Tennessee General Assembly Recognizes Expression of Divine Charm of East

MEMPHIS, Tenn.—The Divine Performing Arts company was given acknowledgment and a welcome to Memphis with this proclamation by Tennessee General Assembly House of Representatives.

                                                               P R O C L A M A T I O N
WHEREAS, the members of this General Assembly are proud to recognize those events that increase cultural awareness among the citizens of this State; and

WHEREAS, the Divine Performing Arts (DPA), a touring company which uses the expression of classical Chinese dance to showcase genuine traditional Chinese culture, will be performing at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis on February 8, 2009; and

WHEREAS, in 2008, the DPA Chinese Spectacular dazzled more than 600,000 audience members in more than sixty cities on four continents, making it the largest world-class, Chinese performance tour in the world; and

WHEREAS, DPA, which is based in New York, is a nonprofit organization that is consciously independent of China's regime, under which the traditional arts have suffered for decades; and

WHEREAS, the members of the DPA seek to breathe new life into traditional Chinese culture and to provide an experience of sublime beauty and, commendably, they are responsible for the rediscovery of the traditional cultural arts of China; and

WHEREAS, the DPA Chinese Spectacular blends the divine charm of the East with the holiday spirit of the West; and

WHEREAS, the current show brings to the stage a stirring collaboration of leading artists, dancers, musicians, vocalists, and orchestral musicians; and

WHEREAS, with its unique use of background scenery, costumes, and choreography, the Chinese Spectacular is a wonderful cultural observance for the community; and

WHEREAS, also sharing the responsibility for bringing this cultural experience to Tennessee is the New Times Culture and Education Center and the Southeast U.S. Falun Dafa Association, which have endeavored to bring the best of Chinese culture to the State; and

WHEREAS, there are many who hope that the DPA Chinese Spectacular will become an essential part of the City of Memphis's future celebrations of Chinese New Year, establishing a tradition this Body can firmly support; now, therefore, I, Kent Williams, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the One Hundred Sixth General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, at the request of and in conjunction with Representative Barbara Cooper, do hereby proclaim that we applaud the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular, the New Times Culture and Education Center, and the Southeast US Falun Dafa Association upon the upcoming performance at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, extending our best wishes for its success.
         

Proclaimed in Nashville, Tennessee, on this the 22nd day of January, 2009.

Kent Williams, Speaker
House of Representatives
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Barbara Cooper, Representative
86th House District