San Diego: "It Was the Most Colorful and Extravagant Show I Have Ever Seen in My Life--Brilliant!"

By a Clearwisdom reporter

(Clearwisdom.net) The Chinese New Year Spectacular was performed by the Divine Performing Arts touring company from January 15-17, 2008, in San Diego, California. Chris Kidd, who works in advertising, was willing to sit with the reporter and share some of his in depth and insightful reactions.

Chris said, "It was the most colorful and extravagant show I have ever seen in my life--brilliant!"

"I was really, really impressed by the diversity in the dancing and the grace that both the men and the women displayed. You know, it seems in American culture that it's kind of hard for guys to be appreciated for being graceful, but the guys here tonight--both the men and the women--were equally graceful and beautiful in their performances. That's what I liked. I haven't seen a lot of dance shows, and it was really nice for me for that [reason]."

The erhu, a Chinese traditional instrument, really impressed him. He said, "It had my skin tingling and my hairs on end for a little bit." "I was really affected by each of the singers. I can honestly say I felt 'lighter' at certain times during the show than I did when I came in. I felt lifted up by the show, and it's been a while since I felt that."

For him, it was also an educational experience, not only with regard to the dancers, but also about history. He said, "I learned a lot about history from the background screen because I could understand what they were singing about. That added to the experience. The words of the songs were displayed on the background, which allowed me not only to see the meaning of what was being sung but also experience it through the song itself and the intensity of the singers."

Chris went on to say, "I have seen Buddhist monks chant. I have seen various dance productions, smaller ones [shows], but nothing on this scale, and it really brought it all together for me."

"I got a little more insight into Chinese culture and traditions. I was not actively seeking that knowledge, but it sank in anyway."

Talking about the stories and history portrayed in the show, Chris said, "Even though this is Chinese culture, I think we can all relate to the themes it presents. This is especially refreshing for Americans, who don't necessarily reflect on themselves very often and often are confused about what our culture is all about. So I think a show like this transcends the Chinese culture. Through the dance and through the music and through the power of human emotion, we can experience the history of China and relate it to our own. I definitely did experience that. That is why I came tonight. I was hoping for that experience, and I was very impressed."

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