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ANTWERP, Belgium—The Stadsschouwburg, the city theatre in central Antwerp hosted The Divine Performing Arts (DPA) New York company’s performance on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 25.
The Poppe brothers were in the audience captivated by classical Chinese dance depicting a unique vision of Chinese traditional culture.
Mr. Poppe, the elder brother, works in computer design and fashion as a digital artist and color analyst. He has traveled throughout Asia, loves China and has many friends there. He saw Shen Yun (DPA) last year and was very keen to see it this year, bringing his younger brother with him.
He especially liked the state-of-the-art digitally mastered backdrops. “Everything I saw, the whole aspect of the show, and the choreography together with the colors. The colors with the backdrops are perfect, very professional.
“It was very good, I liked the costumes, because we are designers.
“The colors match perfectly. … The colors were always compatible.”
Mr. Poppe felt the show improved each year. “There is a certain foundation they [always] build on. … always searching for the truth and self improvement.
“I pursue Asian spirituality like … Confucianism and Buddhism.” Mr. Poppe shared his love of ancient Chinese spiritual culture. However, he is very concerned with what he sees happening in China today and the lack of spiritual freedoms, of the persecution of Falun Gong, and the oppression of Tibet.
“I have been to Asia a few times: Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. I noticed something was wrong, because yesterday I e-mailed my friend online in Guangzhou, just on the border of Hong Kong. But she couldn't open your Web site. I forwarded it, and even through YouTube she couldn't open it, and my friend said [that] in Hong Kong, they can.
“If you give a show in mainland China with topics like Tibet, it would be completely forbidden.
“If you do something like from Falun Gong [in China today], I think if you are a foreigner they put a stamp on your visa, and you can never return to China, but if you are Chinese you disappear.”
Mr. Poppe’s younger brother works as a Government official in Brussels, and was impressed with the beauty of the show. “Colorful, they have nice colors in the background.”
DPA continues its World Tour in Paris on Saturday, Feb. 28.
For more information, please see DivinePerformingArts.org
