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Sold Out Performances: Washingtonians Proclaim DPA 'Inspirational and Ecstatically Incredible!' (Photos)

February 17, 2009 |   Compiled by Clearwisdom staff

(Clearwisdom.net) Ballet teacher Ms. Franz, and friend Ms. Gimblet, were among the many mothers who took their daughters to The John F. Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington D.C. to see Divine Performing Arts (DPA) Chinese New Year Spectacular. Both said they were glad that they had done so. "We were very impressed and very happy we came," said Ms. Gimblet.


Ms. Franz, a ballet teacher for 15 years in New York and Washington, D.C. (The Epoch Times)

At five years old, both daughters were young for the theater but were entranced by the performances. "My daughter sat through the whole thing. She was amazed. And they [Ms. Franz's daughter included] both do ballet, and I think we are going to start looking for a Chinese dance program for them," said Ms. Gimblet.

Ms. Franz, a ballet teacher of fifteen years, previously taught classical ballet in New York and now teaches at two different dance studios in Washington. She found the show "absolutely beautiful!"

Ms. Franz echoed Ms. Gimblet's comments, adding that they would be seeking Chinese classical dance lessons for their daughters, and said that her daughter was very impressed by all the dance movements that were unique to classical Chinese dance. "Everything that they did, when they were up in the air, she was very impressed by that. She kept saying, 'I want to do that mommy.'"

Ms. Casselalso also attended the show, and brought her two daughters with her as a birthday present for the elder of the two, Christine. "I saw the beautiful posters with the costumes and I thought it would be an interesting experience," Ms. Casselalso explained. "It was wonderful!"

The final scene in the show was the one that touched her most. The dance, "Knowing the True Picture Offers Ultimate Hope" depicts divine beings descending to earth from the heavens.

Christine, the birthday girl, was very pleased with her birthday present. "I loved the performance, I loved the costumes, I loved everything!" she said.

Ms. Govoni, a graphic designer and fine artist, joined in the standing ovations from the full house. She shared her impressions of the show. "Oh, it was fantastic! It was like a visual meditation. And the message itself is so uplifting, it makes you think about life and about the beyond, and our lives and all the lives that we've lived ... So it really is thought-provoking and ecstatically incredible, and the music is so powerful!"

"When the curtain went up, I gasped. I was like 'oohh!' because of the costumes, the color and all the clouds, so as an artist, it's so visual, and the music is incredible!"

Ms. Govoni shared that she was very impressed by various aspects of the DPA performances. "The flowers were eye-opening, just watching the performers being flowers, and the fans being flowers, and then how they used the chopsticks, how they used the fans, and how they used the fabric! Oh my gosh! To see the people [dancing] and telling stories - the story-telling without hearing any words, but just through the movements of their bodies, was so amazing! You really could get the story just by watching!"

On Saturday evening, nearly 100 people stood in line, in hopes of purchasing returned tickets. The standing-room-only tickets that were made available were immediately sold out.

Ms. Chotoosing was amazed and delighted to be in the audience (The Epoch Times)

Ms. Chotoosing, who studies music, was amazed and delighted to be part of the audience. "I thought it was phenomenal!"

Reflecting on the show, she searched for the right words, "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."

She went on to comment on the message of compassion, and the importance of the traditional values that DPA brings to its audience, "Back to Dafa [Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance] and they don't want to lose that. The message within it all is, this culture is trying to go back to their roots." She added, "That was very well depicted through the dance, without the story even needing to be told. Through the dance, through the music, everything! The message really came across!"

Ms. Chotoosing added that although she had little knowledge of Chinese culture, "I learned bits and pieces of history. I felt I got insight on that. The scenery and everything, show the subcultures within the Chinese culture, that was nice."

Finding it difficult to choose a favorite performance, she said, "They were all amazing, I can't really pick one, but I really liked the Mulan story."

"I think there's still one more commentary - 'that everyone should search within themselves,' just as this presentation says. To find that thing - [Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance] because it's the common thread in all cultures. So, I think that was the message. It was really inspirational!" she concluded.