Ms. Howard and Mr. Farzan (NTDTV)
Attending the sell-out show was Ms. Howard, owner of a New York City youth organisation. She was with Mr. Farzan who works for a business publication, a sponsor of the 2009 World Tour Shen Yun performance.
Ms. Howard said the show was "absolutely phenomenal. The colors they are using, the dancers … everything is absolutely wonderful."
She said she would encourage anyone to come and support the New York company's efforts to rediscover and renew China's divine heritage given to humanity by the Buddhas and Gods, but destroyed under the Chinese communist regime.
"The art is beautiful and needs to be recognised," Ms. Howard added.
She said she enjoyed each and every aspect of the Shen Yun show from the gorgeously costumed dancers moving in synchronized patterns, state-of-the-art digital backdrops, grand drum legions to groundbreaking music of Western and Chinese composition and award-winning vocalists.
Story-based dance is a trademark of Shen Yun and one piece in particular stood out her, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution.
This piece focusses on the oppression of human rights in China today when a father is tortured to death leaving behind a broken family, a scenario all too real for tens of thousands of its own citizens.
The story offers hope and bespeaks of an ancient Chinese belief that good will be rewarded and evil punished, even if not in this lifetime.
Ms. Howard marveled at how the backdrop scenes showed celestial beings flying down to earth to carry him back to the heavens where he takes his place amongst them. "It was really beautiful the way they choreographed the dance, as well as the [portrayed] performance."
She also thought the piece, Welcoming Spring was also "very beautiful." Crisp, quick footwork and the clever use of pink fans help usher in the Spring, following a long harsh Winter.
Another phenomenon was the singing, Ms. Howard enthused. "Oh my goodness! The female singers, as well as the male singers have voices that are out of this world. I mean it is phenomenal. The wording is very nice, very kind and you can definitely understand the struggle, the triumphs and trials and tribulations that they are going through. We can all relate to the struggle through their song which is really great."
Mr. Farzan thought the choreography was amazing. "I like the chopstick dance, [Chopstick Zest] beautiful, beautiful. And then the last piece, the drums [Drummers of the Tang Court]. Very well choreographed and the movements are just incredible, incredible."
He said Shen Yun reveals Chinese art not seen in the West and exposes a side the Chinese government would like to hide.
"In a way you [Shen Yun] are representing a culture that is suppressed in China and now this helps us get to know China better."
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts will be performing two shows in Birmingham, Ala., on Aug. 21 and 22 at the Concert Hall, Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. Then a five-run show will be held at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center Opera House from Aug. 26 to 30.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World Tour. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
