GREENSBORO, N.C.—Yvonne Johnson, mayor of Greensboro, enjoyed last year’s Shen Yun show (formerly known as Divine Performing Arts) so much that she vowed to give all city employees a 10 percent discount from the cost of this year’s ticket.
Working with her assistants Cathy and Maggie she “wanted to make sure that the Greensboro community knew [how good the show was].” She announced the discount at a recent council meeting, after getting permission from the rest of council. She explained, “I want to encourage people to come because it’s just … I mean everything, the dance, the music, the history, the culture, the stories, the scenery, are all awesome. So after a hard week this was a great way to end my week.”
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts presents the artistic traditions of China that thrived before the Chinese communist regime suppressed all art forms that didn’t promote its ideology.
“This is my second time coming to the Shen Yun performance. The first time I came I was just fascinated, it was an awesome show. So I said if it ever comes to Greensboro again, I will certainly be there,” said the mayor.
Mayor Johnson went on to say, “This is Greensboro, and we have five colleges and universities and a law school here. So we have over 40,000 students in our city, and it’ a wonderful town to live in, lots going on. This [Shen Yun Performance] just made it even better!”
At last year’s show she was impressed by “the beauty the costumes, the color, the stories, the dance, the music. I mean, just the whole thing just resonated in my soul—so I enjoyed it.” After which the mayor said, “I found it even better this time. So yes, I am now a … a ‘groupie’ I guess—I don’t know what to call myself, but I’ll be back again. And I look forward to this performance coming back to Greensboro.
“I understand we are the only city in North Carolina that they’re performing at, so we’re very happy to have Shen Yun come to Greensboro.
“I loved the drums, and the Mongolian Dance, and loved the ones with the spring, the flowers [referring to The Udumbara’s Bloom, a legendary flower of Buddhist lore that blossoms only once every 3,000 years]. Just a combination of things. It was just wonderful. A wonderful way to end a terribly busy week.”
When asked what she would like the people of her city to know about the show, the mayor said, “I would tell the citizens of Greensboro, if you miss this, you’ve missed a treat that you really will regret. Once you see it, once you experience it, you will want to come back again and again.”
Mayor Johnson described what she saw as a positive aspect of the Shen Yun show, “I think you get to know people better, you understand much more about their culture and their history. You begin to bond, you begin to build relationships and that’s what is so important to me in Greensboro—for people who are different to build relationships and understand each other better. I think this promotes that.”
Pam McLennan contributed to this article.
Shen Yun Performing Arts will next perform two shows on September 19–20 in Portland, Maine.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World Tour. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
