'It was very wonderful,' said State Representative Debbie Benefield. (The Epoch Times)

DENVER, CO--Many audience members from around Colorado came to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year at Divine Performing Arts' (DPA) Chinese New Year Spectacular at Denver's Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, Jan. 30.

State Representative Debbie Benefield was excited to be at the performance and experience traditional Chinese culture.

"I believe that what we're experiencing, or I am experiencing tonight, is something new," said Representative Benefield. "It makes me enjoy the thought that this is a brand-new year--Year of the Ox. How exciting is that, celebrating this culture. It is great. It is wonderful."

DPA is reviving the ancient culture and traditions of China's 5000-year-old civilization through stories, myths and legends told through Chinese classical dance, a live orchestra with Western and Chinese instruments, state of the art digital backdrops and master solo singers.

"The energy here is greater than traditional ballet, so to experience this through the eyes of Chinese culture--oh my goodness, it is wonderful," said Rep. Benefield.

She expressed that Classical Chinese dance was amazing. Classical Chinese dance requires the performer to be very well-trained as it requires a strict regimen in order to master the techniques and forms, which are extremely diverse and vary greatly.

"It [the show] was very wonderful--brilliant colors, the rhythm, precision, the hand movements. The hand movements are nothing like I have ever seen before. Our dancers just don't do that," she said.

She believes that the message of what she witnessed tonight through the Divine Performing Arts performance was one of "hope."

Source http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/content/view/11201/