Press Release

http://news.sina.com 2010年05月29日 02:16 僑報
　　　

中國殘疾人藝術團將於7月3日在法拉盛皇后大學為廣大民衆獻上一場精彩盛宴。（僑報記者鄒斌攝）

International VSA Festival highlights

                                                                                                       Friday, June 4, 2010

  "What is disability?"

Last fall, VSA, the international organization on arts and

disability once known as Very Special Arts, invited artists

around the world to answer that question.  

More than 1,200 responses came in from more than 50

countries and in all creative forms: painting, drawing,

collage, fabric art, poetry, musical composition. The

responses will be on display next week in the Kennedy

Center Hall of States as part of the week-long

International VSA Festival, programming that explores

the nature and creativity of what it means to be disabled

– and even whether "disabled" is the appropriate term.  

"The diversity within disability is amazing," says VSA

President Soula Antoniou. "Internationally there are 650

million people with disabilities around the world. . . . When

 you try to contextualize it in terms of physical disabilities,

cognitive disabilities, mental-health issues, you really gain a sense of the enormity and complexity of disability."  

VSA aims to erase labels -- disabled, special, challenged, handicapped -- to focus on talent, artistry and inclusiveness. And the festival's more than 50 performances and exhibits, Antoniou says, offer something for everyone. Highlights include:  

Sunday at 7:30 p.m., Kennedy Center Concert Hall. The festival's opening program features actress Marlee Matlin, singer Patti LaBelle and the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe.  

Monday at 6 p.m., Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. The members of Australia's Rudely Interrupted indie-rock band have a range of physical and intellectual disabilities.  

Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., DC Improv. Josh Blue has cerebral palsy, but that doesn't mean he can't laugh about it. The "Last Comic Standing" winner is joined by Brett Leake and Kathy Buckley. Age 18 and older.  

 Thursday at 10:15 and 11:30 a.m., Smithsonian Discovery Theater. Uganda Deaf Silent Theatre's "The Magic Seeds," a folk tale that is perfect for families.  

Sunday through June 20, Kennedy Center. Artist Dale Chihuly will fill the center's front reflecting pool with spears of glass, while other artwork takes over the halls and walls.  

For a complete schedule, visit http://www.vsarts.org.  

-- Lisa Traiger

中國殘疾人藝術團訪問常駐聯合國代表團

2010年6月15日，中國殘疾人藝術團一行55人在邰麗華團長的帶領下，訪問了中國常駐聯合國代表團，並進行慰問演出。常駐團劉漢明公使代表李保東大使、王民大使和全體外交官對藝術團的來訪表示熱烈歡迎。 劉漢明公使説，中國殘疾人藝術團以創造特殊藝術、傳播中華文明、增進社會和諧為主旨，經過不懈的奮鬥和探索，實現自己的藝術夢想和人生價值，被譽為“全球六億殘疾人的形象大使、人類特殊藝術的火炬”。中國殘疾人藝術團訪問美國以及與聯合國機構進行文化交流，是祖國文化外交工作的重要組成部分，對于展示中國殘疾人事業和特殊藝術成就、增進中外文化交流具有深遠的意義。衷心祝願藝術團在美訪問和演出取得圓滿成功，為促進中外友好交流做出更大貢獻。藝術團表演了《千手觀音》、《生命的密碼》、拉丁舞、芭蕾舞和聲樂、器樂演奏等11個精彩的文藝節目。中國殘疾人藝術團6月6日參加了華盛頓國際特殊藝術節開幕式表演，並將在紐約、波士頓、費城等地進行為期一個月的巡演，演出大型音樂舞蹈《我的夢》。這是該團第十次訪美。6月15日，藝術團還參觀訪問了紐約聯合國總部。

中國殘疾人藝術團 征服費城

由費城華人獅子會主辦、30餘僑團和商號贊助的中國殘疾人藝術團，上周末於南費城高中以近乎職業的高水準演出，征服了現場千位嘉賓，演出結束後掌聲超過三分鐘不停歇，觀眾還湧上台前，向謝幕的「巨星」們喝采，場面感人。

當晚第一個節目手語詩「我的夢」，展現殘疾人堅韌的意志，並對大家的關愛表示感謝；接著是該團的經典舞碼「千手觀音」，金黃耀眼的服裝、整齊畫一的動作，獲得全場熱烈的掌聲；接著有獨唱、重唱、合唱、表演唱，民族樂隊、西洋樂隊、電聲樂隊演奏，民族舞、芭蕾舞、拉丁舞、現代舞和手語舞蹈、盲人舞蹈及精縮舞劇等。

由七位盲人表演的「去看春天」，身著各色彩衣，以心靈代替眼睛「踏青」；盲人歌手高欣欣、楊海濤、殘疾歌手祖木來提以及盲人樂團，為觀眾帶來多首動聽的國、粵、英語歌曲，滿足了不同觀眾的需求，全場觀眾不時自動隨著節奏拍掌應和。

配合奏鳴曲「梁祝」演出的「化蝶」、充滿力與美的「黃土黃」舞蹈，由聾人與盲人合演的京劇橋段「三岔口」、聽障舞者魏菁陽的芭蕾舞天鵝，都讓人震撼。

費城華人獅子會副會長陳啟莊、董事趙宇軒表示，藝術團精彩的演出，尤其無臂舞者的燦爛笑容，讓觀眾深刻體會對生命的禮讚。

費城華人獅子會會長陳強因住院無法到場，由其夫人鄧雅雲代表主辦單位，在藝術團謝幕後向每一位演出者致敬、也向贊助演出的單位致謝後圓滿結束。