OTTAWA—In honour of the year of the Rat, which symbolizes new beginnings and change, the lavish Chinese New Year Spectacular gilded the stage at Ottawa's National Arts centre on Sunday evening.
The show, which aims to revive 5,000 years of Chinese art and history, uses large-scale dance dramas that touch on the myths and legends of different ancient dynasties as well as on modern-day tales.
"I'm Chinese I grew up here [in Canada] and I find that as I get older I feel the need to reconnect with a cultural heritage I've long ignored, so for me personally it sparked memories of my few visits to China. I was moved in the sense to appreciate a great long history of my people's culture" said Clement Ng, who attended the show.
Presented by the New York-based Divine Performing Arts Touring Company, the 60 dancers, singers, and musicians who perform in the Spectacular say they want the show to touch people's hearts as well as present an entertaining show that showcases authentic Chinese traditions and culture.
"I thought it was very good, I especially liked the drum performance. I saw that they had a lot of stuff that went a bit deeper than just a basic performance. It all combined to give a very strong impression," said 13-year-old Benjamin Reyes after the show.
Enthralled by Chinese classical dance. (The Epoch Times)
Reyes sister, Isobel, said she had seen the show twice and was impressed both times.
"I think it's really good but I have to say that my favourite act was the one with the drumming. This is the second time I've seen the show and it was good both times."
Michael Mittelstaeet attended the show with his wife and children.
"It's very unique and not something that I've ever seen before," said Mittelstaeet. "The reason I'm here is we were planning on going to China this summer so it's kind of our immersion into the Chinese culture."
He felt he had learned about "true Chinese culture not North Americanized Chinese culture."
Mittelstaeet's 12-year-old son, Wilson, said he thought that the dancers were showing what China was like over the millennia.
"It's very good. I really liked the drumming and chopsticks. They are presenting Chinese history in a deeper way."
This year, the Spectacular will stage 220 shows in 65 cities, reaching a total live audience of about 650,000. The show will return to Canada in the spring to play in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
Linh Tong found lost culture in the Chinese New Year Spectacular. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)
Vietnamese expatriate Linh Tong found the show to be "exceptionally good."
I was very impressed," he said after the show. "I came with my friend and we are both from Vietnam. We have a similar culture to the Chinese; and we are really proud of the Asian culture. Chinese is really popular and well-known right now."
Tong said the part of the Spectacular that really stood out in his mind was "the spirit of Buddhism" in some of the acts. "We strongly recommend that our friends see the show because it's highly entertaining and a good way to learn about other cultures, especially in Canada, a Western country. We would never see a show like this in our home country," said Tong.
"We have seen a lot of movies and shows in Vietnam about China but this is the first time we felt like we saw the real dances, [heard] real music, and seen real performers from China, so we really liked it."
Canadian Environment Minister John Baird (The Epoch Times)
The Canadian debut of the 2008 Chinese New Year Spectacular world tour wowed a 2,100-strong audience at Ottawa's National Arts Centre on Sunday night.
The first of 20 shows in Canada, the Spectacular has been billed as a renaissance of the true Chinese culture that had all but disappeared under decades of communist rule.
This is spurring something of a resurgence of traditional culture in the Chinese art community and is drawing the attention and admiration of audiences around the world.
The show, which drew a standing ovation and rave reviews from an impressed audience, was attended by some of Ottawa's finest, including government officials and representatives as well as leaders from the city's business, artistic, university, and Chinese communities.
Canadian Environment Minister John Baird addressed a pre-show VIP reception, joined by about 100 distinguished guests. Baird said after the show that the Spectacular presents "a very different perspective of China and the values that are at the root of a lot of Chinese civilization, which is exciting culturally and intellectually."
After a second show in Ottawa tonight, the Spectacular will move to Montreal and Toronto before continuing its global tour, which includes an 11-day run at New York's famed Radio City Music Hall. It will return to Canada in the spring to play Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
The following are photos of some of the prominent attendees at the National Arts Centre Sunday night.
Canadian Environment Minister John Baird (The Epoch Times)
Mary Jo Lynch, Director of Carleton International, Carleton University. (The Epoch Times)
Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod. (Ivan Ning/The Epoch Times)
Ontario Liberal MPP Madeleine Meilleur. (Ivan Ning/The Epoch Times)
Daniel Bouchard, news anchor with French CBC in Ottawa-Gatineau. (The Epoch Times)
Member of Parliament Pierre Poilievre. (The Epoch Times)
Prominent human rights lawyer David Matas (The Epoch Times)
Glenn Hodgins, Executive Director of the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. (The Epoch Times)
Dr. Allan Ryan, New Sun Chair in Aboriginal Art and Culture, Carleton University. (The Epoch Times)
Brian McAdam, a 30-year career Canadian diplomat who served at the Canadian mission in Hong Kong. (The Epoch Times)
Genevieve Mareschal and David Staines, Professor, Department of English Chair, Department of Music at the University of Ottawa. (The Epoch Times)
Audrey Churgin, acclaimed Ottawa artist. (The Epoch Times)
Kevin Orr and wife Stephanie Turple. Orr is Associate Professor, Department of Theatre at the University of Ottawa. (The Epoch Times)
David Gibbons of the Ottawa Mayor's office and wife Mandy Hair (C). (The Epoch Times)
Amanda Forsyth [R] and her mother Lesley Forsyth. Amanda is the principal cellist in the NAC orchestra. (The Epoch Times)
Rosemarie Kinnis [L] and Cyril Dabydeen [R]. Dabydeen is a writer, poet, and a professor at the University of Ottawa.
Carleton University Professor Barclay Johnson (The Epoch Times)
Laura Kilgour, wife of former MP and Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour. (The Epoch Times)
Ottawa City Councilor Jacques Legendre (The Epoch Times)
Theresa, an assistant in Hon. Madeleine Meilleur's office. (The Epoch Times)
VIP reception, NAC (The Epoch Times)
VIP reception, NAC (The Epoch Times)
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Divine Performing Arts shows that will perform in over 60 cities worldwide in 2008. To find a show near you, please visit www.bestchineseshows.com.
December 10th, 2007, was the 59th World Human Rights Day. Falun Gong practitioners went to the Chinese Embassy in London to hold a candle light vigil. On this special day, the gathering of Falun Gong practitioners clearly sent a message around the world, a common voice from all practitioners and supporters of Falun Gong: Stop persecuting Falun Gong.
Gathering with candles in front of the Chinese Embassy
Falun Gong practitioners call for an end to the persecution
Falun Gong practitioners call for an end to the persecution
Practitioners protested against the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China by quietly sitting in meditiation in front of the Chinese Embassy. They honoured the memory of more than 3000 Falun Gong practitioners who have lost their lives for adhering to Falun Dafa's guiding principles of truth, compassion, and forbearance during eight years of persecution. Practitioners displayed banners in Chinese and English reading: Falun Gong, a peaceful meditation group - Falun Gong is being persecuted in China, the Chinese Communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong have lasted more than eight years; stop the genocide against Falun Gong. Many pedestrians and passing motorists took flyers, and some people crossed the road to get flyers and take pictures.
Among the Falun Gong practitioners who participated in the activities, there were those who had even been illegally put in labour camps by the CCP, because they refused to give up their beliefs; some gave long term support to the 24 hour peaceful protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in London. In order to awaken the people's conscience and spread the truth, some practitioners visit London's Chinatown everyday to raise awareness of the persecution among the Chinese people there. Some have just arrived from the mainland, it’s the first time for them to freely speak out.
Many practitioners from all over the UK gathered on World Human Rights Day, not only because of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance, but also because they wished to convey their appeal to the people from all sectors of British society and come together to stop the persecution of Falun Gong.
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Falun Gong Group Performs in 2008 New Year Parade in London (Photos)
By a Dafa practitioner in London
(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Land Marching Band was invited to participate in parades and other activities celebrating the New Year in London, Paris, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and it has brought Falun Dafa's magnificence and New Year's greetings to people around the world. One of the marching band's best performances was in London.
Divine Land Marching Band passes the Parliament buildings
Practitioners demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises
Fan dancers pass by "Big Ben"
The Falun Gong procession
About 500,000 people saw the group's performances, including the exercise demonstration, the flag dance, the traditional Chinese fan dance, and the beautiful float promoting Divine Performing Arts' Chinese New Year Spectacular.
The Divine Land Marching Band played "Falun Dafa Is Good", "Drums and Trumpets Shake the World in Ten Directions" and Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" along the parade route. When the Falun Gong procession passed by the host's platform, he introduced Falun Gong to the spectators. The spectators enjoyed the performance as well as the paper lotus flowers that the practitioners passed out.
The parade lasted for about 90 minutes, and it started to rain towards the end of the parade. Nonetheless, the practitioners were still in high spirits and after the parade, the event organizer told some practitioners that he was amazed by the Divine Land Marching Band's wonderful performance. He added that he was pleased to see Falun Gong practitioners participating in the parade, and that the Falun Gong group's performance has gotten better each year.
The members of the marching band were glad that they were able to display the magnificence of Falun Dafa to so many spectators. After the parade, a British girl by the name of Christine, who joined the band and participated in the parade for the first time, said that she saw the spectators greeting the practitioners all along the route. A young practitioner from Taiwan, who performed overseas for the first time, said that she was moved by the spectators' warm reception. She was proud of being able to overcome some difficulties to come to London. Mr. Wang, a member of the marching band who has participated in various events around Europe, said that he saw many people responding well to the performance.
After the parade, the practitioners went to a nearby park for group photos, which would be sent to Master Li as New Year's greetings.
The following evening, Tony, a practitioner who participated in an around-the-clock peaceful protest in front of the Chinese Embassy in London, met an elderly German couple who are members of the Free Tibet campaign and stage a protest at the Embassy every Wednesday evening. The couple had already known about the Chinese Communist regime's persecution against Falun Gong. They greeted Tony warmly and complimented the practitioners' fine performance.
Many Blogstream members are there
already! Quotes from members: "It's like blog lite!" -- "I like the instant
gratification!" -- "Stop spectating, get in the game!"
If you have not joined in, you are really missing out!
