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Rochester, New York: The DPA "Enriches All of Us," Says Town Supervisor (Photos)

February 24, 2009 |   Compiled by Clearwisdom staff

(Clearwisdom.net) Divine Performing Arts (DPA) and the Divine Performing Arts Orchestra performed two shows at the Rochester Auditorium Theatre on Saturday, February 21, 2009. Both shows concluded with standing ovations and thunderous applause.

Town Supervisor: The Show "Enriches All of Us"

Ms. Frankel, a town supervisor on the outskirts of Rochester, said she thoroughly enjoyed the show, "The performance is terrific. It really brings home the historic perspectives of Chinese culture--its earliest days to modern times. It is very beautiful," she said.

Ms. Frankel, a town supervisor

"I liked the costumes, the dancing, the minute expressions the dancers portrayed--how they use their hands and move their bodies--all of that conveys emotions and a story. It is a colorful way of sharing a culture," she said.

Ms. Frankel's town is an inclusive community that embraces people from all over the world, including China. She said, "I think the show gives me a somewhat deeper appreciation for the performing aspect of Chinese culture, and I will be able to share it with the folks in our community."

Ms. Frankel said the show "portrays strength, creativity, inventiveness, and beauty, and all of that permeates Chinese culture." She added that this is "something that enriches all of us today."

Art Teacher, Artist: "A Nice Spiritual Side to it, Besides the Entertainment"

Also attending the performance was art teacher and artist, Ms. Welch. "The dancing was beautiful, the costumes were lovely. It was a very interesting look at a part of Chinese culture that we don't get to see or hear much about. A nice spiritual side to it, besides the entertainment element, so I found it very enlightening."

Ms. Welch, who also makes ceramic sculptures, said the poses of the dancers were reminiscent of ancient sculptures that she had seen in the past. "Very beautiful. The connection to the Tang Dynasty, the positions of the bodies, you see those in sculptures from so many years ago so there was a nice historical connection there."

Town Supervisor: "I Love the Culture"

Mr. Gillman, a town supervisor outside of Rochester, attended the show with his wife. Although he thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the Chinese cultural show, he was particularly impressed by the music. He said, "Love it, love it. It's great. Really adds a lot more to the show. The live orchestra kind of ties you into it better than something that is off a record or off a CD. I like it a lot better," he said.

Mr. Gillman also enjoyed the cultural aspects of the show, saying, "I think Chinese culture seems to pay more respect to the past and tries to bring it to the future, where Americans kind of live from day-to-day in a lot of respects." "I think the moral standard is great. There should be more of it."

College Director: "It Was Beautiful"

Mr. Eisen, a director of a center for international education at a nearby liberal arts college, brought 20 students with him to see the show. He said the DPA was a perfect opportunity to introduce students to a different culture.

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Mr. Eisen, a director of a center for international education at a nearby liberal arts college

"It's a fantastic introduction [to Chinese culture]. Let me tell you, the best introduction is dance. That's the universal language. Music is also a universal language, so it's important," said Mr. Eisen. "The most beautiful thing is the delicacy of the movements. There were powerful as well as very delicate movements. It was beautiful. You put together the power with these beautiful dances--it's fantastic."

"I love Chinese music so much. You will find that with the drums, they're all exuding power--the force. And then you have very delicate movements with the music--that's very nice," said Mr. Eisen.

Culture Director: "There's a Wisdom and a Classic Culture in the Show"

Ms. Barnum, a local cultural director, a dedicated patron of the arts, shared her enthusiasm for DPA's mission, which is to revitalize traditional Chinese culture. S he said, "It [DPA] brings very significant cultural information and history about China to the United States and to Rochester."

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Ms. Barnum, a local cultural director, a dedicated patron of the arts

"I think it's just spectacular. I think anyone who has the opportunity to see it should come to see it. It's very important for us in Rochester. We have Chinese people living in Rochester, and we're all one community, so it adds to the richness of our community."

"It's the richness of ancient culture. There's a wisdom and a classic culture in the show that I think everyone can learn from." "The music is very good. Live music. And the drumming was really--I think the audience enjoyed the drummers, big time, and the jumping and the dancing at the same time they were drumming."

Source: http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/12427/

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http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/12424/