WASHINGTON—With a kaleidoscope of dance and music, Divine Performing Arts (DPA) received a full theater of standing ovations following its performance at the nation’s capital on Feb. 11.
John Williams, a prominent business consultant and former artist, writer, and poet, attended the VIP reception held after the show. He said that he was impressed by the harmony and grace of the performers.
“The dancers are obviously very well-trained, very disciplined. But you don’t feel the discipline so much as the beauty. There were shows about flowers, wind, and you could feel the flowers, you could feel the wind,” he said.
Williams said that the performance inspired him to want to get back into the arts.
“I used to write poetry, I used to be an artist. I’ve worked in the technical field too long,” Williams said.
“I think that if you’ve ever written—as I said I used to write poetry, I was an architect also at one point—and all of these forms of expression force you to reach within yourself to find something unique about you, but also something you have in common with other people. So when you look into yourself you try to find that part of you that you want to share with other people,” he said.
Williams said that through the performance, he felt the dancers expressed something much deeper that what was on the surface.
“That’s what an artist does, I think. He makes himself, or herself, vulnerable by expressing oneself with abandon, freely. It takes courage to do it and it takes grace to pull the pieces together and make it work.
“I have to go home and think about it more because I think that it’s something I’ve been wanting to do. I’ve gotten away from that part of myself and I need to get back to it,” Williams said.
The show, inspired by the traditional arts of China’s 5,000 years of culture, presents ethnic dances, stories, and highly original dances through the graceful movements of Chinese classical dance. It also includes an array of music and costumes inspired by the essence of the ancient culture. According to DPA’s website, “The company seeks to breathe new life into traditional Chinese culture while providing audiences everywhere with an experience of sublime beauty.”
Speaking of Chinese classical dance, Williams said that he feels the ancient culture of China was one that allowed people to work harmoniously together. “So you see people in the dance, individuals, but you also see the collectivity, the people together dancing. You see people working together gracefully to express beauty, is the best way to put it. It’s a beautiful expression,” he said.
John Williams, a prominent business consultant and former artist, writer, and poet, attended the VIP reception held after the show. He said that he was impressed by the harmony and grace of the performers.
“The dancers are obviously very well-trained, very disciplined. But you don’t feel the discipline so much as the beauty. There were shows about flowers, wind, and you could feel the flowers, you could feel the wind,” he said.
Williams said that the performance inspired him to want to get back into the arts.
“I used to write poetry, I used to be an artist. I’ve worked in the technical field too long,” Williams said.
“I think that if you’ve ever written—as I said I used to write poetry, I was an architect also at one point—and all of these forms of expression force you to reach within yourself to find something unique about you, but also something you have in common with other people. So when you look into yourself you try to find that part of you that you want to share with other people,” he said.
Williams said that through the performance, he felt the dancers expressed something much deeper that what was on the surface.
“That’s what an artist does, I think. He makes himself, or herself, vulnerable by expressing oneself with abandon, freely. It takes courage to do it and it takes grace to pull the pieces together and make it work.
“I have to go home and think about it more because I think that it’s something I’ve been wanting to do. I’ve gotten away from that part of myself and I need to get back to it,” Williams said.
The show, inspired by the traditional arts of China’s 5,000 years of culture, presents ethnic dances, stories, and highly original dances through the graceful movements of Chinese classical dance. It also includes an array of music and costumes inspired by the essence of the ancient culture. According to DPA’s website, “The company seeks to breathe new life into traditional Chinese culture while providing audiences everywhere with an experience of sublime beauty.”
Speaking of Chinese classical dance, Williams said that he feels the ancient culture of China was one that allowed people to work harmoniously together. “So you see people in the dance, individuals, but you also see the collectivity, the people together dancing. You see people working together gracefully to express beauty, is the best way to put it. It’s a beautiful expression,” he said.
Please see DivinePerformingArts.org for more information.
