This is the fourth year for the Chinese New Year Spectacular to play in Toronto and for quite a few audience members, it's not the first time to see the show — it seems to keep people coming back for more.
Jenny Cheng, a teacher who attended the Sunday matinee at the Sony Centre in Toronto, said this was her third time seeing the show.
"I enjoyed the dancing very much, especially the choreography. I think they are very beautiful. I like all the dances. This is the third time I've come, because I really love the dancing."
When asked whether she noticed an inner meaning in the performances, Cheng said: "Of course, that's very obvious — not only in the dances, but also the songs. This goes beyond the day-to-day materialistic things. It goes beyond what meets the eye."
The world-class level of performance and the broad variety in the shows have not gone unnoticed, she said.
"[Compared to other Chinese shows] I think this is very high quality. It illustrates a different Chinese culture. It's very well balanced – all the different aspects – I think it's all great."
Max Hien, who saw the Spectacular with his daughter Valerie, also commented on the high quality of the show. When asked if he had seen other Chinese shows, he responded by saying: "I saw another one a few years ago. This one is higher quality."
"The dances are very well done," he added. "They are all good — all of them!"
The Chinese New Year Spectacular has attracted and brought together a wide variety of audiences from many different cultures and backgrounds. The New York-based Divine Performing Arts, the company presenting the Spectacular shows, has been spearheading a renaissance of Chinese traditional culture that has drawn the attention and admiration of audiences around the world. Audience member, Karu Kanendra, a restaurant Chef said that, "It was very nice to see." This was his first time at a Chinese cultural show and he was delighted to see similarities between Chinese and Sri Lankan dance and he said that he would come back next year.
Beatrice Williams also enjoyed the show and said that her favorite performance was the drums. "They were very uplifting," she said, adding that the show brought a message of "peace."
After Toronto, the Spectacular will continue on its world tour, palying in the U.S., Japan, Korea, Paris, Singapore and Australia before heading to Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton in the spring.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Divine Performing Arts shows that will perform in over 60 cities worldwide in 2008. To find a show near you, please visit www.bestchineseshows.com.
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