United States: Professional Dancer Says, "Visually Spectacular - It Was Awesome!"

Divine Performing Arts (DPA) staged its show for a second time in front of the dramatic backdrop of the historic Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington, on January 18th, 2009. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the show, saying it was an "unforgettable experience!"

"Visually Spectacular - It Was Awesome!"

Sherry Harris, a former dancer, attended the show and thought that it was "visually spectacular - it was awesome! This is the first time I have ever seen anything like this - it's really incredible. I am definitely coming back next year!"

She thought the costumes were "outstanding" and said that the show wasn't just about different dancing sets but also contained a lot of "Chinese culture, stories, spirituality, wisdom, and sharing through generations."

Ms. Harris was surprised at the emotional content of the performances, saying, "They expressed a lot of emotion in the dance and the facial expressions. Very dramatic, very happy. And the mix of the video ... where the spirits came down from the Heavens was really very beautiful!"

When the reporter asked the former professional dancer to share her opinions of the show, she replied, "I studied ballroom dancing, so I had great appreciation for the skill of the dancers. I know how hard it is to hold poses and to lift your legs and to dance in synchronisation with other people."

She continued, "There were so many moments where the dancers seemed to be moving as one and that is very hard to do. It was all very well choreographed and wonderfully executed ... very beautiful."

Ms. Harris said that the message she got from the show was that "with true information there is maximum hope."

"There is really possibility and potential in all of us and that, regardless of what your experiences are here, you know you have this interaction between the human and the divine. I think that was the message."

"The Choreography Was Amazing, It Was Just Really Amazing!"

Jeannette Takashima took up ballet when she was in her teens. "I used to practise ballet for 2-3 hours per day when I was in high school, so I know what good dancing is."

She thought the costumes were "beautiful" and the dancing was really "wonderful." "I have 4 years of dancing, so I liked the dancing parts the most, the men dancing the leaps, but with a graphic design - the whole background - it's wonderful. I've never seen that done before. It's just a really nice effect. Everything just worked really well together. Also, the choreography was amazing, it was just really amazing."

She continued, "The poet's performance was wonderful, where he had the images floating out of the sky and down and then they came out. That dance was really done well. He is a really good dancer!"

Ms. Takashima liked the way the background worked with the rest of the performance. "The whole thing works together visually. The background doesn't outshine the costumes or the dance, it all comes together, all as one. A lot of work went into everything.

"When I did ballet we didn't do that many leaps and the different turns and the different extensions. They are really good dancers, they really are. I mean, I get shivers down my back because their timing and everything it all works together. They're a cohesive unit that works as a whole. They flow; everything flows really, really well. It's just wonderful to watch."

She concluded by saying, "They have had a lot of training - yes, you can tell!"

"It's a Very Impressive Cultural Experience!"

Waleska Luker, a student and homemaker, said the show was very colourful and made her feel good. "It's a very impressive cultural experience! It wasn't just what the colours represented that was beautiful, but how the show made me feel - it was so positive!"

When asked what piece she liked best, she replied, "I really liked the dance of the flower where all the female dancers looked like they were flowers blossoming. It was so amazing how they were able to work in unison and express all that beauty."

Ms. Luker feels that culture is a very important component of human society and without it a person is apt to forget who they are and where they've come from. "I think that the main message within this modern culture is that we have forgotten our beliefs, our spiritual beliefs. And without the spirit, we forget who we are. I think that this show is a very good example, because when you forget the culture of who you were in the past, then you are lost in the world today and then you end up with, for example, relying on computers instead of human beings ... I find culture to be eternal."