VANCOUVER—China's cultural legacy came alive at Surrey's Bell Performing Arts Centre on Friday evening as the Chinese Spectacular unfolded its wonders before a captivated audience.
Surrey city councilor Judy Villeneuve said one of the reasons she wanted to see the Spectacular was that while she's familiar with many dance styles, Chinese classical dance was new to her.
"I don't know much about it, that's why I wanted to come tonight to see it. I'm enjoying the variety and the stories and I think it's a production that's showing all sides of the classical genre," said Villeneuve.
"Personally I have an avid interest in dance anyway, I've seen a lot of contemporary dance in the city and so I'm enjoying seeing the classical Chinese dance. It's really beautiful and the costuming is fabulous."
A member of the Surrey multicultural committee, Villeneuve said Surrey, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver are especially multicultural, adding that the multicultural aspect of the Spectacular was definitely apparent.
"I think it's shown everything from the very classical with the baritone singer and the opera singer and very classical dance to what I thought was some more contemporary dance with the number with the Falun Gong jailed prisoners and their escape to a more peaceful life."
Villeneuve was referring to The Risen Lotus Flower, an act in the show that depicts a contemporary injustice in China: the persecution of Falun Gong. A spiritual practice with the guiding principles of truth, compassion and tolerance, Falun Gong is rooted in ancient Chinese culture.
"I think the choreography is fabulous," said Villeneuve, adding that "something like this could be repetitious but I don't think it's been repetitious at all tonight, there's been a lot of variety."
Performed by the New York-based Divine Performing Arts, the Spectacular has become known for its authentic portrayal of ancient Chinese traditional culture, which cherishes beauty, morality and cosmic harmony.
"The more we have an opportunity to be exposed to it the closer we feel to the people living here who are from the Chinese culture," she said.
Another reason Villeneuve wanted to see the show was because her husband, Mike, teaches English at a winter camp in Seoul, Korea, and has traveled from there to China.
Villeneuve has been on the Surrey City Council for 20 years, and is chair of the Social Planning Committee as well and is also on a variety of other committees and boards. This summer Surrey will hold a fusion festival, she said.
"We've been declared the Cultural Capital of Canada and part of that is the fusion festival taking place on the 17, 18 and 19 of July, with entertainment from all the different cultural groups in the city. We're hoping to make it an annual event."
For information about upcoming Divine Performing Arts shows, please visit:
www.BestChineseShows.com.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese Spectacular. For our complete coverage please visit:
http://en.epochtimes.com/features/dpa2008/
Feeds