Baltimore to Host Traditional Chinese Cultural Performances
December 16th 2007 06:51
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 <em>Holiday Wonders</em> and <em>Chinese New Year Spectacular</em> 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
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 <em>Holiday Wonders</em> and <em>Chinese New Year Spectacular</em> 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
========================
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