(Clearwisdom.net) Divine Performing Arts (DPA) and the Divine Performing Arts Orchestra delighted packed audiences at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, from February 10 to 15, 2009.

Among the audience were Mr. and Mrs. Anders who celebrated their first wedding anniversary by attending the DPA show.

"Our first date was in 2007 [when the show played] at the Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University. It sparked our romance and we got married one year ago. So now the DPA has become our anniversary date," said Mr. Anders.

The couple has attended the show each year since 2007. "The show just keeps getting better," said Mr. Anders.

Mr. Anders is a senior business consultant at a 100-year-old leading global management and technology consulting firm. Mrs. Anders is a manicurist who owns her own salon. "We really enjoy it. And we have friends now who help us make sure we get tickets to every show. We are personally contacted and we know we'll never miss a performance in the Washington DC, area. It's great."

"The dancers and their performances are just superb--you can clearly see the pageantry of it. We love that. And the girls and guys are so acrobatic. And mixed with the elegance that they have, and the skill, it was wonderful," said Mr. Anders.

"Welcoming Spring" made a big impression on him. "I liked the fan dance. For me, that is my favorite."

Mrs. Anders said she especially enjoyed the dance "Mulan Joins the Battle," in which a young woman disguises herself as a man and joins the army in place of her aging father.

William and Leila McKenzie thoroughly enjoyed show. "I think the show is just magnificent. The dancers are all young and perform so well, which is kind of surprising, because you do not expect young people to give such a magnificent and outstanding performance. The costumes and everything were perfect," Mrs. McKenzie said.

She continued, "I wanted to learn more about Chinese culture, and I did. I was surprised that our national music, I mean in Kazakhstan, is very much influenced by Chinese music and dance. This was a surprise for me, too."

The show clearly projecxted its spiritual leanings and was truly appreciated by the audience, especially Mrs. McKenzie. "It was a big surprise when the singers performed. It was more spiritual--not just about life. And this, I think, is very good. I mean, I was inspired," she said.

Mr. McKenzie was just as impressed with the show as his wife. "I thought it was magnificent. I enjoyed it thoroughly, completely. I hope to come back to the next showing that they have. I love the costumes, the dances, especially that [musician] with the two-string instrument [the erhu, a two-stringed bowed fiddle]."

Regarding the two programs on contemporary Chinese society, he said, "I was surprised to see the bit about the communists ... the stuff about oppressive governments. I was surprised at that."

He added, "I thought that people would be persecuted if they did this kind of artistic presentation. I am aware of these sorts of things taking place."

Jena, an accountant, attended the show with her husband, Matthew, who is also an accountant, and their young son. She described the show as "absolutely beautiful" and "amazing."

"The costumes, the emotion--actually at one point I was crying. When they showed the persecution of the family, I just thought that was so beautiful. The emotion in the faces, and then how quickly they were able to turn the emotion into something joyous, was amazing. It was absolutely beautiful." Jena was referring to the dance, "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution."

"I was very happy that they made that a focal point. I don't think a lot of the awareness is out there as to what these people are going through--it's absolutely terrible," said Jena.

"The movements were just outstanding and the costumes were just beautiful," Jena said. The costumes in DPA are all originally designed and handmade.

"I thought it was spectacular, flawless. I liked how tolerance and mercy prevailed to make such an amazing performance," Matthew said.

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/12060/
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