dafa, a traditional spiritual discipline. The fantastic scenes that ultimately unfold in this piece present a message of hope and bespeak of a longstanding Chinese belief that good people are ultimately rewarded, even if not in this lifetime.

On the show overall, Ms. Dolby said, “I think anytime art exists that takes one out of the humdrum everyday world and lets one behold something beautiful, lifts people’s spirit … makes one appreciate that there is art in the world, and …”(chuckles). At this point she didn’t know quite what to say.

“Having spoken with others about this upcoming show convinced me how nice it would be, and I had also searched online. I knew I would not be disappointed.”

 
For more information please visit DivinePerformingArts.org

 

Related Topics