• Dance

    Middle Kingdom - Ancient China

    Middle Kingdom - Ancient China Image gallery

    Ballet San Jose

    April 26-April 29, 2007

    Avg. Event Rating (1.5 Stars): 1.5 out of 5 stars rating Add Review/Comment

    With choreography by Dennis Nahat and Yong Yao this exciting work will be set to a commissioned score by Phil Young with music played on Western and traditional Chinese instruments. Middle Kingdom--Ancient China" incorporates the mythology of China (the beginnings of the world, the Goddess of the Earth) with the story of some of the great discoveries and inventions of civilization (paper, pinting, the compass, and gun powder.)

    • Ticket Info

      Tickets: $25-$78

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    • Dates & Times

      Dates:
      April 26-April 29, 2007

      Times:
      Thurs-Sat: 8pm
      Sun: 1:30pm

    • Venue Info

      San Jose Center for the Performing Arts

      255 Almaden Boulevard San Jose, CA 95113

      Full map and directions

    • Accessibility Info
      • Wheelchair Access

    • NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate, however it's a good idea to visit the website or call the venue to verify the information.

    • Image Gallery

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    • Member Reviews

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      • Event Name: Middle Kingdom - Ancient China
        3 out of 5 stars rating "Grand Production- Stay for the End"
        Review posted by: Susannah from San Jose, CA, Apr 27, 2007

        This piece is certainly produced on a grand scale but is heavy on the storytelling and light on the dancing. The first of three sections is absract, and bizarre, and even reading the program notes it... Expand

        This piece is certainly produced on a grand scale but is heavy on the storytelling and light on the dancing. The first of three sections is absract, and bizarre, and even reading the program notes it certainly confused me a bit. I've seen the company perform more challenging pieces, and so at first I was a bit disappointed. The Second part includes a fun "Zodiac" dance with much more difficult and entertaining choreography. The final 25 minute section is the most entertaining. The music is very moving, cinematic, and the lights and sets are colorful to be sure. This is more of a story than a real display of ballet at times, but if you go into it knowing that, you are sure to be pleased with what you see. Collapse

      • Event Name: Middle Kingdom - Ancient China
        "MIDDLE KINGDOM beyond superlatives"
        Comment posted by: San Mateo Times 2/2005 from San Jose, CA, Jan 11, 2007

        (The following comments are excerpts from a review posted in the San Mateo Times in February of 2005). Ballet San Jose and Chinese Performing Artists of America gave me the most exhilarating... Expand

        (The following comments are excerpts from a review posted in the San Mateo Times in February of 2005). Ballet San Jose and Chinese Performing Artists of America gave me the most exhilarating dance theater experience in memory. It's an epic of visual splendor. I feel safe in predicting that it's a sure masterpiece and that when it tours, it will win the admiration of the ballet world. Every element of the production contributed to its success. Choreography by Dennis Nahat and Yong Yao blends classical dance of Western and Chinese roots, with the famed Chinese acrobatics thrown in. There also was some great humor. Individually, the funniest dancers represented animals from the Chinese Lunar Year calendar. Lighting by Kenneth L. Keith turned the show into a brilliant visual feast. CPAA resident composer Phil Young provided music that not only laid the platform upon which the dancers could emote, but could easily stand alone as an outstanding modern work. It's an Epic! Collapse

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