(Clearwisdom.net) Divine Performing Arts held its debut at the University of Minnesota Northrop Memorial Auditorium and was warmly received by the audience.

Ms. Seiler, vice president of a worldwide hotel chain

Ms. Seiler, the vice president of a worldwide chain of hotels, commented: "It's absolutely spectacular and it really gives me a wonderful insight into Chinese culture that I didn't have before. It's such a great opportunity to be here." Ms. Seiler was referring specifically to the oppression of the spiritual practice Falun Gong in China, which was presented in two performances, "Dignity and Compassion" and "Heaven Awaits Us Despite the Persecution." She was glad to have been made aware of it.

"We need to be more aware," she said, "but the dances are done in such a beautiful way. Even though it's a tough issue for the people in China, it helps us to see it in a more compassionate way--that the good and the honest still win in the end, which is beautiful."

From an artistic view, she adored the agility, grace, beauty, and colors, the radiant costumes, awe-inspiring backdrops, and live orchestral music combining the best of Chinese and Western composition. "To learn that it's not gymnastics, that it all stems from thousands of years ago and now introduced in today's world, is just wonderful to be a part of," said Ms. Seiler.

Ms. Seiler also enjoyed the program "Flowing Sleeves" and the dance with the different colored skirts, "Dance of the Yi," as well as the piece, "The Udumbara's Bloom." She stated that she loved them all, and they were her favorite colors! She associated things she had seen in other cultures to the ancient Chinese traditions.

"The Udumbara's Bloom" presents the story of the legendary Udumbara flower of Buddhist lore which blossoms but once every three thousand years. Rich with spiritual import, its unfolding is said to herald the coming of a great sage or enlightened being. True to the legend's origins, these bejeweled dancers take inspiration from the Buddhist Dunhuang caves of Western China.

Ms. Seiler said, "What's interesting is that it is so old, and comes from generations ago. It is great to know where it originated from and how it's being used today ... it's so important that the stories stay alive."

Ms. Seiler mentioned that hearing the announcements in both English and Mandarin was very enlightening, and the lyrics of the songs with subtitles were "beautiful and applicable to each of us ... They help us understand that it's not just the Chinese culture, but applied to everybody." Her concluding words were, "I think we need to be open to the divine, to the heavens, to the earth, and how they combine. Just the beauty of it and the voices of the singers are really breathtaking, and touch your heart."

Mr. and Mrs. Butler and family

Mr. and Mrs. Butler were thinking of creating a Chinese-themed circus performance in August and came to see the performance tonight to gain inspiration. They brought with them their artistic director and coaches, including some from mainland China, as well as other staff who all thoroughly enjoyed the performances. Mr. Butler loved each performance, especially the stories that were portrayed.

Mr. Butler said, "I liked the lotus flowers, the Tibetan dance ["Dance of the Snow-Capped Mountain"] and the divine deity was really spectacular. It was beautiful. I liked the costumes a lot--they had long sleeves--that was very clever." In this dance, the dancers vigorously celebrate the joys of the Tibetan steppes as they spin, stomp, and step in an extravagant gesture of welcoming.

Mr. Butler was impressed with the performers' ability to covey the very powerful stories saying that, "Without speaking they got across the very good and very powerful story lines."

Mrs. Butler loved the "very peaceful" beauty and spirituality exuded from the performances and explained, "I loved the color. The pinks and the blues and the white and the sense of peace and spirituality. It was really beautiful."

She also mentioned that she liked the ladies' dances, saying, "The Tibetan dance was really nice--the acrobatic aspect to the dancing, and it was very beautiful and very spiritual." Mrs. Butler also liked the folklore from ancient China, "I liked Mulan ["Mulan Joins the Battle"]. The theatrical aspect was very good," she added.

The pages of Chinese history are filled with tales of exemplary women, but perhaps none so managed to fulfill the twin Confucian duties of service to one's parents and one's country as the heroine Mulan.

Dr. Kirk Allison, the director of Human Rights and Health at the University of Minnesota, was impressed with the show from the moment the curtain opened.

"I think the information about the cultural aspects is helpful, and particularly the motivation behind the dances--all of them are beautiful and impressive. But I think it's very good to also have the more serious pieces be a part of it, including the section on the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners--that's very important in terms of people understanding what's taking place in China today," he said.

"I'm not involved in Falun Gong, but I've been involved in the issues of the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners." Dr. Allison added, "I myself am not a Falun Gong practitioner--I'm an Eastern Orthodox Christian. But the importance of the right of persons to pursue truth and freedom without persecution is absolutely paramount to a good society. The virtues that are being promoted by Falun Gong are the kind of things that would benefit China very greatly."

When asked what aspect of the show he regarded as best, Dr. Allison thought it a difficult question to answer. "They are all very beautiful in their own ways--I did love the sleeve dance ["Flowing Sleeves"] ... also the reproducing, the blooming ["The Udumbara's Bloom"], was very great and very lovely."

He stated that it will be very easy to enjoy the second half of the performance, and that the orchestra is really wonderful to hear. "It adds a great dimension to have the live music and I heard that last year, it was very tremendous--but to hear the particular instruments is very wonderful, he added."

Source:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/11400/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/11393/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/11391/