WASHINGTON—The last Divine Performing Arts [DPA] Company Chinese New Year Spectacular performance concluded successfully at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, Feb. 15.
The DPA brought China’s 5,000-year old culture to the Washingtonians, who expressed gratitude to the artists with either a packed or sold-out house. On Saturday night, Valentines Day, nearly 100 people were standing in line in the hope that someone would return tickets. Standing-only tickets were sold in no time.
After the host introduced the show, frequent applause before and after followed each dance, bringing curtain calls at the end.
Ms. Chotoosing, who studies music was amazed and delighted to be in the audience.
“I thought it [the show] was phenomenal. Great combination of colors and the music had a mixture of ancient Chinese symbols and such, mixed with modern sounds, I think the colors really brightened everything up,” she said, bubbling with pleasure.
The music played by the live orchestra was something special in her mind. “The combination was unique, but I did like it. It went along with the theme very well.”
Gathering her thoughts, she searched for the right words to convey what she saw. “It’s a unique look on the whole journey of how China progressed from the deities, and creation from the beginning ... and [to] even now.
“The message is [that] this culture is trying to go back to their roots, and they’re trying to find truth out of all of the mixtures that have happened. They appreciate the mixtures, they appreciate what they’ve learned along the way.”
The performers she felt place importance on traditional values and going “back to Dafa [truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance], and they don’t want to lose that importance.
“That was very well depicted through dance without the story even needing to be told [spoken] through the dance, through the music, everything, and besides the different emotions that usually go with it, the message really came across.
“I think there’s still one commentary ’that everybody should search within themselves,' just like this presentation was saying to find that [truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance] because it’s a common thread in all cultures. So, I think that was the message. It was really inspirational,” she said.
She did not have much knowledge of Chinese culture, and the show helped her gain a better view and understanding, “I learned bits and pieces of history. I felt I got a little insight on that. It actually makes me want to go visit. The scenery and everything ... it showed the subcultures within the Chinese culture—that was nice.”
Her favorite scene was Mulan Joins the Battle, the story about a young woman who out of filial duty disguises herself as a man and goes into the battle for her aging father.
“I really liked the Mulan story and really liked the deity story, and I loved the flowers. They were all amazing, can’t really pick one [that she liked the best].
“in Mulan when they depicted the female genre, it was really a difference between what is supposed to be the female, and what she does. Though she was graceful, not a silly tomboy, she was able to put on that suit that her father should have had.”
Story-based dance is one of the trademarks of the New York-based company. Many of the performances feature a story that is based on a traditional Chinese value.
Please see DivinePerformingArts.org for more information
