CHICAGO—Ward Kelly, a software salesman, came with his wife and sister and his adopted Chinese daughter Christina to Chicago's opening night of The Chinese New Year Spectacular. "My wife dragged me to see this show and I was kicking and fighting the whole time, I didn't want to come," Mr. Kelly explained. "I thought it was going to be silly. Within two acts into the show, I knew this was something very special. I fell in love with it, right away.
"The volume of expression in the dance was staggering. It was completely awesome and I was really impressed. The synchronicity of all those dancers just blew me away."
Ward's sister, Annie Cheney, also in sales, flew in from Wyoming and didn't know what to expect.
"The dancers performed with beauty, passion and dignity," she said "They were able to openly express political concern, persecution, and oppression through the beauty of art and dance."
She said that it was too bad that the Chinese in mainland China cannot see such a beautiful show. "I was honored to be here tonight and witness the spiritual aspect that speaks to us from art."
"When I see Chinese people, I see 5,000 years of history because they are rooted so deeply in ancient culture."
Kelly's 10-year-old daughter said she particularly loved the Mongolian bowl dance and was shocked when she realized that the bowls "were not glued to the dancers' heads."
Everyone in this family had to travel to see the show, but felt energized afterwards and said they would see it again.
Ward Kelly summed it up: "There was a passion there that wasn't just about dance. There was a definite meaning behind this show."
The Chinese New Year Spectacular continues on Saturday in Chicago. For other shows in the Divine Performing Arts world tour, please visit: http://www.divineperformingarts.com The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese New Year Spectacular.
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