New York: Fifty-two Senior Citizens from the Franklin Township Senior Center Watch the New Year Splendor

(Clearwisdom.net) The Franklin Township Senior Center provides transportation for their senior citizens to see the New Year Splendor at Radio City Music Hall. Fifty-two seniors came on February 7.

Carol, a retired college secretary, said the drum programs were her favorite part. She said, "The show was very warm, colorful and enjoyable, the Chinese traditions are wonderful too."

Dorothy Tompkins, another retired college secretary, and her friend Anne have traveled around the country, but on this day they were enjoying themselves right here at home in New York. Dorothy is no stranger to Chinese culture, thanks to a Chinese couple from her church, who for twenty-six years have taken them to a Chinese 13-course meal for 70 - 80 people in celebration of the Chinese New Year each year.

Dorothy said that the dance, "The Risen Lotus Flower" was inspirational and beautiful, as were the drum programs. "It takes an awful lot of talent to be able to coordinate your body with all these dances. I am glad we came."

About her understanding of the Chinese songs, she said, "I got the meaning of the songs that both the soprano and tenor sang. I consider them as songs against injustice." She was glad to hear songs that referred to the persecution [of Falun Gong] that is still going on in China today. She said, "Because along with being entertained, I think we have to know these things. We have to be told these things. That is, not just what the [Chinese] regime wants to get out to the world."

Dorothy continued, "The world is getting smaller and smaller, and you have to be able to get along with everybody. In order to get along with people, you have to understand them a little better."

She added, "All of it was so gorgeous. The dancers, their graceful movements... we have been discussing it since it started."

Anne, a retired staff member from a telephone company, was a newcomer and had some preconceived notions that everything about Chinese culture was dull. She said, "It is sensational! I had no idea the people were so diversified in that country, that they had all this going on. It is gorgeous."

Anne continued, "It makes you look at the whole country differently than what you get fixed in your mind sometimes. When you see something like this, you realize there is another side to people."

Talking about the show, Anne said, "I liked the way the whole program was set up, and the scenery is gorgeous." She was amazed by what she learned from the show. She asked the reporter, "Did China really look like that? Old China?"

Finally, Dorothy said, "I will come again if they have it next year. I think it is particularly good that the children are coming and getting exposed to this."