September 27, 2008

Lana (R) saw strength of character in the Divine Performing Arts Mid-Autumn Spectacular. (Lisa Fan)

TORONTO--"I think the show is fabulous, this is absolutely unbelievable," said Lesley Kimble. "The opening scene ["Descent of the Celestial Kings"] was the most impressive. I think the costumes are spectacular, the color is beautiful, and the dancers are wonderful."

Ms. Kimble, Manager of the City of Kingston Special Events in Culture and Recreation, attended the Divine Performing Arts Mid-Autumn Spectacular on Friday evening at Toronto's John Bassett Theatre.

Lesley Kimble (L) enjoys the Divine Performing Arts Mid-Autumn Spectacular in Toronto on Friday September 26, 2008. (Lisa Fan)

"I think the costumes are spectacular, and the color is beautiful, and the dancers are wonderful. The feeling of softness and comfort that they all display," she said, enjoying the show with her mother.

"I know they work hard and they are all so beautiful. They're just beautiful girls. I'm not a classical music fan but I'm enjoying this."

The dances in the Mid-Autumn Spectacular are Classical Chinese dance, which was passed down through the many dynasties in China's 5,000-year history. Classical Chinese dance conveys rich language with its unique heritage, extensive movements and techniques. With turns, tumbling, control, leaps, and challenging acrobatic techniques, the art expresses various themes and emotions, as well as depicting a range of characters.

'Very enjoyable, very unique'

"I have never been to a show like this before and it's excellent," said Andy Raszdicki, a mechanical engineer. "I heard about it from my Chinese friends and got tickets from them. It was a present for us. It was amazing. And if I get another chance I will come to see it again."

Andy Raszdicki said he will see the show again if he gets the chance. (Lisa Fan)

Advertising manager, Lana, said: "I was impressed by the Falun Gong dance, 'The Risen Lotus [Flower]'." This performance tells a story of three young women who were jailed for following the spiritual discipline Falun Gong in today's China.

"I think the message is that it's almost impossible to break a person's spirit if she is right and truly believes what she does... I think westerners could definitely understand this because my country of origin, Ukraine and Russia, were ruled by the Communists before. You could be punished for attending some meditation practices under a communist regime when we were their territories.

"I think the scenery is a good addition to the show," she added. "I was invited by my friend from work. I never saw anything like this before, a new experience of Chinese culture and very enjoyable and very unique."

http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/arts-entertainment/divine-performing-arts-unbelievable-in-toronto-4845.html