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COSTA MESA, Calif—“It’s so graceful and beautiful,” said piano teacher Laura Tate. Laura and her husband Peter were among the cultural aficionados who enjoyed Shen Yun’s opening night, Jan. 18, in Orange County’s Segerstrom Theater. “Amazing moves,” said Peter Tate. Mrs. Tate said, “I loved the music and it’s very beautiful.”
Established in 2006, New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts Company’s mission is to revitalize 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture through the performing arts with world-class dancers, musicians and singers.
Classical Chinese dance exemplifies the grace and inner strength of the dancer while at the same time bringing ancient China’s culture back to life.
“I love it … really enjoy all the dancing, it’s really lively and exciting,” said Mrs. Tate.
The Shen Yun Orchestra is unique with its blend Eastern and Western classical instruments.
“I love the music. Yes, it’s very beautiful. I enjoy also the singing, the operatic singing that we’ve enjoyed. It’s just so different from anything that we have,” said Mrs. Tate.
Shen Yun’s soloists perform using the bel canto vocal technique while maintaining the proper Chinese pronunciation, something that is yet to be duplicated. Chinese is a tonal language, so singing in it has special considerations.
Chinese civilization has been documented for thousands of years. Shen Yun draws on that rich resource to bring to the stage the dynasties, historic stories, myths and legends.
“There are so many different cultures and groups of people. It’s so varied. It’s just so beautiful; I’m just mesmerized by all of the different dancing, and the costumes, the colors. It’s funny, there have been some really funny things that we’ve seen, and you don’t need to speak Chinese to enjoy the humor,” said Mrs. Tate.
Mr. Tate mentors college students to help them find their career paths. He said he learned something. “I really enjoyed it.” “I didn’t know anything about Chinese dance. I do love the amazing moves, particularly the men.” Mr. Tate said he enjoyed the beauty of how the dancers moved their arms as well at the fun, seeing the dancers becomes one with the backdrops.
“I love the different cultures, and the (Mongolian) Bowl Dance,” said Mr. Tate. He also enjoyed the playful When the Shaolin Monks Protected the Emperor.
“This little legend sheds light on one curious feature of the famed Shaolin monastery: its monks eat meat. Meat has been off limits to China’s Buddhist monks for centuries,” according to the program.
Mr. Tate gave the tickets to his wife for Christmas. She said, “I’m really enjoying it a lot and glad that I came tonight.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Maria Banks.
Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will be at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa Jan. 18-20.
New York-based Shen Yun has three companies that tour the world each year on a mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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