Theater Professor Says ‘Great use of ensemble’

Patrick Pagano and Tiza Garland at the Times-Union Center For Performing Arts. (The Epoch Times)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Tiza Garland, professor at the School of Theater and Dance at the University of Florida attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Times-Union Center on Jan. 30. She loved the show.

The New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts showcases traditional Chinese dance and culture through ancient legends and modern day stories of courage. The company is touring on five continents.

She found out about the show when someone promoting it visited campus and handed her material and asked if she would disperse it. "And so I said, 'Yeah!' and then I thought, 'Well, we should come see it, too!' she said, laughing.

Currently teaching "Movement for the Actor," Ms. Garland's classical training includes studies in Grotowski, Meyerhold's Biomechanics with Ganadi Bogdanov, and Laban-Bartenieff Movement Studies in New York. She has stunt training as well as stage combat. Most recently she has assisted with fight choreography and appeared as a dancer in "America's longest running historical drama, The Lost Colony," according to the acting studio web site.

About the movement of the Shen Yun performers, Ms. Garland said: "Oh my gosh, I thought it was really wonderful. I thought it was a great use of ensemble, a really great understanding of what it means to work as a huge unit. And you know, something—a unified expression—I thought it was just absolutely wonderful when it came to the movement and expression, and like I said, the unified action through the choreography.

"I loved it. I thought, again, the choreography was great. The costumes were wonderful. It was a really great use of—"

"The synesthesia was nice," her friend, Patrick Pagano interrupted.

"Yeah," Ms. Garland agreed, laughing.

Patrick Pagano teaches digital media at the University of Florida. He felt the projections and animation, "were fantastic!"

It's really unified. The color was wonderful and the choreography was great. I thought it was nice and I thought the message was important–that people are trying to revive spirituality of the Falun Dafa."

Mr. Pagano was referring to dances about the current persecution in China of Falun Dafa, a spiritual path that follows the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

"It was very poignant. I think it is important when anybody is being deprived of their ability to worship what they want to do. And I think this is a great way to do it," Mr. Pagano added.

Referring again to the projected animation on the backdrops, Mr. Pagano stated: "And it was not overdone, it was lighthearted. It really added to the show. Very nice."

Mr. Pagano also commented on the music, singling out the vocal soloists as great and the erhu solo as wonderful.

When the couple were asked if they would return to see Shen Yun next year, Mr. Pagano said, "Oh sure, oh yes!"

With reporting by Fany Qiu.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org