LONDON—London-based scientist Wallace Jones has a keen interest in musical performances and very much liked what he heard during the last performance of the Chinese Spectacular in London. "I have an interest in music and was very keen to see the music side of the dance performance."
A friend made the arrangements. "Aga here found a brochure, and she got very interested and we just arranged to get the tickets."
Jones now appreciates the softer side of China a little more. "It was beautifully done—the whole thing about the cultural side of the dancing, the costumes and bringing out, not just the dance, but the message behind the dance. I mean that was very nicely done as well. I think I saw a much softer side of Chinese people generally. Yes, I hadn't appreciated that, and in the dance I think that came over quite amazingly; very different from the Chinese relationships I see around me on a daily basis."
Jones' ethnic background helps him to understand how a country could lose its cultural heritage. "I think the whole thing is, it was quite surprising to hear about China trying to find these elements [of traditional culture] again—that was very interesting. I think a lot of nations tend to lose their cultures. I'm Welsh myself so I am in empathy with this in trying to protect something that is there—not very tangible sometimes—but that was really great to see."
He expressed surprise that a show about Chinese culture came from outside China. "I saw on the web that it was an American-based company. That was very interesting because they are outside the nation they are trying to reflect on. I think there was a feeling here that a lot of the people here might want to go back, you know, in time, so it's kind of a displaced nation in a way. I hope it kind of works!"
Divine Performing Arts continues its European tour throughout this month. For information about upcoming Divine Performing Arts shows, please visit:
www.DivinePerformingArts.org.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese Spectacular. For our complete coverage please visit:
http://en.epochtimes.com/features/dpa2008/
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