Simply Divine

It could have been jazz, ballet or hip-hop, but my all-American daughter is a Chinese dancer, in love with the rustling costumes, blingy props and mannered, graceful steps that form the foundation of the traditional genre. Generally a group effort, the form sports a classically based choreography all its own, and it's nowhere near as easy as it looks when a willowy lineup of elegantly rouged Asian beauties mince through their steps in bejeweled headdresses and brilliant watercolored silks. It's everything little girls are made of, and more, and you can bet we'll be seated front and center when New York-based New Tang Dynasty Television's Chinese New Year Spectacular comes to Denver this weekend for three, well, spectacular performances at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex.

The touring bilingual show, which debuted in 2004 with seven shows in five cities, has grown rapidly to include stops in 65 cities globally in 2008, all on the polished merits of the starring Divine Performing Arts Troupe, which provides more than sixty dancers, authentic costumes, a live pit orchestra that combines Western and Chinese instrumentation, and lavish, digitally designed sets for the program. The spectacular's first-ever Denver performances begin tonight at 8 p.m. in the Buell and continue tomorrow at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; for tickets, ranging from $25 to $75, go to www.ticketswest.com or call 1-866-464-2626. For additional information, visit www.bestchineseshows.com.
Fri., Jan. 11, 8 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 12, 2 & 7:30 p.m., 2008