Presenting Chinese History and Virtues, Holiday Wonders Enchants North Carolinians
By Yan Yan
Epoch Times North Carolina Staff
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The second performance of Holiday Wonders at Ovens Auditorium culminated in a standing ovation. The Dec. 20 show catapulted the majesty of the Tang dynasty and legends of ancient China into the limelight.
Lorena Barkley, a Charlotte-based financial analyst, singled out the "The Power of Awareness" as the most meaningful dance, because it conveyed the clear "message of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance." When asked about the show’s spiritual component, Lorena replied "that was great, it was very well-presented, and it gave the audience the feeling of spiritual experience. I really enjoyed it."
Lorena said the show helped her “understand more of the culture” and Chinese people’s “cry for freedom." Commenting on the company's professionalism, she exclaimed "absolutely wonderful! The perfection and elegance in movements were wonderful.” Lorena’s father echoed her approval and said he had "never seen anything like this before."
The Tang dynasty (618–907) was considered by many as the zenith of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization. Literature, art, philosophy, and technology rose to unprecedented heights during this period. The Tang Dynasty nurtured Li Bai and Du Fu, two of China's most famous poets, for example. The Tang capital, Chang'an (present-day Xi'an), was the world’s most populous city at the time and attracted visitors and merchants from near and far. The Tang dynasty also saw the only empress in Chinese history, Wu Zetian.
Bruce Odle, his wife Jamie, and their daughters Alex and Olivia watched the show from the sixth row in the center orchestra section. The Odles came “because we wanted to see the difference between a traditional American performance (The Nutcracker) and a traditional Chinese performance.” When asked about the computer-generated backdrop, Jamie, an interior designer, exclaimed, "Oh, I liked that." She said the “high-tech yet antiquated [backdrop] kept all the images of the Chinese culture up there.” Six-year-old Alex added that the animated thunderstorm in the dance “The Fruits of Goodness” looked as if “it was actually raining.”
Equally bedazzling are scores of dancers in brilliant, sparkling costumes executing complex movements with flawless synchrony. Viewers often needed to scan the entire stage and backdrop to take in the wealth of details. The colorful costumes, beautiful dancers, dulcet music, and extravagant backdrop strike the harmonious yet sensory-overpowering balance that is skillfully maintained throughout Holiday Wonders.
Legends from other periods of China’s history and culture of various Chinese ethnicities were also presented. The “Mongolian Bowl Dance,” “Ladies of the Manchu Court,” and “Yue Mother’s Inscription” were among them. Yue Fei (1103–1142) was a mighty warrior in the Southern Song dynasty. He led the fight against the invading Jurchen armies of the Jin dynasty. In Chinese culture, Yue Fei epitomizes patriotism and piety. Torn between loyalty for country and piety for parents, Yue chose the former.
Although large-scale dances compose the bulk of the show, the underlying stories are vividly conveyed through body language, costumes, and the scenery. Jamie Odle remarked, “It's amazing how much Chinese can say without saying anything."
From the performance, Jamie learned that “the traditional Chinese are very respectful of each other,” “Chinese values stay more constant,” and that “the Chinese culture … just keeps being passed on from century to century. They are never lost." Eight-year-old Olivia observed that “the dancers were diligent and intelligent,” and that hospitable Mongolian ladies serve “tea in a bowl on their head.” Jamie added that “the Chinese have a lot of tradition,” and the performers “dance very well and their demeanors are so gentle. Everything they do you can tell is very caring and peaceful." Bruce also praised the “beautiful women” in the company and commended the bilingual emcees, Mei Zhou and Leeshai Leemish, for giving “cute” transitions between the numbers.
Another family of viewers agreed. The emcees’ “explanations before each dance helped a lot” in elucidating the stories within, said Goran Held, who enjoyed Holiday Wonders with his parents and wife. Goran remarked “the whole show flew by fluently. It was very professional.”
The two-and-a-half-hour show concluded with the grand dance “Victory Drums,” which brought the audience back to the Tang dynasty. This dance educated viewers on the origin of drum’s popularity. When the Yellow Emperor reigned thousands of years ago, mythical monsters still plagued parts of China. The emperor invented the battle drum to boost troops' morale in the fight against evil monsters. Since the drum was instrumental to defeating monsters, it has become a hallowed instrument that is believed to have the power to fend off evil. The popularity of the drum reached new heights in the Tang dynasty, when the emperor widely employed drums in his victorious battles.
The forceful, reverberating sound of the drums echoed in the audience’s standing ovation.
Video clips and photographs of some of these dances are available at
www.BestChineseShows.com.
