DC Beauty of Beijing Opera Ltd 华府“京剧之花”

It all began in the spring of 2013, when five women stood together in Montgomery County, Maryland, united by a single dream—to bring the beauty of Beijing Opera to audiences far from its birthplace. They named their endeavor DC Beauty of Beijing Opera, aka DCBBO, or Beijing Opera Bloom literally in Chinese language, hopeful that like a flower, it would take root, grow, and flourish. What they didn’t know then was just how much the journey would demand of them. Over twelve years, they would stage more than 230 performances and workshops, stepping onto makeshift stages in school gymnasiums, public libraries, and senior centers. They would spend long hours adjusting embroidered costumes, fastening ornate headdresses, and perfecting the graceful, deliberate movements that define this ancient theatrical art from China. Most of all, they would meet people—hundreds, thousands of them—each bringing a new story, a fresh perspective, and sometimes, an unexpected moment of magic. A Stage in Every

Beijing Opera, a typical theater form in ancient China, is a performing art the combines singing, recitation, dancing and combat. It’s being lost in transition to the modern world and times. DCBBO aims to keep the tradition alive through our effort. DCBBO has four major categories of work programs on an annual basis: 1. Annual Gala (Grand Performance). The activity cluster directly supports DCBBO’s mission by providing fully costumed, live-band accompanied performance for the general public. Consisting of selected acts of classics or full play, the Gala's creativeness is demonstrated through its spontaneous interaction between audiences and performers. A narrator provides brief introduction on the story line and gist of performance conventions prior to each act. Bilingual subtitles and brochures are provided to the audience. Audiences are invited onto stage to try costumes and props during the curtain call. 2. Seasonal Concert. This activity cluster resembles the annual gala that it f