Truth! Beauty! Shen Yun is Many Things

WASHINGTON—Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company’s final performance at the illustrious Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., received a standing ovation and praise from the audience.

Ms. Alexandra McCracken, a professional violinist who plays in a chamber ensemble, was overcome with emotion about Shen Yun.

“Uh! Oh! Truth! Beauty! It’s wonderful! So many things, I think, so many things,” she said.

The New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. It’s signature large-scale dances with intricate choreography feature equal numbers of male and female dancers.

Ms. McCracken noticed the way the two genders were portrayed differently. “It’s another realization of what gender is about,” she said.

“The men, the way they danced, they were so together, so strong, and they would do the flips.”

“It was amazing! It was beautiful, it was uplifting, and I felt so grateful to now be understanding more about Chinese culture … It's a window on the culture, what people think, how they feel, and it makes me feel closer,” Ms. McCracken said.

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive China’s traditional cultural heritage after 60-plus years of Chinese Communist Party rule destroyed much of it, especially during the Cultural Revolution.

Truth wins out over evil, even when someone is injured or has died, truth and love and the divine brings them back, said Ms. McCracken.

“It was very, very in sync with how I feel about it, too,” she added. “I mean, we have to, don’t we have to believe that good wins?”

It was a “360 degree experience of … the spirituality, the beauty, the athletic prowess, and just understanding more … It was lovely!!!! Thank you, thank you!” Ms. McCracken exclaimed.

Ms. McCracken founded the Blue Ridge Chamber Orchestra in 1988, a classical string ensemble. She currently plays in the Ensemble Gaudior.

Reporting Lisa Fan and Andrea Hayley.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org