DIVINE PERFORMING ARTS 2009 WORLD TOUR,CALGARY

Five Thousand Years In One Exhilarating Show
New programs with live orchestra!

"I’ve seen enough Broadway shows that still cannot compare to what I saw tonight .The best word to use was “mind blowing”
Well-Known Broadway Critic Richard Connema

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkSgEDnsbPw&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdArabsnpTo&feature=channel


http://www.divinearts.org
http://divineshows.com

Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

Download seating map of Auditorium [2.3 MB]
SHOW TIME(S)

Sun, April 12, 2009, 2:00pm & 7:30pm
Mon, April 13, 2009, 7:30pm

VENUE

Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

1415-14 Ave. N.W.

Calgary, AB, T2N 1M4

TICKETS

PRICES: $155, $125, $105, $85, $55, $35
ONLINE: Ticketmaster.ca




ONLINE: Ticketmaster.ca

PHONE: 403-299-8888 (Ticket master)

403-457-6871 (English)

403-457-6872 (Chinese)


Special event offer and sponsor : (403)615-2519



About the Performance

Divine Performing Arts: 2009 World Tour is an exhilarating world-class production that celebrates the pure excellence and grandeur of classical Chinese dance and music inspired by the myths, legends, and divine beauty of 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture.

In 2008 Divine Performing Arts dazzled over 600,000 live audience members in more than 60 cities on four continents.

Brilliant. Inspiring. Glorious. That’s been the overwhelming response to Divine Performing Arts’ shows. It’s traditional Chinese culture as it was meant to be - a study in grace, fluidity, balance, and inner strength.
A program of nearly twenty masterful dances and songs brings China’s celebrated past to life in a lavishly colorful and exhilarating show. The masterful choreography ranges from grand imperial processions to legions of thunderous drums, with gorgeously costumed dancers moving in stunning synchronized patterns.

Spectacular visuals take you to another world, with blossoming landscapes and celestial palaces appearing on state-of-the-art animated backdrops. Groundbreaking music seamlessly combines the best of the East and West, giving each dance an unmistakable exuberance.

Taking inspiration from heroic legends of the past and courageous tales of our day, each DPA performance melds together past and present, ideal and real, in a profoundly moving mix. We invite you to discover for yourself the unforgettable beauty of Divine Performing Arts.

Top 7th Internationally (New York show at Radio City Music Hall)
- Billboard magazine’s Boxscore ranking in February 2006

More Theater Info:
http://www.jubileeauditorium.com/southern/calendar/R0904015.htm

For more information please log on to website below:

http://divineperformingarts.org/calgary

Well-Known Broadway Critic: Chinese Spectacular Is A ‘Five Star’ Show.The dancers were absolutely fantastic........

He’s a man that’s seen literally thousands of shows on countless stages. But Broadway critic Richard Connema still called the Chinese New Year spectacular a quote, “mind-blowing” experience.
Richard Connema, critic for Talkin’ Broadway and seasoned theater patron has the highest praise for Divine Performing Arts’ Chinese New Year Spectacular in San Francisco.

[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“I probably have reviewed over 3 to 4 thousand shows since 1942. A lot of reviewers use stars, you know, 1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars, 4 stars, 5 stars… I will give this production 5 stars. That’s the top,” he said.

[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“The dancers were absolutely fantastic … I found out that there was not only dancing in this but heart. You could feel that coming even from where I was sitting … Just a beautiful production. I found that those backdrop scenes and the way it was projected and the way it comes out is absolutely fantastic.

[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“I’ve never seen anything like that. I’ve seen enough Broadway shows that still cannot compare to what I saw tonight The best word to use was “mind blowing”. And I watched around the audience and they all were so involved with everything going on.

[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“There’s movement between everything, even the narrators coming up, giving you a little insight and they move right into a dance… perfect!”

NTD, San Francisco.

Renowned Violinist Praises the Divine Performing Arts Show

WASHINGTON—Internationally renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, was so moved by the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) he would like to adapt some of the DPA music to the violin, so that he, too, may play it.

Mr. Bell, who plays a 300-year-old Stradivarius violin, saw the show at the in Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington D.C. on Febr. 10.

“I liked it very much. It was very powerful, very emotional. I had a great time,” he said.

Mr. Bell, who has studied under renowned violinist and pedagogue Josef Gingold, said he was surprised at the depth of the emotion in the DPA music.

The winner of the 2007 Avery Fisher Prize, Mr. Bell made his first recording with the his 300-year-old Stradivarius violin, known as the Gibson ex Huberman, in 2003., Titled Romance of the Violin, it sold more than 5,000,000 copies and remained at the top of classical music charts for 54 weeks.

His recent CD is called Vivaldi: The Four Seasons and was released near the end of summer in 2008.

Mr. Bell said he was particularly taken with the traditional two-stringed Chinese violin, the erhu.

“That was one of my favorite things, I thought it was very beautiful; her sound is very emotional. If we don’t understand Chinese culture, we sometimes characterized them in a way as being so hard working and we think of the efficiency of the Chinese people and we don’t always remember how they feel things very deeply.

“It is very expressive because it is only on two strings. So, it is very vocal, like the violin. That’s why they are very similar, there are no frets like the keyboard, it’s all fluid like the human voice, so I see a lot of similarities,” he said.

Mr. Bell said the erhu, combined with the original scores had inspired him to pursue the music further.

“In fact I want to get a hold of the music of it because I was thinking of making an arrangement of it for violin, because I think it would work very good in violin,” he said.

DPA also features a live orchestra that uses a combination of Chinese and Western instruments.

“The use of the pentatonic scale in Chinese is interesting to hear,” he said of the orchestra.

“It is an odd combination, but it works. It is nice to hear the Chinese instruments.”

Although the award-winning violinist was particularly appreciative of the music, it was not the only thing that impressed him about the show.
“I think it is very pleasing for all the senses, visually all the beautiful colors and the ensembles. It is a spectacle in a way, like a Broadway show, it tells a story and it’s uplifting.”

He also appreciated the incorporation of traditional culture in the performances.

“I thought it was a nice touch to the show. I think it makes you feel good. You feel good about being alive and you feel sort of connected, you see their connection to a very old culture, which is kind of grounding.”

Mr. Bell said that he had missed the first half of the show as he was in rehearsals for his own concert at the Ford Theatre the following night, but was grateful to have seen what he did.

“They are reopening the Ford Theater, which is why I am in town, so I swung by after that and caught the second half. I thought it was very beautiful and moving.”

Renowned Canadian Painter Praises Chinese Cultural Show

TORONTO—After seeing his second Divine Performing Arts production, Mr. Patcher, a renowned Canadian painter, found even more depth in the show’s vivid imagery.

“When you see it for the second time you see different things,” he said.

Mr. Pachter was in the audience Thursday at John Bassett Theatre for the opening show this season in Toronto. The packed house gave the performers a standing ovation.

“This time I have more time to appreciate the costumes, how beautifully made they are. Somebody did a fabulous job on the sewing of the costumes. Where were they all made? In the States? In New York? They are so well done and they’re faithful to the original things that you see in the old Chinese paintings from thousands of years ago.”

Mr. Pachter said Divine Performing Arts offered audiences a great mix of art forms that he found very enjoyable.

“It really has the professional qualities of a good Broadway show. It feels like it’s a good mix of the music, and the dance and the movement…. It’s really well done.”

Mr. Pachter—one of Canada's top contemporary artists—paints, sculpts, and lectures. He is also a member of the Order of Canada, and a Chevalier of France's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. His works hang in honoured places around the world, including the Canadian embassy in Washington.

“Some of it is very poignant, very moving,” he said, pointing to two of the dances in particular that deal with issues happening in China today. One of those dances tells the tale of a father who is persecuted for practicing Falun Gong. 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.

“In the world today everyone has to deal with this… There’s people who are always being attacked. It’s part of the sadness of the human condition. All through history there’s always the oppressors and the oppressed, and we all know what goes on in [recent Chinese] history.”

With an artist’s eye for detail, he also complimented the shows innovative animated backdrops, which provide a living scene in which each performance unfolds.

“I thought the whole mixture of the live action performance with the transitions to the [animated] figures, especially in the old folk tales, is just gorgeous. That’s like Disney. They should copy them—show Walt Disney how to do it. Very Beautiful.”

“The production values are very professional, that’s the thing that makes it interesting. You should get David Mirvisch to come and see this because if the saw this he would do it at his theatre,” he said.

David Mirvisch owns and operates four theatres in Toronto.

“Tell him this is the Chinese version of the sound of music—a different sound of music.”

“This is about spiritual values, about personal values that people have that go beyond government and beyond restrictions and beyond all that. It’s about personal freedom and developing your own soul, and you own sense of who you are, and being free to be who you want to be. That’s what’s behind it.”

According to the show’s program: “The guiding mission of Divine Performing Arts is to rediscover and renew humanity’s true, rightful cultural heritage. The company thus creates and performs works that centre upon the true, divinely bestowed culture of humankind, and seeks to provide an experience of consummate beauty and goodness.”

“Terrific. I thought it was great,” said Pachter.

Top Fashion Designer Praises DPA

TORONTO—One of Canada’s top fashion designers, Mr. Liu, brought a friend to watch the performance again on Jan. 13 at the John Bassett Theatre after having just seen the brand new show for the 2009 season on Jan. 8. “Tonight, I came again to observe the costume designs more clearly,” said Mr. Liu in an interview conducted in Cantonese.

Mr. Liu is well-known in the fashion and business worlds in Canada and Hong Kong. He has been honored with several prestigious fashion design awards in Toronto and Tokyo.

“They danced so fast, one dance after another. I did not have enough time to see them clearly,” Mr. Liu said. “Sometimes, I don’t know whether to watch the dance or to watch the costumes. Tonight, I came a second time, so I can focus on the costumes.”

He said that the DPA dances are gorgeous and look so graceful and feminine. “I found that these dance costumes can show off ladies beautiful curves,” said Mr. Liu.

There was a dance in which a female dancer became very feminine immediately after putting on a jacket. In “Mongolian Chopsticks,” the costumes were very tight, but still they allowed the dancers to move around a lot.

He stated that such a fabulous show was worthy to be recommended to friends, thus he brought a friend this evening.

“If I was 20 years younger, I would for sure learn dancing from them, their dances are so beautiful. But unfortunately it is too late, so I can only come to appreciate their dances.”

Top Violinist Praises Sounds of Divine Performing Arts

TORONTO—Mr. Marvin, a leading violinist and instructor in baroque music, was moved and inspired by the Divine Performing Arts 2009 World Tour at John Bassett Theatre on Tuesday.

“I am very pleased to hear this, extremely pleased,” he said of the show’s music.

Mr. Marvin is a musician and writer with and masters degree in music. He was first violinist with a leading orchestra in the United States. He is also a devoted performer of chamber music and now specializes in early orchestral music. He has played with a number of leading ensembles and has also taught baroque and classical violin in respected baroque training workshops.

“The musicians of course are very fine players and the dancers are obviously at an extremely high level, but one thing that I do understand is that this is not merely for art, but the expression here is a spiritual one as well,” he said.

“What’s most important to me, besides that, is the clear desire everyone has here to express the desire for freedom, and freedom of expression not only in art but in their entire lives. And I appreciate this very much and I’m very happy to see this.”

The show’s program states: “The guiding mission of Divine Performing Arts is to rediscover and renew humanity’s true, rightful cultural heritage. The company thus creates and performs works that centre upon the true, divinely bestowed culture of humankind, and seeks to provide an experience of consummate beauty and goodness.”

“When I came here I wasn’t completely aware of where all the artists came from, or what their purpose was, or their backgrounds, but it makes me appreciate that even more, to understand this. Especially I liked the presentation where it makes that clear, when it shows the people suffering from oppression and seeking freedom. And I like that very much,” said Mr. Marvin.

That dance, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution, tells the tale of a father who is persecuted for practicing Falun Gong. 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.

Under China’s current authoritarian regime much of China’s own cultural heritage has been destroyed. Divine Performing Arts is known for its efforts to revive those cultural traditions.

“In Mainland China, a lot of this now is not so easily found. I hope that this will enlighten a lot of people about the possibilities and how much deep culture there is in China,” Mr. Marvin said.

The Divine Performing Arts orchestra is unique in that it begins with a classical Western orchestra as its foundation and augments this with traditional Chinese instruments, enabling its compositions to at once mine the potential of Western orchestral music and yet be rich in Chinese qualities.

“I like the integration of the traditional instruments with the modern orchestra. It’s a very special effect and, in this case with the traditional Chinese music and approach and style, it’s very pleasant experience. I’m really enjoying it. It’s a very high level performance.”

He continued: “I think even the modern instruments, the violin, the viola, cello, and flute, are being used to promote what I understand to be primarily Chinese sorts of melodies and harmonies in the music, and I think it’s integrated very well . . . It’s a perfectly pleasant experience.”

Mr. Marvin brought his 14-year-old son who is studying karate. He said his son was really enjoying the performances that included battle scenes, such as one between the Monkey King and an evil temptress.

Mr. Marvin said he was amazed to discover the tumbling moves most people know as gymnastics actually originated in classical Chinese dance.

“It’s amazing. I did not know that before. It’s an amazing thing to learn. I thought perhaps it was an expression of gymnastic moved applied to dance. It’s very interesting to know those moves are all part of dance.”

He thought the dance and music were worked well together and that he appreciated both “very much.”

Mr. Marvin who has some background in Chinese culture and music, said he quite enjoying being exposed to classical Chinese dance.

“I didn’t know so much about the traditional dance and I’m really learning a lot from that. That’s what I’m learning the most. What I’m appreciating especially is not merely the artistic expression, but the spiritual one and for my purposes the spiritual one is the essence of freedom that’s being expressed here and the search and the desire for it. I appreciate that very much.”
“They certainly work beautifully with the music. It is surprising to see the motions and how the arms and the legs are extended in motion and how this is used in the dance. That’s very special.”

Divine Performing Arts Set to Grace Canada’s Stages

By Madalina Hubert, Epoch Times
December 31, 2008

The performers accept audience adulation at the curtain call for the closing Houston show. (Dai Bing/The Epoch times)

In times of political and economic uncertainty, it is often to the arts that people turn in the search for hope and solace. With Divine Performing Arts (DPA) coming to the nation’s capital on January 2, Canadians will have the opportunity to forget their worries and immerse themselves a profound and uplifting show.

With its mission to present works embodying the “sublime beauty” of China’s traditional culture, the New York-based DPA has been praised for its ability to portray the essence of the 5,000-year culture as well as for its high calibre performances.

On December 19, DPA’s three dance companies and two live orchestras performed simultaneous shows in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Fort Lauderdale, beginning a world tour that will take them to 80 cities on four continents.

In Canada, Divine Performing Arts New York Company will present all-new performances in Ottawa, Kitchener/Waterloo, Toronto and Montreal in January, while returning to play venues in the west in April.

Acclaimed in the past by numerous Canadian artists, celebrities and politicians that included the likes of celebrated National Ballet soloist Vanessa Harwood, figure skater Elvis Stojko and former Secretary of Asia-Pacific David Kilgour, DPA has also received warm greetings from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In a letter this year, the PM commended the performance company for the “intricate costumes, brilliant choreography and outstanding musical compositions”.

Governor General Michaelle Jean and Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration, and Multiculturalism also praised the beautiful performances and rich portrayal of Chinese culture, as well as the promotion of Canadian democratic and multicultural values.
Depth and Precision

Through vibrant and graceful Chinese classical dance, vocal performances by some of the most talented Chinese tenors and sopranos, stunning digital backdrops, and a live orchestra that seamlessly combines Eastern and Western instruments, DPA brings China’s ancient history to life.

DPA leaves no aspect of the performances to chance—from the colours of the costumes to the bearing of the dancers to the lyrics—everything is carefully studied and diligently rehearsed to capture the essence of China’s divinely inspired culture.

“It was like reading a story and each dance was like a chapter in that book,” said Mrs. Swier, who attended the show in San Diego. Mrs Swier was particularly captivated by the beauty and grace of the Chinese classical dances.

“I don't know how they do the steps as it has no bounce — it's like they are flowing on the floor, like there is water or they are gliding.”

But it was the message of truth and hope in the show that stood out to many audience members. The song lyrics in particular expressed this meaning.

“They make us realize how small we are here on earth and that the little things, the troubles we have are nothing compared to the greatness of the whole world,” said Mr. Friedman, a San Diego television executive.
Divine Performing Arts 2009 Canada Dates:

Ottawa Jan. 2-4
Kitchener-Waterloo Jan. 6-7
Toronto Jan. 8-14
Montreal Jan.16-18
Vancouver Apr. 3-8
Calgary Apr. 12-13
Edmonton Apr. 15-16

Dallas—On February 2nd, 2009, for the third year in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Divine Performing Arts (DPA) Chinese New Year Spectacular brought to the people of Texas another glorious display of classical Chinese dance and music.

Performing for a second time at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, one of the leading performing arts facilities in the region, Divine Performing Arts presented fresh new content with all the beauty and elegance of the previous year.

The Texan audience were not disappointed.

“I'm really glad to be here. It's incredible, amazing, and very captivating!,” enthused Mr Guiterrez, financial controller for an international cosmetic and skin care company.

“The colors and all of it, it is so well-done. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The DPA, a New York based organization of leading dancers, choreographers and musicians, seeks to revive the true, five-millennia-old artistic tradition of China that thrived before decades of suppression by the Chinese communist state.

When asked which performances had appealed to him most, Mr Guiterrez said “All of them!” but conceded that the drummers had particularly impressed him.

Like many others who have witnessed the show first hand, Mr. Guiterrez concluded by saying, “I'm looking forward for next year, to have to them come back to Dallas.”

Divine Performing Arts will take to the stage two more times in Dallas on Tuesday February 3 and Wednesday February 4.

DPA is the best show on Broadway right now .

The Upturn of Divine Performing Arts Despite Economic Hardship

http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/10123/

http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/10879/

http://clearharmony.net/articles/200704/38829.html

The audience praised the show

The audience was completely amazed by the show. Many of them expressed that every performance was great, so it is hard to say which one is the best. Some of them like the historic stories in the show, such as Hua Mulan's story and Yue Fei's story. Some of them liked the Mongolian and Tibetan dances. Ms. Qin Xiaochen's Erhu performance was very outstanding and touched many people's hearts. Many people were touched by the dance "To the Rightful Place". Mr. Terry Ower, a lawyer in Sydney, and his wife Lauria said: "we were very sad that Falun Gong practitioners were beaten to death. We are also sad that such a good show can not be held in China." Their daughter Lucinda said that she believes in the principle "good is rewarded with good and evil is met with evil" which was manifested by the performance.

Mr. Terry Ower said that they liked the Chinese dances, which can manifest a story in 10 minutes. Ballet cannot do it.

Mr. Jason Lin, a city representative from Sydney, said: "all the Chinese people who came to the show will think of the long history of China during the show, and Westerners will learn the beauty of Chinese culture."

Ms. Zhang Yuzhi, the chief of The Chinese Educational and Culture Centre in Sydney, said: "I am very touched. I like the hosts of the show, because they are very humorous. I came last year, but I was more touched this year. I wish the show a bigger success."

Ms. Xu Bojin, a member of Chinese Association in Sydney, said: "the show this year is more professional and more successful. It greatly promotes the Chinese culture and Falun Dafa. I watched every performance and like all of them."

People from different cultures enjoy the show too

Many Westerners from different cultures enjoyed the show too.

Mr. Aedenn Jirene and his wife Row An are Aborigines. They liked the show very much, especially the themes that the show tried to manifest, such as loyalty and family values.

Mr. Aedenn Jirene and his wife Row An said that those values manifested by the show are very similar to the ones in their own culture. For example, the first dance "Creation" tells how the gods come down to the world and created the human culture. In the native Australian culture, people also believe that human beings are from a place called "State of Dream" in the heaven. They come to the world for a short period, and eventually they will go back to heaven. Mr. Jirene said that they believe the principle of "good is rewarded with good and evil is met with evil" and it is sad that modern Chinese people don't believe in it.

Mr. Jirene said that the principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" is really beneficial for Chinese people. They said that Chinese people should have their own belief otherwise China will be very chaotic.

Ms. Victoria Vitner migrated from Russia a long time ago. She liked the first performance of the show. She said: "I cried, because I know some information of Falun Gong. A Falun Gong practitioner and her daughter in Russia were deported back to China last week. It is horrible. I hope that I can help them, because they might be persecuted to death in China." She cried again.

The show is a bridge between different cultures

Many Australian-born Chinese children came to the show too. They look like they are ethnic Chinese, but know very little about Chinese culture. Their parents took them to the show and hoped that they will learn some Chinese culture through the show.

The parents and children expressed that show is fantastic, pure and full of energy. They feel that they learn a lot about Chinese culture through the show. Some of them expressed that the show cannot be better, and they will recommend it to their friends and come again next year.

The Chief of Human Rights Organization: The message that the show delivers has the universal values

Ms. Shelley Wilkins, the chief of Citizens Commission on Human Rights in Australia, and her husband Mr. John Wilkins enjoyed the show. They strongly felt the spirits in the show. They expressed that the values that the show tried to manifest are universal and very traditional. Mr. Wilkins likes the song "Looking for the truth." He said that the values in the show are beneficial to everybody, so everybody is able to enjoy the show.

Ms. Wilkins said the dance "To the Rightful Place" is her favourite, because she believes in the principle of "good is rewarded with good and evil is met with evil." She said that it is amazing that the principle can be manifested by dance.

Mr. and Ms. Wilkins knew about the persecution of Falun Gong. Ms. Wilkins said that in Melbourne, a Falun Gong practitioner gave her materials exposing the CCP's harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. She felt horrible. She said that it is pity that many governments and organisations keep silent about it although they know about it, and it is also pity that due to the CCP's brainwashing, many Chinese people don't have the traditional values anymore.

Mr. Wilkins expressed that people from different culture are able to enjoy the show, and learn the traditional Chinese culture from it. The values manifested by the show, such as compassion and forbearance are universal in different cultures. They expressed that they will recommend the show to their friends and will come to it next year.

The best gift

Mr. Lesmont Gonery is 80. He told reporters that the show is the best birthday gift he ever got from his children. He liked the show very much and highly recommends it to everybody.

Delphine bought the ticket of the show as a gift to her husband Anthony. She liked the colourful ribbon dancing because it is pretty and full of energy. Anthony liked the drum playing the best. To surprise her husband, Delphine didn't tell Anthony what gift she bought until they came to the theatre. Anthony laughed and said this is the best gift. Delphine said that they have the predestined relationship with Buddhism, and they believe in reincarnation and karmic relationship. Although they have never been to China, they are interested in Chinese stuff and movies.

The show gave them very special feelings. It has special energy which made them feel peaceful. They felt sad about the persecution of Falun Gong. Delphine and Anthony said that the story of the dance "To the Rightful Place" is sad but is the truth. They believe that a power in the universe is watching human beings.

Performing Arts Manager Praises Production Value of The Splendor

By Joshua Phillip
Epoch Times Staff Jan 25, 2009

NEW YORK—As a performing arts touring manager, Mr. Muñoz has seen many performances across the country throughout his professional life. It is with that experience that he praised the large-scale production of Divine Performing Arts’ Chinese New Year Splendor which played at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday.

“It’s highly organized and very well-produced. You can tell there is a lot of value in the production.”

“It’s very unique, you don’t see this kind of thing touring around the country, and I work with a lot of tours,” he said.

Mr. Muñoz emphasized that the live orchestra enhances the performance and adds a distinctive aspect to the Divine Performing Arts production.
“It has a live orchestra, that is very interesting, something you don’t see a lot of today. So it’s very unique, I think, in the world of arts.”

He said he enjoyed this aspect of the show very much and said the performance was very “uplifting.”

“You know, more [have] gone away from a big production like this. This is a very expensive production, obviously, and I think that they’re doing it here in New York is a very strong message that … there’s a strong market. There’s a strong audience for this.”

Mr. Muñoz, was also impressed by the dances, describing them as “soothing.”

“It’s very diverse because of the fact it has music and dance and vocal, all three elements and it gives sort of a well-rounded picture of Chinese culture,” he said, adding that this combination is “missing in a lot of the other types of performances.”

He said there are educational aspects in the show as well, adding further value to the performance.

“We learned a little about Chinese instruments that I didn’t know and I just thought that the overall production value was very high.”

Mr. Muñoz’s associate, Ms. Morris, who also watched the performance, and said the show was on a “grand scale.”

“It was very well-produced, it was very expensive. The costumes were beautiful, it’s a large group of people, everybody worked in sync, worked well together,” she said.

She likewise endorsed the live orchestra, and said “it was nice to have the live music that was actually real musicians.”

“Really nice live orchestra, which nowadays you tend to see a lot smaller orchestras,” she added.

Ms. Morris said another aspect that adds to the uniqueness of the DPA performance is that the show is cultural and educational.

“It was a presentation of the culture and more educational; it was more educational than a typical show would be.”

“I thought it was a very good mix.”

“The grandeur, the color, the splendor, the organization, many, many people working in sync, which I think is something that we in the West think of in China, as large numbers of people working for a common goal,” she said.

Referring to the state-of-the-art animated digital back drop that sets up the background scenery for each piece, she said “I think the screens in the back kind of had that mix between the cinematic style with the flying which is very common sort of a Chinese thing.”

Ms. Morris said the show also covered contemporary issues in China.

“I just thought it was a nice representation of the history to now.”

“I think for anyone who has an appreciation of music, culture, dance, they would really like it,” Ms. Morris concluded.
http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/10914/

Marketing Chairman: ‘All of Toronto should come to see this’

TORONTO—Divine Performing Arts mesmerized Toronto audiences Saturday with its unique mix of classical Chinese dance, stunning backdrops, and full live orchestra featuring both Western and Chinese instruments.

In the crowd Saturday night were Mr. and Mrs. Cohen of Toronto. Mr. Cohen is the marketing chairman of a Toronto museum, while his wife sits on the board of directors of a number of prominent Toronto organizations.

The couple thoroughly enjoyed the performances, singling out the buoyant and fun-loving “Dragon Springs Drummers” with their demanding aerial moves. They also praised the discipline and energy found in “Dance of the Snow-Capped Mountains,” in which dancers spin, stomp, and step with long sleeves and sturdy boots, vigorously celebrating the joys of the Tibetan steppes.

“All of Toronto should come to see this,” Mr. Cohen said after the show. “I liked the message of harmony and unity, togetherness; it was great. The costumes were fantastic,” he said.

“Definitely worth the visit.”
Mr. Bagozzi, a senior brand manager with a leading confections company in Canada, attended the Divine Performing Arts show for the first time with his wife. (The Epoch Times)

Others agreed. It was the first time for Mr. Bagozzi, a senior brand manager with a leading confections company in Canada, to attend a Divine Performing Arts show.

“I think it's fantastic. The dancers are incredible, the colours of the costumes are incredible, so it's a sight to be seen,” said Mr. Bagozzi, who attended the show with his wife, a senior advertising manager.

Divine Performing Arts states that its mission is to rediscover and renew humanity’s true, rightful cultural heritage. The company’s performances are based in classical Chinese dance and include Chinese ethnic as well as folk dance. Divine Performing Arts says this makes for a unique vision of Chinese culture that is both faithful and innovative.

Mr. Dandapat, a Toronto-based program director with a Fortune 1000 company, found the dances contained inner meaning. (The Epoch Times)
Mr. Dandapat, a Toronto-based program director with a Fortune 1000 company, found the dances contained inner meaning, not all of which he was able to grasp. Yet, he said he appreciated the coordination and beauty they contained.

“Very good, really good,” he said of the show. And he had a message for those considering attending a Divine Performing Arts who might be unsure.

“I’d say just go in and get tickets, then you’ll know.”

http://www.peterkent.ca/EN/8128/79564

Minister of State: ‘Victory of goodness over evil … a message well told’

January 09, 2009

By Cindy Chan and Lisa Ou - Epoch Times Staff

When Minister of State Peter Kent attended the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) show on Friday night in Toronto, he was impressed by the professional performance as well as the universal values well told through inspirational stories.




“It’s a highly professional combination of drama, dance, and music. The individual performances were spectacular. The company performance was physical, eloquent, delicate, and powerful.”




“I found it a very powerful show—wonderful costumes, wonderful colours, spectacular dancing, magnificent music, and an inspirational message,” he added.




The newly elected Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of Thornhill, Mr. Kent was named the Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas).

Prior to elected office, Mr. Kent was an award-winning broadcast journalist who worked for more than 40 years as a writer, reporter, producer, anchor, and senior executive in Canada and around the world. He is a member of Canada’s Broadcast Hall of Fame and received the Radio and Television News Directors Association “President’s Award” in 2006.

He was first journalist to anchor the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s The National, the Canadian national public broadcaster’s flagship nightly news program.


Mr. Kent noted the universal themes of humanity and the power of goodness throughout the show.




“The stories examined all of the values that I think people around the world share, in terms of virtue and compassion and the ability to survive oppressive times and to be reborn again in spirituality and compassion.”




Although they may be told in different ways, many of the stories here are told in other cultures, said Mr. Kent. “Basically the story is humanity and human spirit and the victory of goodness over evil, and these are common stories and these stories are very well told in this performance.”


DPA is a premier Chinese classical performing arts company based in New York. As an independent, non-profit organization, it aims to revive the true, 5,000-year-old artistic tradition that thrived before decades of communist rule.




A trademark of DPA is story-based dances dramatizing the myths and legends of ancient Chinese culture as well as significant events shaping contemporary China.


An example is “The Monkey King Triumphs” which is based on the famous 16th-century classic “Journey to the West,” an epic novel about a monk’s pilgrimage to India to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures.




In another piece, “Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution,” a young father is persecuted for practising Falun Dafa, a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline, but a vivid scene unfolds that tells of hope and ultimate reward.




“That’s the inspiration that I think all of us are looking for. That’s the ultimate goal in life—fulfillment, sharing, family, community, and virtue. I think that those are all values and qualities that we cherish and we have for thousands of years and I hope for thousands of years to come.”




Mr. Kent also enjoyed the “magnificent” dancing and the “great leaps, great footwork, lovely coordination and synchronization.”




“Well coordinated, very intricate, very complicated, obviously very professional and exceptionally well rehearsed,” he said.




Commenting on the state-of the-art digital backdrops custom designed to coordinate with each act, Mr. Kent noted that “the artistic concept of each of the sequences and the special effects, the real performance on stage combined with the animation and the special effects and the colour and the lighting—it all came together very effectively.”




Mr. Kent is an active supporter of a number of local, national, and international charities and organizations, including the Toronto Conservatory of Music, Canadian Opera Company, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, and Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center.




The Friday evening show was DPA’s second show in this year’s seven-show run at John Bassett Theatre at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The show will continue on to Montreal and then New York’s famed Radio City Music Hall.

Official Website: http://www.divinearts.org