A new art form, Chinese divine dance, comes to town
By Terri Wu
Epoch Times Washington, D.C. Staff
Dec 12, 2007

Beginning of this month, President of the Baltimore City Council Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (center) presented a proclamation to the Falun Dafa Association of Washington, DC at the Baltimore city hall. Shantao Lai (right) received the proclamation on behalf of the Falun Dafa Association. Jianmei Yu (left) represented New Tang Dynasty Television. (Lisa Fan / Epoch Times)

This year Baltimore has become the first stop of the worldwide tour of Holiday Wonders and Chinese New Year Spectacular performances.

Local leaders of the fine arts here are excited about the Baltimore debut of the shows, while the political leadership, with a watchful eye to the local economy, is extending a warm welcome to this unique performance of traditional Chinese dance and music.

This is the fifth year that New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) has produced the Spectacular show, and the second year of the Holiday Wonders.

"I'm not surprised that there will be interest of and great turnout to this type of performance. We have such a diverse community. Baltimore is probably one of the best places to offer something like that," said Theresa Colvin, Executive Director of the Maryland State Arts Council.

Ms. Colvin is pleased to see a new art form in Maryland. She says that the Baltimore arts community is quite strong in music, especially classical music, but can use some help in dance. Dance has been a regional and national challenge.

During 2006–2007 holiday seasons, the performance delighted over 200,000 people with 82 live shows in 32 cities across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, said Julianne Xu from the Public Relations Department of the New Tang Dynasty Television.

The essence of traditional Chinese culture conveyed in the programs brought many audience members to tears, Ms. Xu said. This year, she said the performance is expected to reach 600,000 live audiences in more than 70 cities.

In addition to heavenly maidens ("fairies") in colorful costumes, original music written exclusively for the show, and creative stage decorations with Chinese traditional style, the performance present the essence of the true Chinese culture, according to Ms. Xu.

"Enter a world of celestial maidens and be uplifted. Flowing scarves, quick dainty steps, and graceful lifts give a sense of floating and flying. Ethereal string, delicate bells and the soothing harp combine for a felling of timelessness." This description taken from the "Celestial Maidens" dance in last year's program brochure aptly captures the spirit of the shows.

Chinese classical dance has equal emphasis on allure/style and techniques. In addition to comprehensive techniques, including Chinese drama and Kung-fu, the art form stresses the "moral" standing of the dancer so that the dancer's inwardness is conveyed as much as her/his physical beauty/power and movement on the stage.

Unlike Classical ballet, Chinese classical dance has a multitude of forms and virtually infinite possibilities. Moreover, China has a five-thousand-year-old civilization and countless stories from pre-historic legends and history. These grand moments in history when the Chinese people developed in particular cultural phases or dynasties can be encapsulated and rendered in Chinese classical dance.

Randall Vega, the Cultural Affairs Director at the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, says that Baltimore is still the cultural hub of Maryland, acknowledging other parts of the state also host large cultural institutions, such as Strathmore in Montgomery County. Traditionally an industrial city, Baltimore is being transformed into a creative arts center.

Both Colvin and Vega say that Baltimore audiences have the background and interest to appreciate other cultures and diversity, and that Chinese classical dance as a new art form will add value to the local arts communities.

Arts Promotions Pay

Last week, Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) hosted the 2007 annual conference of state arts agencies in Baltimore. Arts have played a significant role in the state's economic development in the past five to six years. According to a study by MSAC, the economic impact of arts development in Maryland State was over a billion US dollars in 2006.

Revitalizing local economy through the "arts and entertainment districts" and "public value creation" were hot topics at this year's conference, which officially opened at the Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA), which is the anchor institution of Station North.

"Station North" was the first state designated arts and entertainment district in Baltimore. According to Elizabeth Carven, Deputy Director of MSAC, Maryland Institute College of Arts (MICA), a school specializing in visual arts, was the anchor institution of the district. Old warehouses were renovated to provide artists studio space at affordable prices.

Historically, Baltimore was a very big, dirty, industrial city. According to Randall Vega, almost 1 million people were living in Baltimore by the 1950s. Starting from 1960s and through the rest of the 20th century, the industrial base in Baltimore eroded, as did much of the rest of the U.S. Richard Florida's idea of a "creative economy" attracted the notice of Governor Martin O'Malley, who was then Baltimore mayor. Policy makers started to look into the arts to revive Baltimore and bring vibrancy back.

Local Leaders Welcome Chinese Traditional Arts

Recognizing the local impacts of arts and the value of Chinese traditional arts, some local leaders in Baltimore and the state have extended a warm welcome.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin has sent a "Greeting" letter to the Divine Performing Arts Troupe stating:

"I particularly want to congratulate the members of The Divine Performing Arts for their impressive talent and devotion to sharing traditional Chinese arts around the world. We are fortunate for this opportunity to experience rich culture diversity of China's many ethnic nationalities as we celebrate this special time of year."

At beginning of this month, President of the Baltimore City Council Stephanie Rawlings-Blake presented the Resolution to the Falun Dafa Association of Washington, DC at Baltimore city hall. She praised the Falun Dafa Association of Washington, DC for sponsoring the Divine Performing Arts that is bringing "Holiday Wonders" to Baltimore.

Rawlings-Blake is pleased all the citizens in Baltimore and the surrounding areas will have this opportunity to experience authentic Chinese culture. In her memory, it has been a long time since any Chinese culture performance was offered to Baltimore. Referring to Baltimore as the first stop of the worldwide Holiday Wonders and Chinese New Year Spectacular performances, she said, "Wonderful. We like to be the trendsetter."

The performance that will kick off the worldwide tour for this holiday season will be in Baltimore's Lyric Opera House on December 18th. For more information, call either (410) 547-7328 or (202) 397-7328 or see www.HolidayWonders-md.com

Additional reporting by Grace Yao, Washington, D.C. staff.

==========Best Chinese Shows===========

Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Yu Jingxia, from Shijiazhuang City of Hebei Province, was arrested on January 17th, 2004. After being tortured to the brink of death, she was released and monitored. After two months, even though she hadn't fully recovered, she was arrested again. In the Hebei Province Women's Prison, she was brutally beaten and subjected to brainwashing. She was on the verge of death numerous times, but she has refused to give up her beliefs. Ms. Yu has been on hunger strike many times to protest the persecution. Two months ago, she started another hunger strike to protest her three-year persecution. Her health is precarious, and her life is in danger.

We urge the international community to try to secure her release.

Hebei Province Women's Prison Director Zhang Yi: 86-13832116656 (Mobile), 86-311-83939601 (Office)
Prison Directors: Han and Yu
Prison Management Office Chair Fu Yuhui
Education Officer Ge Shuguang (former Education officer of Mancheng Prison)
Prison guards: Du Lijing (former guard of Mancheng Prison), Xu Yan, Xu Lan, Zheng Weihui, Li Hongzheng, Zhang Weixia, Gao Xiaoyun, Wang Yanruo.
Second Ward: 86-311-83939783
Hebei Province 610 office chair Zhang Guojun: 86-311-87906310 (Office), 86-311-87906898 (Home), 86-311-84595368 (Home)

Related article:

http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2004/2/13/45066.html http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2004/2/28/45579.html
http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200607/34424.html

Chinese version available
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By a practitioner from New Zealand

(Clearwisdom.net) On November 24, 2007, Falun Gong practitioners from New Zealand were invited to take part in the annual Christmas Parade in Rotorua.

The practitioners' banner

The Falun Dafa float

Practitioners passed out many hand-made paper lotus flowers, which were greatly welcomed by the spectators.

A Chinese tour guide with a group of Chinese tourists asked practitioners for a paper lotus flower. He told the practitioners and his tour group that he planned to hang it up in his car.

Posting date: 12/4/2007
Original article date: 12/4/2007
Category: Falun Dafa Worldwide
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/11/30/167437.html
========================

By Qing Yan

(Clearwisdom.net) Divinely-inspired culture is of the highest moral integrity. No worldly hardships or barriers, wealth nor lust would cause a person of moral integrity to change their moral conduct, code of brotherhood, or righteousness. To come up to this standard, one must control one's desires and greed. The following are stories about Confucius and his disciples that illustrate these principles.

Once when Confucius went to visit Prince Jing of the Kingdom of Qi, the prince gave him an area of land called Bingque for the purpose of supporting his livelihood. Confucius turned the offer down. After leaving the Kingdom of Qi, Confucius told his disciples, "Gentlemen shouldn't accept rewards without having earned them. Prince Jing didn't carry out my proposals, but offered me that piece of land instead. He didn't understand my teaching!" So he left the Kingdom of Qi.

Zengzi, also called Zengcan, was also one of Confucius's disciples. He always wore old, ragged clothes on the farm. The King of Lu sent his representative to offer him a manor. The representative said, "You should go get changed!" Zengzi rejected the offer. The King's representative came back many times to offer him the land. Still Zengzi maintained his refusal. The representative said, "This isn't what you asked for, but it's others who are trying to give it to you. Why don't you accept it?" Zengzi said, "I heard that when one accepts something from someone, one will be afraid of offending him. Even if the king were to give me something without showing his pride, wouldn't I be afraid of offending him?" Therefore, Zenzi never did accept any such gifts. After hearing the news, Confucius said, "With this kind of integrity, Zenzi has indeed preserved his nobility and moral integrity."

Zisi, Confucius's grandson, had a very hard time making a living when he was in the Kingdom of Wei. He could only afford nine meals within twenty days, and had hardly anything to wear. What he wore on his back was no more than rotten cotton clothes, and he didn't even have a jacket to wear. When Tian Zifang, the renowned scholar, the tutor of the Prince of the Wei Kingdom, heard about this, he had his representative bring Zisi some very warm clothing made of white fox's skin. Afraid that Zisi might not accept his offer, Tian Zifang added, "I always forget what I donate, just like throwing things away." However, Zisi refused the offer. Tian Zifang said, "You don't have what I do, why can't you accept it?" Zisi said, "I heard that giving things improperly to others is no better than throwing them away in a trench. Although I'm poor, I wouldn't want to be a trench, so I can't accept it."

Posting date: 12/4/2007
Original article date: 12/4/2007
Category: Open Forum
Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2007/11/12/166435.html

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========================

 By Philippa Rayment
Epoch Times Melbourne Staff
Nov 27, 2007
Mayor of Portland Gilbert Wilson with the Global Human Rights Torch. (The Epoch Times)

Portland is a vital deep water port yet manages to preserve its harmony with nature. Since its beginning, it has always been a place where industry and natural beauty coexist. This week it opened up its heart and stepped forward to stand up for human rights in China when it welcomed the Global Human Rights Torch Relay.

The wind was blowing straight off the Southern Ocean as Mayor of Portland, Councillor Gilbert Wilson, along with the Global Human Rights Torch Relay team, boarded the town's vintage tram to make a symbolic journey of welcome.

In spite of the wind, the Torch burned unfaltering during its visit to this town, which is the oldest European settlement in Victoria.

On the steps of the Portland council offices, Councillor Wilson, resplendent in his mayoral robes, officially welcomed the Torch.

"I think it hugely important for the community to send a strong message back to the Chinese [regime] and to tell them what they are doing is not right," Councillor Wilson said.

"Human rights should be upheld for everybody no matter how high or low we are in human society, from the poor who are usually downtrodden to the wealthy. We should all enjoy equal rights," he said.

Councillor Wilson said it's important to speak up for others' human rights because "we enjoy a very good country with freedom of speech and freedom of owning property."

"The Games should be about the participation, joy of all nations," he said. "I find it very, very disturbing that it is going to be painful for a lot of people in China that have just been tossed aside [in preparation for the Olympic Games]."

Rikki Nicholson, a Portland resident at the Torch welcoming ceremony, said he thought the mayor made a good speech.

"It is good, we shouldn't be scared of speaking out as we can still do business with people. The Chinese people need to be supported in their wish for freedom from destruction. My great, great grandfather was Chinese in the Gold Rush days in Bendigo and my great grandmother was half Chinese. My family and I put on the T-shirts 'The Olympics and crimes against humanity cannot coexist' and we were proud to wear them through the town."

The relay is traversing 37 countries and hundreds of cities around the world seeking to bring an end to all human rights abuses fuelled by the Chinese regime.

Mayor Wilson is a descendant of an Irish family who came to Portland in 1856 and is well versed in local affairs and passionate about his town.

"My father was on the Portland City Council for 27 years so as a young boy I grew up with local government," he said.

He is a bricklayer by trade, but works for a local manufacturer of wind towers and manages to juggle his mayoral duties with his work.

Speaking about the future, Mayor Gilbert says it is very bright for Portland. There will be about 1000 new jobs in the blue gum industry to harvest the wood chips. "We are pro-industry, but keep in mind our heritage and the environment – we are very keen to keep those two aspects," he said.

And to prove the point, the modern council building and the heritage town hall sit happily side by side.

http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-11-27/62360.html