Mike Cherkin brought his entire family, including the grandparents, to see the show. “What we saw on the stage here tonight doesn’t exist in China anymore,” said Mr. Cherkin, a software support designer. “This is something of Chinese culture that’s being preserved, even though it’s already gone in China.”
“Since I’m from Russia, I know a thing or two about communism, and I was definitely familiar with what’s going on in China,” Mr. Cherkin said. He went on to add that he was aware of the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
One of the performances, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution, is about an innocent father who is persecuted for his beliefs in Falun Gong, a traditional spiritual discipline. This situation exposes the painful reality for many millions of people in China today.
“I was very impressed with the dancing and the unbelievable coordination!” Mr. Cherkin exclaimed. He shared that, even though he was familiar with Chinese culture, he had never seen anything like this performance before. “It’s very colorful, great! I was very impressed with the dancing.”
DPA is the world’s premier Chinese dance and music company. Based in New York, it is a triumphant collaboration of leading dancers, musicians and choreographers from around the world. The DPA’s rich repertory revives the authentic, five-millennia old artistic traditions of China, presenting to the world anew, its true cultural heritage, as a gift to the world.
He added that his wife is the artistic director of a Russian cultural center. Mr. Cherkin had purchased their tickets weeks ago, and said that he was very excited to see Divine Performing Arts return to Minneapolis.
For more information please visit DivinePerformingArts.org
