Indianapolis, January 31, 2009 at Murat Theatre Hosted by Indiana Falun Dafa Association 1 Chinese New Year Spectacular

Indianapolis, January 31, 2009at Murat Theatre

Hosted by Indiana Falun Dafa Association

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Chinese New Year Spectacular Chinese New Year Spectacular

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Classic Beauty, State-of-the-Art Production:An Asian Renaissance

Chinese New Year Spectacular by Divine Performing Arts is an exhilarating, grand production that celebrates the splendor of classical Chinese dance and music. The performance draws inspiration from the legends, values, and spirit that defined traditional Chinese culture for centuries before its erosion under decades of communist rule. In the Chinese New Year Spectacular, Divine Performing Arts rediscovers a lost artistic and cultural heritage.

Weaving a wondrous story of heavenly realms, enchanting dreams, and the classic struggle between good and evil, the show’s breathtaking pageantry evokes the themes of virtue, compassion, and courage at the heart of China’s divinely inspired culture, from ancient Buddhist and Taoist traditions to modern-day spiritual practices such as Falun Dafa.

A superb cast of dozens of dancers, singers, and musicians is featured in a fresh yet timeless program. Audiences can step into the Qing Dynasty with the ladies of the Manchurian Court, save the country with General Yue Fei of the Song Dynasty, and go herding on the Mongolian plains amidst spring’s Forsythia blossoms. Some of the show’s drama and grandeur comes from legions of thunderous drums, stunning costumes, and state-of-the-art dynamic backdrops, blending into an uplifting, educational experience that has delighted people of all ages and backgrounds.

In its 2008 season, Divine Performing Arts dazzled over 600,000 audience members at live performances in more than 60 cities on four continents.

Asian communities around the world have hailed the Spectacular as a renaissance of true Chinese culture. Partner with us to be a part of history in the making!

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About Divine Performing Arts

Chinese people believe their ancient culture was a gift from heaven, and China was in the past referred to as “the land of the divine.” This celestially inspired culture is deeply imbued in every aspect of Divine Performing Arts’ graceful performances.

In the artists’ own words, their mission is “built upon a vision of rediscovering, and founding anew, humanity’s true cultural heritage. It thus creates and performs works that center upon the divinely-inspired, true cultural heritage of humankind, and demands of itself that its performances present works of consummate beauty and goodness.”NTDTV is proud to present a show that has captivated critics and audiences alike and welcomes you to the Land of the Divine.

http://divinearts.orgCopyright © 2009 Divine Performing Arts

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Largest Chinese New Year Celebration Worldwide

Global Reach (2009)

240 shows in 75 cities on 4 continents 140 shows in North America 40 shows in Europe 60 shows in Asia 700,000 in live audience 150 million exposed to marketing

Mission

To introduce western society to Chinese culture To revive traditional Chinese culture in the Chinese community

Copyright © 2009 Divine Performing Arts

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A native of China’s Liaoning province, Ms. Ren displayedexceptional talent in dance at the age of 6, when shewas trained in artistic gymnastics. With extensive performance experience at an early age, in 1997 shewon first prize in the youth category of Liaoning Province’s Taoli Bei (Peach and Plum Cup) Dance Competition and was the second runner-up in the 2002 “Popular Culture Award” competition organized by China’s Ministry of Culture. Ms. Ren was a soloist and lead dancer in numerous large-scale productions in China, including the celebration of Macau’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1999.

Since coming to the United States in 2002, Ms. Ren hastaught with success. Her students’ group dance won an Overall Platinum first prize in the 2004 Showstopper Dance Competition in Anaheim, California. In the same competition she won an Overall Platinum first prize in the teachers solo category. In July 2007, Ms. Ren won the championship in the adult female division at NTDTV International Chinese Classical Dance Competition, held at Skillball Center in NYC.

Artist Profiles

An instructor at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts, Yungchia Chen was previously a lecturer in dance at the Dance Department of the Central University for Nationalities, Beijing. Before coming to the United States, he was the Artistic Director of the Best of Dance in Taipei and a council member of the Dance Association of the Republic of China.

Trained in traditional Chinese dance and Chinese folk dance, Mr. Chen has won numerous awards, including the Gold Medal at NTDTV’s first International Chinese Classical Dance Competition, the International Cultural Exchange Award (top honor) and the Silver Medal in choreography at Japan’s Kitakyushu International Dance Competition, the Formosa Prize at Taiwan’s “Dancing on the Great Land” Competition, the Flying Phoenix Award granted by the Dance Association of the Republic of China, the Silver Medal (performance) and the Gardener Award (pedagogy) at China’s national Peach and Plum Cup Dance Competition, and the Gold Medal in the dance division of the Youth Arts Competition of Guizhou Province. Mr. Chen currently serves as a choreographer and principal dancer with Divine Performing Arts.

YUNGCHIA CHEN, Choreographer & Principal Dancer

MICHELLE REN, Choreographer & Principal Dancer



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Erhu soloist Xiaochun Qi is a graduate of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.In 1991, she received the Performer’sAward at the 14th “Spring of Shanghai”International Erhu Competition. Ms. Qi’s2003 performance of music from “TheJoy Luck Club” with the HollywoodBowl Orchestra was enthusiasticallyreceived. Recently, her busy performingschedule has taken her to many majorcities, including Geneva, Boston, NewYork, Toronto, D.C., and Houston.

XIAOCHUN QIErhu soloist

Artist Profiles

Mr. Guan is a belovedand renowned tenor from China,who began his professional careerwith the China Film Philharmonicin 1978, and graduated from theChina Conservatory of Music in1983. He has been professor at theChina Conservatory of Music, andDirector of the U.S. Chinese ArtistsAssociation.

In over 20 years of singing, he hasdeveloped and refined his ownunique style, which incorporatesboth Western and Chinese technicalmethods.

With his bright, smooth and thickvocal timbre that ranges over three octaves, Mr. Guan has mastered many musical traditions, such as classical music, including Italian opera, Chinese songs and international folk songs. His voice can be heard in over 50 Chinese movie theme songs, making him by many accounts the most renowned and successful singer in China.

Mr. Guan has toured throughout the world, receiving global recognition and acclaim. In the U.S., he has been heralded as “The King of the Tenors in China.” and in Europe, Mr. Guan’s accolades have included: “His timbre is beautiful,” “His singing is marvelous,” and “His singing represents the highest level in the world.”

GUIMIN GUAN, World-Renowned Tenor from China

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Clothes Grace the DanceCostumes Preserve the Beauty of Ancient Culture

The dazzling costumes in Divine Performing Arts’ Chinese New Year Spectacular are as much a part of each dance as the dance movements themselves. They are, in many ways, the palette upon which the dance is performed. Clothes, hair, colors—this is what transports us to the Divine Land of ancient China.

The design starts with the concept of the dance, which may have a powerful story or be from a specific dynasty. The designers then pore over paintings, frescoes and even statues in China’s ancient dynasties to find just the right look. Next come sketches, which will include accessories like hair, shoes, hats, and belts.

Designers must also consider not only how an outfit looks but its flexibility for dance movements and whether it is durable enough to withstand over 80 performances.Then the sketch goes to the sewing workshop. Here, garment makers select just the right fabric, make the pattern and produce a sample.

If it’s not just right, the whole process starts over. Ifthe sample is approved, the task of making the clothes begins.This process, from start to finish occurs “countless times,” according to the design staff. A single dance in this year’s Spectacular, the dance drama of General Yue Fei, required more than 100 costumes and accessories.

For Amy Lee, the principal designer in New York, thiseffort is well worth it. “When I came to the United States, I saw it was very difficult to find any expression of traditional Chinese culture,” says Ms. Lee. “ Through this show I see the hope of being able to preserve my culture for the benefit of my daughter and the next generation.”Ms. Lee has worked in the fashion industry for more than 20 years. She was a professor of fashion design and fashion history in China. Although her costumes take inspiration from different dynasties and ethnic regions, her favorite dynasty is the Tang.



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She says the Tang Dynasty reflects the zenith of Chinese culture—artistically, economically and politically. During this time, China was very open-minded. Prosperous and peaceful, the Tang Dynasty drew on influences from India, the Middle East and Europe. According to Ms. Lee, all this is reflected in the clothes. “The clothes were rich and confident. They were uplifting,” she said. “Women wore large, open sleeves, sometimes up to two and a half feet wide. They wore see-through materials and gowns with high waists that were decorated with large, open flowers.”

Each dynasty had its own characteristics that were likewise reflected in the clothes. In general, Ms. Lee says everything can be found in the clothes—even the ancient people’s morals and values. “Clothing isn’t just a way to cover the body. It also reflects a person’s thoughts, culture and respect for the gods.”Ms. Lee and her team use costume design to make ancient Chinese culture come alive today, to help the audience understand that traditional Chinese culture has much it can teach us today. Ms. Lee knows that through her efforts with NTDTV, these positive aspects of ancient China will not beforgotten.


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“The number-one way for New York families to celebrate the New Year …”— MSNBC News

“Marvelous program! The show is …highly professional in every single way.”—Ted Kavanau, Founding Senior producer of CNN and founding President of “Headline News”

“Wow! ... a visit to a magical Shangri-la!”---- Richmond Shepard, Performing Arts INSIDER

“I adored it! It was really a fabulous evening. I loved everything from beginning to end … It was an astonishing show!”— Patricia Neal, Academy Award-winning actress

“An overwhelming theme of the show is a tremendous sense of spirit, a feeling of joy.”—San Francisco Bay Times

“The SPECTACULAR was a spectacle from its very fi rst moment.”— Explore Dance

“The performers dressed in splendid ancient costumes and a gigantic backdrop depicted Buddhist temples, the Great Wall as well as Mongolian grasslands. This is the true expression and manifestation of China’s 5,000years of history and civilization.”—Corriere Della Sera, Italy’s top newspaper

“It’s a wonderful show, something I dream of coming to. It’s a wonderful family event, the best way to celebrate the holidays. Everything comes together in such a wonderful way.”—Guillermo Linares, New York Mayor’s Office,Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs

Rave Review


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Your sponsorship will be exchanged with:

• Program brochure advertisements

• Venue banners

• Logo placement in venue lobbies

• Logo placement on show promotional materials

• Logo placement on show website

• Complementary tickets

Sponsorship Offers Many Benefits


Documents

Indianapolis, January 31, 2009 at Murat Theatre Hosted by Indiana Falun Dafa Association 1 Chinese New Year Spectacular