Today I went to the Chinese New Year Global Gala held at the Madison Square Garden Theater. About 5,000 people attended this show of music and dance performances celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year. The show was televised to an estimated 200 million people around the world on New Tang Dynasty TV.

The reason I attended the show is because Kerrie was performing in one of the acts. She had joined a Chinese dance company - Tianjiao Performing Arts Troupe - to perform in this show and has been rehearsing for two months. She was part of a dance routine performed by 26 girls with handheld Chinese fans. The piece was called "The Unblemished Lotus". In Chinese culture, lotus flowers have been known since ancient times to be a representation of extraordinary character and beauty despite unfavorable surroundings or adverse circumstances. This dance routine shows how these flowers express purity and spiritual elevation. Choreography by Elly Xu. Here is the video:

and here are the video frame captures.

Article About Rehearsal.

Besides Kerrie's performance, the show featured many other renowned artists from around the world. The presentation was a mixture of traditional Chinese and Western cultures. Here are the photos from the event.

Streaming Video Of The Entire Show:
From Chinese newspaper "Epoch Times" (English Translation)

Part 1 (30 min 15 sec) "Magestic Thunders" - By the New Tang Dynasty Flags and Drums Troupe & YingTang Lions and Dragons Troupe. Choreographer: Yu-Min Wan. Gala begins with thundering drums and a dynamic formation of flags bearers. A show of strength to shake off the darkness and awaken a new dawn. "Legend of the Lunar New Year" - By the Fairy Dance Group. Choreographer: Chian-Rong Guo. This is a story about how the tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year (Nian) started. A long time ago, a monster named "Nian" used to come out and attack people at the same time every year. One year, a monk came and he used firecrackers, a couplet on a red banner, and light to successfully subdue the monster. Since then, these same activities have become traditions of the Chinese New Year celebration. "Little Blue Flowers" - By Tysan Dance. Choreographer: Ty San. This dance uses a Western style to express a Chinese girl's hopes in life. The rotations in the dance represent teh motions of the universe. "Longing for My Homeland", "Ode to teh Plum Blossom" - By soprano Min Jiang, piano accompaniment: Changzi Ma. "Longing for my Homeland" reflects on the ups nad downs in the ever-changing world and yearns for an eternal home. "Ode to teh Plum Blossom" - Northerly winds blow and snowflakes fall, but the will is stronger than steel and does not yield; its everlasting pure nature dispels delusion, its fresh fragrance ushers in the spring. "Dai-Style Dance" - By National Taiwan University Of Art. Choreographer: Lin-Lin Yang. A rhythmic, unique and cheerful dance depicting teh Dai ladies' intimate connection with nature. Part 2 (29 min 55 sec) "Dai-Style Dance" continued. "You'll Never Walk Alone", "I Believe" - By bass vocalist Christian Bischoff, piano accompaniment: Changzi Ma. "You'll Never Walk Alone": When you walk through a storm, keep your chin up high, and don't be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm, is a golden sky, and the sweet silver song of a lark.... "I Believe": I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows; I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows... "Turning Iron Rod into Needle" - By Tysan Dance. Choreographer: Yungyung Tsuai. This mini theatrical act tells a riveting tale of perseverance behind a well-known Chinese proverb, whereby a self-cultivator in ancient times is devastated by failing a test. But Bodhisattva, in her compassion, transforms herself into an old lady and lets him know that the path to enlightenment is like making a needle from an iron rod - a long and sometimes difficult process. The cultivator is given new hope. "Simple Gift", "Ode to the Lotus" - By the Dessoff Choirs. Conductor: James Bagwell, piano accompaniment: Steven W. Ryan. "Simple Gift": The simple beauty of this song reflects the life of it's creators, the 18th century Shakers, whose lives were materially simple but spiritually rich. The song's lively rhythm vividly captures the Shakers' dances during their worship service. "Ode to the Lotus": In Chinese culture, the lotus flower symbolizes the qualities that enable a person to go above and beyond the mundane to achieve an unearthly beauty. Part 3 (30 min 15 sec) "Simple Gift", "Ode to the Lotus" continued. "Buddha's Light Shines On Us" - By Lian Hua (Lotus) Arts Group. Choreographer: Tia Zhang. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have had a tradition of worshipping the divine on Chinese New Year's Day, seeking answers in life and expressing gratitude that they are being watched over. "Song of Celebration", "Like a Dream" - By the New Tang Dynasty Global Gala Chinese instrument Ensemble. Conductor: I-Yu Wang. "Song of Celebration" - Celebrations among the Chinese are often graced with music. This piece contains all the classic characteristics of a festive musical piece. "Like a Dream" - The Chinese title of this piece is the title of a traditional Chinese tune, which has inspired many poems over the centuries. in a poetic style, this piece contemplates the meanings behind the mundane world and takes us to a different realm. "At This Unforgettable Moment", "The River Runs Red" - By Tenor Guimin Guan. "At This Unforgettable Moment": The singer/composer expresses his wish to share with the people of his homeland his belief about life and the universe. "The River Runs Red": Written by the well-known General Yue Fei (1103-1141) of the Southern Song Dynasty, expresses the general's righteous indignation about not being able to drive the northern enemies as a result of the emperor's selfish decision. The lyrics were matched with the present tune in 1925 and became a patriotic song. Part 4 (29 min 49 sec) (Kerrie is in this one at 05:40) Magic Act: "The Chinese Linking Rings" - By Robert Torkova. One of the classics of magic, The Chinese Linking Rings has long been a fascination of the West after its introduction from the East in the latter part of the 19th century. A feat of pure sleight-of-hand, many famous magicians have performed it with great success. Watch Torkova interpret this enduring masterpiece of magic with his own unique style and presentation! "The Unblemished Lotus" - By the Tianjiao Performing Arts Troupe. Choreographer: Elly Xu. In the Chinese culture, lotus flowers have been known since ancient times to be a representation of extraordinary character and beauty despite unfavorable surroundings or adverse circumstances. In this dance, we see how these flowers express purity and spiritual elevation. "Song From A Prison Cell", "Push-Back Diagram - A Chinese Prophecy" - By alto vocalist Jiansheng Yang. Piano accompaniment: Changzi Ma. "Song from a Prison Cell" expresses the inner peace, hope and resilience of the songwriter, a Falun Gong practitioner, who has been wrongfully imprisoned. "Push-Back Diagram - a Chinese Prophecy" is a famous 7th-century book of prophecies from the Tang Dynasty. Many of its prophecies are regarded as having accurately predicted major events in contemporary history. It is a reminder that "the rises and falls of societies are not random". "Amazing Grace", "Carnival of Venice" - By Empire Brass Quintet. "Amazing Grace" - On May 10, 1748 John Newton was in danger, trapped at sea by a storm. As his ship was about to sing, Newton prayed; the storm disappeared, and so did Newton's disbelief: "Thro' many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come." Who wrote the pentatonic tune of this famous hymn remains a mystery. The tune first appeared with Newton's lyrics in the 1831 Virginia Harmony. The "Carnival of Venice" theme and variations (op. 10) was composed by the legendary violinist Paganini in December 1829. Since then, it has remained one of the most popular works of classical music and has been adapted for different instrumental ensembles. Variations also continue to be written for the theme of the piece. Part 5 (30 min 15 sec) "Amazing Grace", "Carnival of Venice" continued. "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" - By Ying Tang Dance Company. Choreographer: Pi-Chuan Chen. The Eight immortals are extremely popular in Chinese folk traditions representing male and female, young and old, rich and poor. They each have their hallmark appearances and amazing prowess. Since they were committed to punishing evildoers and helping the good, they are often associated with bringing salvation to the world and hope to the underprivileged. "Warm Wishes For The New Year", "Sending Blessings To My Homeland" - By soprano Bai Xue. "Warm Wishes For The New Year" - This song expresses the singer's deepest thoughts and wishes for her loved one in her homeland. "Sending Blessings To My Homeland" - This is a message of fondness and hoe when distance keeps us apart at this special time of the year. Part 6 (29 min 36 sec) (A very impressive dance with long ribbons) "A Dreamful Dance of Grace" - By the National Taiwan University Of Art. Choreographer: Ying-Hsiu Lee. According to legends, a dance like this was dreamed of by an emperor in the Ming Dynasty, and it was an exquisite dance by the fairies in heaven. It is an expressive, profound and classic Chinese dance that requires superior skill to maneuver the ribbons. "Dragons Soar to the Drumbeat" - By YingTang Lion and Dragon Troupe & Tianjiao Performing Arts Troupe. Choreographer: Ying Tang. In the Chinese culture, dragons are auspicious beings in heaven, and lions are a sign of strength. In addition to dragon and lion dances, which are often performed during festive occasions, this dance incorporates Tang-style drums and formations of flags to bring this New Year celebration night to a spectacular and rousing finale.