NEW YORK—The Divine Performing Arts of New York, which has thrilled a full house of guests from around the world with its spectacular finale performance of Holiday Wonders at New York's Beacon Theatre on Wednesday, will feature 5 shows at Atlantic City's Caesars Circus Maximus Theater from Friday, Dec 28 to Sunday.
The Divine Performing Arts Troupe's Friday performance of Holiday Wonders will be its debut in Atlantic City.
Though the troupe is new to New Jersey, local art critics have spotted the Holiday Wonders as a rare gem of Chinese culture and art.
Star-Ledger of New Jersey calls Holiday Wonders "a true array of worldly wonders."
"What's best about Holiday Wonders is its tasty sampling of ethnic folk dances and theatricalized legends drawn from China's pre-Communist past," said Michael Sommers of Star-Ledger.
"'Qing Elegance' is a stylized and courtly routine for female dancers in lacy headdresses and rich, tasseled purple robes who daintily pose and teeter on 3-inch-high clogs. 'Drummers of the Tang Court' presents 20 percussionists clad in gold, white and bronze warrior-like attire who strike heroic attitudes while banging out rhythms on kettle drums strapped to their middles."
Princeton Packet of Central New Jersey calls the show a 'Cultural Renaissance.'
"Through Holiday Wonders , NTDTV hopes to create a kind of renaissance or rediscovery of ancient Chinese art, music, dance and philosophy — the elements that once made the country the 'divine land,'" said Susan Van Dongen of Princeton Packet.
In welcoming the troupe's performances in Atlantic City, Mayor Scott K. Evans proclaimed December 28-30 to be Holiday Wonders Weekend and describes the show as "pure compassion and beauty."
The Mayor said the show will "enrich our communities through celebrating China' magnificent cultural heritage and fostering understanding between Chinese and Western societies through its breathtaking performances arts."
"NTDTV's Holiday Wonders feature the best of Chinese classical dance and traditional Chinese culture through magnificent choreography, amazing costumes, inspiring sets and spiritual themes," said the Mayor.
The New Jersey General Assembly Upendra J. Chivukula also proclaimed NTDTV's productions of Holiday Wonders and Chinese New Year Spectacular , which "have thrilled audiences throughout the world for years."
Lisa Jiang, a Chinese Gu Zheng master and resident in New Jersey, watched Holiday Wonders premiere in New York on Dec 18. "It's so beautiful and breathtaking! I felt as though I were in a heavenly paradise, living among divine beings," she recalled. "The vocal artists' voice was mesmerizing. I felt they were guiding us through their voices and bringing us closer to heaven."
Nancy K. Greene, Director of Ridgewood Public Library in Ridgewood, New Jersey, took the young daughter adopted from China to the Holiday Wonders performance on Christmas Eve. She was very excited after the show. "It was spectacular!" Green said. She added that a show featuring the most orthodox Chinese culture was the best holiday gift she could give to her daughter.
NTDTV's Holiday Wonders , featuring the Divine Performing Arts of New York, will present five shows from Friday, Dec 28 to Sun, Dec 30, at Caesars Circus Maximus Theater in Atlantic City.
Time: Dec 28: 7PM; Dec 29: 2PM & 7PM; Dec 30 2PM & 7PM
Price: $120, $90, $60
Venue: Caesars Circus Maximus Theater in Atlantic City
On-line Tickets with Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com/venue/16404)
On-line Tickets with NTDTV: https://ticket.ntdtv.com
Ticket Hot-line: 866-234-9099 (Chinese) 800-736-1420 (English)
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