Michelle Ren, a New York-based artist from the Devine Performing Arts Troupe and winner of the first NTDTV Chinese Dance Competition, will perform at the Toronto Center for the Arts on September 27 and 28 for the Mid-Autumn Spectacular. "The other members and I will put all our efforts into each performance. We all want to present authentic Chinese culture to audiences in Toronto," said Ms. Ren.
Divine Performing Arts Troupe Delivers Long-awaited Message
Michelle said that traditional Chinese dance combines Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese opera, and Chinese traditional beauty. It's like a Chinese painting and presents not only good portraits but also a higher divine concept. The goal of the Divine Performing Arts troupe is to return to humankind the true divine culture developed in China 5,000 years ago. Ren hopes the audience in Toronto can benefit from the pure righteousness, compassion, beauty, and brightness while enjoying the Mid-Autumn Spectacular.
"The Chinese New Year Spectacular toured over 30 countries and from the audiences' feedback, we know that we did it" said Ms. Ren. "After each show many in the audience stood up and continued to cheer and some couldn't stop crying. This shows that the message we delivered was what they have long waited for."
Benefits From Joining the Divine Performing Arts Troupe
Michelle said she benefited from joining the Divine Performing Arts troupe in New York. Not only did she get to perfect her skill but she also learned from other members. She feels everyone works really hard for the group and always provides selfless help to those who needs it. "The members are very friendly and everyone shares what they learn. There is no competition between the members; we don't go after profits and fame," said Michelle.
Michelle thinks the group's program can touch the audiences' hearts because the members perform with pure hearts. She gave an example, "It's like when a person walks toward you and smiles at you, though there are no words conveyed, there are different meanings behind the smile- some want to please you when they smile, some want to show off his/her looks, and some just want to say hi. It's the same with performing. When you don't think about how to stand out and show how great you are, you become part of the group. You will find audiences like the show better when you think of what is best for the audience as you perform. On the other hand, if an artist thinks of how he/she can stand out from the others and wants to present the best of him/herself, how much pure heart can the artist spare for the audience?"
Dance Skills Part of Her Personality
Michelle's dancing makes people feel peaceful and calm. She commented that one's dance skills show one's personality. Chinese dance not only portrays but also focuses on one's personality. An artist's performance is not just what the audience sees on the stage but connects to their daily life.
In the modern society, people want high efficiency and it generates a lot of competition between people. Most people are very fickle. "A peaceful mind is best for people. I liked quiet when I was little. As I grew up, I became competitive in society and became fickle. I used to dance to show off and set goals. It was always about me. My mind and body started to fatigue. There was a lot of pressure and everyday I felt nervous. For me, after I practiced Falun Gong, I recovered this long lost state my mind," said Michelle.
Background on Michelle Ren
Michelle entered the Shenyang City Art Gymnastics Team when she was six. She placed fourth in a national competition in 1990. In 1993, she placed fifth in the junior gymnast's category in the National Games. In 1997, she won first place for the junior team solo dance in the Taoli Cup in Liaoning Province, China.
Many times she danced solo or led in large dance shows held by central or provincial TV stations. She went to the U.S. in 2002 and besides performing she is a dance teacher. Her students won first place in the Showstopper dance competition in California in 2004. She also was the champion in the instructor's group.
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