French Guiana’s Deputy: ‘Really above the art form’

DPA in Paris was more than an art form, according to French Guiana’s deputy Chantal Berthelot.
French Guiana’s Deputy: ‘Really above the art form’
Paris audience members experiencing DPA (NTDTV)
3/2/2009
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/ParisAudience.jpg" alt="Paris audience members experiencing DPA (NTDTV)" title="Paris audience members experiencing DPA (NTDTV)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1829940"/></a>
Paris audience members experiencing DPA (NTDTV)
PARIS—Divine Performing Arts (DPA) 2009 World Tour presentation at Palais des Congres de Paris was more than an art form, according to French Guiana’s deputy Chantal Berthelot.

“It was a great discovery for me today,” Mrs. Berthelot said of the show held Feb. 28.

 “There are two aspects, the dance and singing in terms of technique: One sees we have true professionals on the stage, whether in dance, or singing, and then behind them, a red thread that runs through all the pieces, a representation of a philosophy which I believe to be Buddhist. I found these two aspects an interesting mix—the artistic technique and the Buddhist messages. All in all, the show was very interesting and passionate.

“The music was very beautiful, and I am charmed by this show, with singing, dance, and live music from real professionals in their art forms. And throughout it all, we perceived the message—the philosophy of the group, which is really above the art form. A message of life, of tolerance, and harmony, and the diversity that we have on this planet.”

DPA members of the New York-based company bring an unusual depth to their work. The artists take to heart Chinese classical dance that has at its foundation China’s divinely inspired traditional culture, humanity’s true, rightful 5,000-year heritage.

For a Chinese journalist seated in the audience who also perceived the “religious messages,” the show was a reminder of years spent in Beijing. “There is a part of tradition in the dances and in the actors. To understand the background, you have to know the social and political circumstances. The music and choreography were very, very good.

“What I appreciated most is the erhu, [two-stringed violin on which Xiaochun Qi played ‘Hope’], which we don’t often hear of such a high quality. She is a grand virtuoso. It reminds me of my youth in Beijing. The way of formulating the melody, particularly, gave me [a good] impression. The sliding of the fingers on the erhu is totally different from the violin. This was uniquely Chinese. We can absolutely be compared to the grand violinists of the West.”

A teacher, Miss Irma, was also in attendance. She said she found the level of expertise of the dancers, singers, and musicians, to be “extraordinary.”

“I love the lightness of their movements, and I discovered the talent of the classical Chinese which incorporates the acrobatic techniques, as well as dance. Classical dance is light, elegant, and fluid, whereas the occidental classical dance is too rigid and academic,” she said.

New Tang Dynasty TV contributed to this article.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Divine Performing Arts.
For more information, please see DivinePerformingArts.org

 

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