(Clearwisdom.net) "It was an aesthetic pleasure!" exclaimed ATT Business Customer Representative Ms. Slovesko. The Minnesota audience gave Divine Performing Arts a very warm reception on this frigid February evening, as the Chinese New Year Spectacular opened to an appreciative opening night crowd at the Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis.

Ms. Slovesko, Business Customer Representative: An aesthetic Pleasure

Ms. Slovesko shared that she has always been interested in Chinese culture, and she had never seen anything quite like the Spectacular. "It was the dancers, the colors, and the movement. I really enjoyed the performance called 'Udumbara's Bloom'." In this number, the legendary Udumbara flower blossoms but once every three thousand years. Its bloom is said to herald the coming of a great enlightened being. "I am so happy that I came," she enthused.

Ms. Linehan and her family

"I do know what's going on in China," said another audience member. Ms. Linehan, a dance teacher, went on to elaborate that she was aware of the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

"I have a background in dancing. I've taught dance as well as danced myself for many, many years," Ms. Linehan said. "I thought the whole show was just up-beat and awesome. It was just really well put together. I really enjoyed the surprise of the dances. I especially enjoyed the 'Dance of the Yi'." The Yi, one of southern China's largest ethnic groups, are known for their passion for music and dance, as suggested by the colorful movements in this performance. The Yi seize every occasion to dance out their feelings in everyday life. Ms. Linehan went on to say that she thought seeing the Divine Performing Arts performances would benefit everyone. "I would definitely recommend this to all age groups. This is the beauty of it, the higher messages [here] are something that everyone can understand and appreciate." Although she said that sometimes people are closed off, she emphasized that people need to remain open to new ideas.

Divine Performing Arts (DPA) is the world's premier Chinese dance and music company. Based in New York, it is a triumphant collaboration of leading dancers, musicians, and choreographers from around the world. Its rich repertoire revives the authentic, five-millennia-old artistic traditions of China, presenting to the world anew its true cultural heritage as a gift to the world.

"I feel that there are higher messages here" Ms. Linehan emphasized. "Don't hate, be open to the experience. We came for my birthday," she added, "and I'm so glad that we came. This is definitely something that we've been waiting for!"