MEMPHIS, Tenn.—The Orpheum Theater on the banks of the Mississippi in Memphis came alive on Sunday as Divine Performing Arts (DPA) presented its unique portrayal of Chinese traditional culture.
“I thought it was absolutely magnificent,” said Ms. Vance, publisher of a Memphis magazine, who attended the late afternoon show.
“It was beautifully choreographed, and you really got the feel of the history and tradition of China. It’s very well done.”
She said she especially enjoyed a piece called Flowing Sleeves in which the dancers wear silken dresses with long flowing sleeves, reminiscent of styles worn during the Tang imperial court (618-907).
“It was beautiful. The dancers, all of the performers, were just perfect,” she said, adding that she appreciated the message of “the importance of the Chinese traditions.”
Ms. Vance was also impressed by Dignity and Compassion, a piece set in a prison in contemporary China where a female Falun Dafa prisoner of conscience is tortured to the brink of death. Falun Dafa is a traditional spiritual practice rooted in ancient Chinese culture that was banned by the Chinese regime in 1999.
“I thought that was very well done,” she said.
Ms. Vance said she was surprised by the animated backdrops in the show, which are custom-designed to coordinate with the costumes, choreography, lighting, and storyline for each dance.
The New York-based DPA is composed of a unique group of leading artists who share in a vision of reviving Chinese traditional culture which was all but destroyed under communist rule. Ms. Vance said what DPA is doing is important.
“I think it’s magnificent. I think it needs to be preserved, and I think what’s happening there now ... what Divine Performing Arts is doing is very important—to share the Chinese culture with the world.”
Please see DivinePerformingArts.org for more information.
