SEOUL, South Korea— Among the audience of the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) show at the Universal Arts Center in Seoul on the evening of February 7 was another star of arguably the most-popular Asian TV series Jewel in the Palace, Ms. Woon-Gye Yeo.
Yeo’s role in the 70-episode drama TV series was the dignified Lady Jeong. In an exclusive interview with The Epoch Times, she talked about her impressions of the show.
“It is so moving; enough so to make me speechless. This transcends ordinary dance performances. The show leads people to explore the principles of life. It lets people know about reincarnation, and other things. It is so inspiring. I don’t know how to fully express my heart’s excitement,” said Yeo.
Yeo studied Korean literature at the University of Korea. She has been in the acting business for more than 30 years. In Jewel of the Palace, she is the oldest actress. Now at the age of 69, she still has not lost her energy to act.
Jewel in the Palace is based on a real story of the first female doctor in Korea, Jang-Geum Seo (Young-Ae Lee), during the reigns of King Seongjong, King Yeonsan-gun and King Jungjong in the 1400’s and 1500’s. Yeo’s role as Lady Jeong possesses exceptional organizing skills. In the royal court back then, it was quite hard to find anyone as righteous as she.
‘They are like poems, like paintings’
Eun-Soo Park, another actor from Jewel in the Palace, had just seen DPA the day before.
Yeo exclaimed, “It is hard to describe with words the effect the DPA show has had on me. The effect is like spring water coming out of the ground, not knowing where it came from. I think maybe my soul is emerging like the spring water.”
She continued, “The tunes and movements are all very elegant. The colors are beautiful. The plots in the stories are extremely rich—from the bottom of my heart, I am touched. The backdrops are gorgeous. They are like poems, like paintings; they make me feel very relaxed.”
Yeo specifically noted the last segment of the program, Knowing the True Picture Offers Ultimate Hope. The various gigantic wheels spinning in the backdrops brought on many thoughts in her. She said, “My understanding of the wheels is that everything is joined as one. Eastern and Western, life and death, all of these came together as one body. I think that’s what it means. It really moved me.”
This piece depicts the cosmic and the earthly merging in a powerful image of renewal, a theme first explored in the opening dance of the show. It carries the message that a glorious culture of antiquity was brought by higher lives and meant to sustain the moral integrity of humankind.
“This performance, I think regardless of who sees it, be they Asians or Westerners, everybody will like it. Westerners would be even more moved after seeing this production.”
Another segment, which stood out the most to her was Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution.
This piece tells the tale of a father who is persecuted for practicing Falun Gong. The fantastic scenes that ultimately unfold in this piece present a message of hope and bespeak of a longstanding Chinese belief that good people are ultimately rewarded, even if not in this lifetime.
“When I saw the father persecuted to death and elevated to heaven, it made my heart feel both hurt and soar.”
“This performance, you not only see it with your eyes, it remains in your mind, in the deepest part of your consciousness. Choreographers and professional dancers truly should come and see this show. Not only should they learn about our culture, they need to learn from others’ culture.”
After hearing about how the show is touring 80 cities around the world in 2009, being viewed by audiences of many different ethnicities, Yeo commented, “Lately everything seems to be accelerating. It’s like a whirlpool. People rarely have time to think about anything. Yet this show inspires people to think deeply … the scenes are serene; there are many relaxed backgrounds. Those things can help to calm the heart.
“Whether you are young or old, the performance can ignite some thinking. I truly hope people from all around the world can see this show. Especially Koreans living overseas, it’ll be so nice if they are able to view this meaningful production.”
SEOUL, South Korea— The success of the final performance of the Divine Performing Arts(DPA) International Company at the Universal Arts Center, Seoul, on Feb. 8 put a beautiful period to its touring chapter in South Korea.
A Buddha portraitist from Byeog Wol Mountain Hut named Ryong Sin, stood in front of a large DPA display after watching the show. He told the reporter with great enthusiasm that “The DPA is leading people toward a realm that everyone dreams of, which is a world without pain … People living in capitalist societies are left only with money in mind, but the DPA informs them about the value of morality.”
Its Colors and Music Lift People From the Miserable World
As a professional Buddhist portraitist who illustrates Buddhas, deities, and celestial beings in his paintings, Mr. Sin paid special attention to the unique colors used in the DPA performance. “The brilliant colors DPA uses delivers a vivid image and atmosphere, beneficial to the health of people. These colors are used by most high ranking rich families. DPA has presented traditional Chinese thoughts well with the colors and it is amazing. I’m very fortunate to be at the show, it’s very meaningful.
He also said: “The colors of mysterious paradises are white, gold, emerald and pink. These are the colors of the heavens. These are the colors that give human beings courage and power.
“The music is also different. It is music from a higher realm. The costumes of those dancers and the colors of their costumes are mysterious and harmonious. Human beings walk into a world without pain very naturally by leaving their pain behind to step into a divine kingdom. Humans and celestial beings interact with each other. Identical to the idea that a Falun Gong practitioner transforms into a Buddha after death due to persecution, it is all for leaving this painful mundane world. I think this is the connotation of the DPA performance.”
People Can Only Stand in Awe
Mr. Sin is enthralled by the entire performance.
“DPA is well-designed with the backdrop similar to a painting. Only this painting is incredibly beautiful, as well as the costumes.
“Korean culture originated from China. Our clothing has also been influenced by traditional Chinese clothing during Go Gu Ryeo time period. Without the understanding of Chinese culture, Korean culture would not be able to take root. The DPA performance is not only an art performance, it has thoughtful connotations.
“Li Bai’s poems, Chinese culture and connotations are basically of Buddhism and Daoism. The DPA has finely portrayed these ideals. Moreover, there is the birth of the divine pen. How marvelous! The DPA passes on Chinese culture through explaining the basics of human beings and nature. What a great message it delivers!”
He is most impressed with the dynamic backdrops.
“It will suddenly appear! The moving space, flying movements, Li Bai’s background with poems appearing … Oh! Who has designed all this?”
“The choreographers have conveyed Chinese traditional legends very well in their dances. The themed dance of the divine pen will take the world by storm. Guimin Guan’s lyrics are beyond this world, the pianist is excellent, Mulan’s story is great, and especially the last program Knowing the True Picture Offers Ultimate Hope is outstanding, the arrangement is outstanding. People can only stand in awe.
“The choice of theme is brilliant! The core of what human beings long for–heaven. DPA has chosen this theme. Now, health or any spiritual worlds have roots in Chinese culture. That’s why DPA could succeed; this performance can fulfill people’s desires.”
The Poster Delivers a Message as Well
He was drawn to the DPA poster as well: “The answer to DPA’s popularity is already portrayed in the poster. The color and design both have drawing charisma. The name of the group Divine Performing Arts also tells a message for modern people.”
“The logo of DPA is very precise and successful: illuminating in the center with a silhouette of the form of a female dancer in the midst of the air, very mysterious and compelling. This poster creates great ambience. This is the renaissance of traditional Chinese culture. This poster has such a great design with an appealing gold color. Divine Performing Arts probably means an impression of the divine.
“People in modern society no longer know about their goals in life. A person is born, lives without knowing about oneself and then runs around making a living and wasting time. When such a person watches this performance, he will understand the message from Divine Performing Arts and will know how to live.”
SEOUL, South Korea—Among the full-house audience of Divine Performing Arts (DPA) 2009 World Tour at Universal Arts Center in Seoul on February 8 was Ji-Won Yun, a fashion professor at the Seoul National University.
The opening scene The Five Millenia Begin left the deepest impression on Ms. Yun, particularly the moment when the 5,000 years of Chinese history was launched by the Yellow Emperor, who descended from heaven.
“I told my kid that today I saw a show that manifests Heaven to the secular world,” she said. “Last year when I watched DPA, I said to myself, ‘Ah, there’s such show existing.’ This time when I watched it, my heart was very calm. Last year there were more programs from the Tang Dynasty and this year they went back in time to the Han Dynasty. In this show I found traditonal culture. When I saw ethnic dances of Yi, Tibetans, and dances of various ethnicities, I felt that it was the Chinese culture. They even integrated poetry into the performance and harmonized Confucianist, Buddhist, and Taoist cultures together as one. It manifested a comprehensive culture.
“Since the Han Dynasty, dancers were not merely practicing techniques, they were cultivating. From eating, living to walking postures, everything was cultivation. I could see that also from the performance today. Nothing was simply practice, everything was cultivation.”
Ms. Yun was also moved by another program, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution, based on a true story where a father is persecuted to death for his belief in Falun Gong in mainland China.
“A cultivator’s determination in his belief eventually trascends all darkness and welcomes brightness. A life was elevated. I was touched to tears.
“I want to teach my kid to know how to cultivate the heart; have hope in your heart; do not hold prejudice towards others; accept and open your hearts to others; you cannot attack other people, but have tolerance.”
Ms. Yun currently has a contract with Korea’s MBC television station to design costumes for an upcoming 50-episode drama, Queen Seondeok of Silla.
“Although MBC provided me with some suggested designs, many of them are very identical … Many aspects of [DPA costumes] can be inspiration for my designs, including styles, textures of materials and overall shapes, etc.
“Even though I always design and make costumes, I have never worn one myself. I made many samples for the drama, but I let the new designers try them on. I wish I could try them on actually, particularly the ones that are beautiful, with wide sleeves and easy to move around with.
“Costumes with sleeves that are wide and broad are the style of heavenly beings. Anyways, wide sleeves look very elegant; they leave a floating impression. [Those kind of costumes] belong to the fairies who I often have imagined as a child.”
Ms. Yun felt that the reason DPA is so renowned around the world is because it resonants between people of all backgrounds.
“Chinese culture lasted for a very long time; it’s the center of civilizations. Western ballet emphasizes on limited techniques, yet classical Chinese dance has various movements. Taoism says that people can cultivate to gods and also can come back to life. It lets people cultivate their characters—quietly improving in their secular lives—and solve their lives’ fundamental issues.
“I think traditional culture is not boring and old-fashioned like people say nowadays, DPA’s performance is fascinating. It tells stories through dance and combines history with modern days. It blends Western culture with the East, so people can all understand.”
She said that through the performance, people can rediscover many values that are vanishing today.
“[After you watch the show] you no longer emphasise selfishly on yourself, but to harmonize with the ethnicity, with the society. You should treat neighbors and friends with kindness rather than with stubbornness. You can maybe try to stand in others’ shoes.”
SEOUL, South Korea— For Koreans who like to listen to the radio, relaxing music, or jazz, almost all of them know about Jin-Mo Kim. On Feb. 7, the well-known Korean music critic watched the fifth Divine Performing Arts (DPA) performance in Seoul.
In addition to being a music critic, Mr. Kim is a well-known music composer. He used to be a program host on KBS radio, host of Kim Jin-Mo music channels on Busan FM radio and the deputy chief of the Ke-Xi monthly magazine. Mr. Kim has introduced more than 500 pieces of classical music to Korean audiences.
He said the show is as beautiful as a dream: “DPA shows are very beautiful. It has myths, paintings, and also has dreams. It is as beautiful as a dream, but also very real to watch their performance on stage. These are all based on the ancient oriental culture. The performances give people hope for their future. I have been immersed in the bliss from the beginning to the end.”
Mr. Kim said he himself also often participated in stage performances. From a professional’s point of view, all aspects of the DPA show, including the stage layout, music, stories, etc., all left him astonished. He insists that he benefited a lot from watching DPA.
“The timing of the performers’ actions and the changing backdrop is perfectly simultaneous. It surprised me that the computer technologies were used so perfectly,” he said.
“I am also learning Oriental instruments myself. The cultural foundation between the Eastern and Western music is different. Many people want to combine Eastern and Western music, but they rarely succeed. However, what I saw from today’s performance is that the overall music is very harmonious, I have learned a lot indeed.”
He said that the performance was very harmonious and profound. “It is not to say that a performance has to reach a certain level visually in order to be accepted, what I want to say is that the show will be loved by all men, women, or children, no matter who watch it.”
“I’ve watched many performances and dances, which were based on stories. In those circumstances, audiences need to read the script in advance or the stories are some well-known works. So when the audiences watch the shows, they have to already be familiar with the plot and know how to appreciate it. It’s not difficult. However, for today’s program, audiences can perfectly understand the message from the program without needing a prior understanding of the story. I am very surprised.”
He once again said, “Every work is so flawless and impeccable.”
“I think their message is that current humanity is on its last leg. We have lost a lot of our true selves, and I think that humanity needs to recover what it has lost.”
Mr. Kim has experienced ups and downs in life and now likes to live in the distant mountains. He often travels to various places to witness people’s struggles. He has been to India eight times, and has also been to Japan, South-East Asia, Africa and other places.
“I hope that more people will watch the performance, so more audiences will be able to appreciate the beauty of this performances.”
- The Epochtimes, Feb. 09, 2009
And finally… He’s a man that’s seen literally thousands of shows on countless stages. But Broadway critic Richard Connema still called the Chinese New Year spectacular a quote, “mind-blowing” experience.
Richard Connema, critic for Talkin’ Broadway and seasoned theater patron has the highest praise for Divine Performing Arts’ Chinese New Year Spectacular in San Francisco.
[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“I probably have reviewed over 3 to 4 thousand shows since 1942. A lot of reviewers use stars, you know, 1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars, 4 stars, 5 stars… I will give this production 5 stars. That’s the top,” he said.
[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“The dancers were absolutely fantastic … I found out that there was not only dancing in this but heart. You could feel that coming even from where I was sitting … Just a beautiful production. I found that those backdrop scenes and the way it was projected and the way it comes out is absolutely fantastic.
[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“I’ve never seen anything like that. I’ve seen enough Broadway shows that still cannot compare to what I saw tonight The best word to use was “mind blowing”. And I watched around the audience and they all were so involved with everything going on.
[Richard Connema, Broadway Critic]:
“There’s movement between everything, even the narrators coming up, giving you a little insight and they move right into a dance… perfect!”
INDIANAPOLIS—Divine Performing Arts (DPA) delighted the audience at the Murat Theatre in Indianapolis on Saturday, Jan. 31, with its unique presentation of Chinese traditional culture.
Ms. Hanson, executive vice president of a major Midwestern university, was highly impressed with DPA’s visual feast of classical Chinese dance and Chinese ethnic and folk dance performed to original music.
“It was marvelous,” she said. “It was sublime artistry. Spectacular—just marvelous in every respect.”
Ms. Hanson said she had seen the show before but not in its entirety. “The historical sweep, the beauty of every section of it—it was just inspiring.”
The New York-based DPA is composed of a unique group of leading artists who share in a vision of reviving Chinese traditional culture which was all but destroyed after the advent of communism to China.
“One of the things that struck me was the kind of melding of the arts into the performance and the window into culture, as well as the really superb artistry of every one of the performers, singers, and dancers, each one individually. Together it was breathtaking,” Ms. Hanson said.
When asked what she thought about the message the show imparted, she said, “It was wonderful. The sort of emphasis on compassion is something we can all learn a lesson from.”
Ms. Hanson added that she thought the show “was a marvelous window into all sorts of elements of Chinese arts and culture. My home discipline is philosophy, so I loved hearing about Confucius too—the same message of Socrates, about knowing what you don’t know.”
Commenting on other aspects of the show, Ms. Hanson said that the projected backdrops “were quite intriguing. I don’t know enough technologically to know how that’s produced, but it was an interesting way of conveying various elements of the narrative.”
DPA makes use of an innovative digital backdrop that provides an animated setting to frame each dance. In some of the pieces, the scenes on the backdrop interact with the dances on stage.
The show also features accomplished solo singers and musicians as well as a live orchestra that combines Chinese and Western music and instruments
“The music was wonderful too in each of the episodes of the singing and dancing. There was humor in the introduction of the orchestra. I think we all learned something and had a great experience,” Ms. Hanson said.
She described the piece, Mulan Joins the Battle as “terrific.” A legend in Chinese history, Mulan joined the army disguised as a man in her ailing father’s place.
Ms. Hanson concluded by saying that the show “taught all of us a lot about the history of Chinese culture …. Bringing things from the various provinces was a wonderful element of the show too. It was terrific.”
NEW YORK— Concert cellist, Christine Walesvska was right at home at the Radio City Music Hall’s matinee session of the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) Chinese New Year Splendor on Sunday Jan. 25.
“This is just spectacular as always. It’s just incredible how creative and how each time they are doing new dances,” she said. “I love it, just love it”.
Ms. Walesvska has seen the Divine Performing Arts Chinese New Year shows for the last four years.
Last year, however, she was forced to miss it at this venue. A soloist since she was 18, Ms. Walesvska is world renowned and travels a lot to perform. Last year, for the first time, she was away for the Radio City season. While she still caught the show at the Beacon Theatre instead, it was good to be back at the famous theater.
“I mean, it’s just phenomenal, it’s just incredible. As always the dancing is exquisite and the beauty of everything and the backdrops. It’s certainly the place to have it here, in the Radio City Music Hall, just incredible.”
Ms. Walesvska said she was intrigued by the history of Chinese dance, noting its influence on modern acrobatics.
“I am very happy that the Master of Ceremonies told us that these phenomenal flips that they do … you know, I thought that it was part of acrobatics, but he explained that it was from thousands of years ago, that it’s the tradition that’s been passed on, but to do that without even putting your hands on the floor, just flipping!”
The Divine Performing Arts’ focus on traditional Chinese culture is, in fact, one of the main features Ms. Walesvska loves about the show.
“Yes, I have learned lots of new things. They are bringing back for the world to see the traditions of the ancient Chinese and I think that’s what’s so fantastic,” she said. Adding that different traditional cultures around the world “have been burned out” over the years but she believed the DPA was invigorating a renaissance in the classical arts of ancient China.
“When you look at, for instance, the ancient Chinese materials, and I have some beautiful ancient robes myself, and then you see well, yes, this group is inspired by all of that beauty of yester year.
“Then you look at what mediocrity is considered to be modern art and you say, ‘well my goodness’ I mean thousands of years ago all of this beauty existed and where are we now?”
As a musician, Ms. Walesvska noted particularly the role music played and the musicians played in the performance, describing the erhu player as “just most exquisite.”
“We, as interpreters, have the great joy of bringing to the audience from a different era something of great beauty that is rare to find today, and that’s what I think everybody appreciates about this show,” she said.
Ms. Walesvska looked around the foyer for the friends she had invited to see the show, noting with appreciation the three different companies now touring the world at the same time. “I am so happy … It is just so magnificent,” she said.
She tells her friends, “if you want to be uplifted, if you want to see something of sheer beauty, grace, magnificence,” then this is the show to see. “It puts you in another world, and I think that that’s also the great power of music because it has the capacity of lifting people’s spirits and inspiring their souls, and that’s what you have with this show.”
She used the words “beauty, purity, sincerity, excellence,” to sum up her feelings about the show, noting that “when you think of the amount of practise that it takes for this tremendous dancing together…and the things that you see, it’s so fantastic.”
She said the dancers were “very, very beautiful, extremely beautiful” and again reiterated how impressed she was with the new show. “I just cannot believe how they have different costumes each year, different dances, the music is gorgeous and it was just marvellous. I loved every minute of it,” she said.
- The Epochtimes: World Renowned Cellist: ‘ I loved every minute of it’
NEW YORK— For the second year running, artist Mrs. Denigris came to see the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) at New York’s famous Radio City Music Hall. This year, on the auspicious eve of Chinese lunar New Year, Jan. 25.
“I was here last year. I loved it last year and this year when I saw it advertised up in the Greenwich Time, I saw, ‘Oh, I’ve got to bring my friends.’ So I’ve got several Korean friends that I brought with me and my son and my husband, so there are seven of us. Lucky seven,” said Mrs. Denigris.
As a painter of traditional Chinese landscapes and wildlife herself, Mrs. Denigris said what she loved best about the show was the scenery.
“I loved the scenery. Besides the dancing and the music, the scenery is absolutely gorgeous and being a student of the Chinese art I appreciate the scenery more than the average person because I do that type of work. I’m inspired.”
DPA use a state-of-the art, stage-sized digital backdrop to display ever-changing images of traditional China.
“I love it. It’s inspiring. It just makes me want to go home and start painting,” reflected Mrs. Denigris.
PASADENA, Calif.— Ms. Jane Liu, a recent immigrant from mainland China, treated herself to a performance by the Divine Performing Arts International Company as a New Year’s Eve present to herself. Ms. Liu said the performance exceeded her expectations and fulfilled her thirst for traditional Chinese culture.
“Since my arrival from mainland China, I have been missing China’s traditional arts. Being able to see this wonderful performance on New Year’s Eve makes me especially happy,” said Ms. Liu, “This beautiful artistic performance satisfied my needs.”
Ms. Liu was impressed by all the elements of the performance, from historical Chinese stories to the attractive costumes of the Yi ethnic minority. She said that the performances were not just dances, but dances weaved with stories.
She said her only regret was not bringing her daughter with her to the performance. Ms. Liu thought the DPA performance would have been a great opportunity for her daughter to appreciate classical Chinese dance.
Another Chinese immigrant who came from mainland China three years ago, expressed that the DPA performance was genuine traditional Chinese culture. According to him, the quality of DPA performances can’t be seen anywhere in mainland China. “The performances in mainland China are very empty and fake. Unlike [those], the DPA performance has a lot of depth,” he said.
The immigrant said that watching the performance was like receiving relief from mental stress. He said it made him feel comfortable and refreshed. He said “[I] hope people who did not come to the performance tonight can make it another time to experience this.”
DETROIT— “[The performance] was overwhelmingly magnificent and touching! I cried many tears, and I was inspired.”
This is how Ms. Xue described her feelings while watching Divine Performing Arts New York Company’s first of two performances at Detroit’s Ford Community & Performing Center.
Assistant director of an Oriental art school, Ms. Xue and her husband had also attended the DPA show in January 2008. She said the new programs in this season’s production “even more spectacular” than last year’s.
While a lot of movements in Chinese classical dance are quite difficult, Ms. Xue said, “these young dancers have already reached world class level. This kind of high class show made me admire them very much.
“The performers clearly and precisely expressed the essence of classical dance at a high level. I greatly admire these young dancers for giving such a high caliber and world-class performance.”
The DPA dancers were able to move the audience because they have a strong understanding of Chinese classical dance, said Ms. Xue. She explained that only when dancers truly understand and express the intrinsic substances of dance will they have the power to move audiences.
“In the dance ‘Dragon Springs Drums,’ the male performers expressed great power, skills and strength. Their expressions were rich and earth-shaking.”
She added that the dancers’ thoughts, facial expressions, and inner expressions all touched her deeply.
“The opening program, “The Five Millennia Begins” is so magnificent, so touching. After watching it, I cried. The ideas behind the production, the dance, and backdrops all fitted together perfectly. They all harmonized one another. They made it really easy for the audience to understand—very influential.”
She especially liked the “Yi Ethnic Dance,” a spirited portrait of everyday life among the Yi people, one of southern China’s largest ethnic groups.
“The costumes, dresses, and designed movements in this dance are extremely graceful. The choreographer fully took advantage of the characteristics of the Yi Ethnic apparel. They manifested the dance to be very extravagant. The use of color was very elegant, harmonious, and fitted into the numerous beautiful scenes in the backdrops.”
Ms. Xue praised the creativity of the artistic director and was impressed by the fluidity and coordination of every aspect of the performance.
“The concepts, staging and dancing were in perfect harmony,” she said. “DPA has brought Chinese culture to every corner of the world, sharing China’s 5,000 years of history. This is magnificent. I represent the Chinese people in thanking them.”
