Graphic Designer: ‘Use of color adds extra expression’

Among those who enjoyed the show was graphic designer Mr. Gannaway.
Graphic Designer: ‘Use of color adds extra expression’
Mr. Gannaway is 'pleasantly surprised by the choreography' of Divine Performing Arts. (Hui Guo/The Epoch Times)
2/3/2009
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Gannaway.jpg" alt="Mr. Gannaway is 'pleasantly surprised by the choreography' of Divine Performing Arts. (Hui Guo/The Epoch Times)" title="Mr. Gannaway is 'pleasantly surprised by the choreography' of Divine Performing Arts. (Hui Guo/The Epoch Times)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1830764"/></a>
Mr. Gannaway is 'pleasantly surprised by the choreography' of Divine Performing Arts. (Hui Guo/The Epoch Times)

MINNEAPOLIS—At the neck of both the Mississippi River and the Minnesota River, the Twin Cities embraced The Divine Performing Arts (DPA) performance as their tour stopped at the Northrop Memorial Auditorium at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on Feb. 3.

Among those who enjoyed the show was graphic designer Mr. Gannaway.

“I wasn’t real sure what to expect coming in, but I was pleasantly surprised by the choreography, dancing. It was very entertaining and enjoyable—especially the Tibetan dance and the Welcoming Spring dance were especially enjoyable to watch.”

Mr. Gannaway said that these dances really stood out for him from the others. He thought that the fans were especially effective in giving that sense of Spring, and offering other ways for the dancers to express themselves.

Welcoming Spring is a program within the DPA. The warmth of Spring is a welcome blessing after winter’s cold in this festive, floral scene. Quick footwork, crisp movements, and stunning bursts of color form the basis of these women’s fan dance and its sense of sheer delight. Its exuberant spirit and marking of the season personify China’s folk dance tradition.

When asked about the backdrop, Mr. Gannaway replied “that was a nice touch—I thought that it was a good use of mixed media, using some computer graphics as well, to have an active backdrop as opposed to just a static picture. That was also a good use of the large screen.”

The backdrops used for each show bring Chinese classical dance into the 21st century. They gave a visual depth and grandeur to each scene. Many of these backdrops are animated, allowing flowers to wave in the breeze and for snow to fall gently from the sky.

“Given that I work with computer graphics, it immediately jumped out at me that that’s what they are using and that’s how they put it together.”

Mr. Gannaway was particularly impressed by the singers.

“They were all very impressive, he said, “especially the tenor, Hong Ming, at the end was very impressive and the erhu was very nice as well.”

Exemplary tenor Hong Ming sings “Rest in Knowing.” The vocal soloists of Divine Performing Arts are elite singers who perform throughout the year on many of the world’s greatest stages and who have been highly acclaimed by audiences and critics alike.

Mr. Gannaway appreciated some nuances in the costumes as well.

“They did a good job on the use of color—the multicolored skirt (Dance of the Yi) allowed for extra expression and the exchange of color as they use the dress within the performance depending on how they held it and moved it around. That was quite effective for adding that extra element into that particular dance.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Divine Performing Arts. Please see the DivinePerformingArts.org for more information.

 

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