NEW YORK—Hearing about pressure by the communist party to stay away actually spurred Gordon Dixon, a retired public relations professional to attend Tuesday evening's performance of Divine Performing Arts Chinese New Year Splendor with his friend John Wright.
"The Chinese government is very much against this. The Chinese government had wanted [people] to boycott it." "Well, I wouldn't do it."
Mr. Dixon said he felt even more compelled to attend the show after hearing about the communist party's heavy-handed attempts.
"It spurred me on!... because I know the troubles [being caused]."
The dance pieces in the Splendor mostly portray traditional Chinese culture, but a couple portray persecution by the communist party against people of belief in today's society.
The Epoch Times has previously reported several instances of Western government officials being contacted by Chinese consulates and embassies, who urge them not to visit the show. Predictably, the government officials denounce the attempts to influence their actions.
New York State Assemblyman Michael Benjamin, for example, responded with a statement that, although he was very busy, the defamatory letter from the Chinese consulate made him more determined to attend a performance.
"It was good," Mr. Dixon said about Tuesday's show. "The coordination of the groups, they're so good at it, the dancing and the drumming,".
His colleague, John Wright, a former member of the New York Times book review department, had this to say about the Splendor , "It was very beautiful, very different."
He particularly enjoyed "the synchronized drumming, the dancing, the fans."
The Chinese New Year Splendor continues in New York through Saturday, Feb. 9.
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 Splendor.
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