SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—Don and Cathy Horein came to Shen Yun Performance Arts with their daughter Melissa Oltz, an optometrist with her own business.
Cathy, a retired teacher and gymnastic judge, said the performers, “would score very well in gymnastics. The performance level is superior.”
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. It was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists who wished to revive the traditional culture of China, a heritage with 5,000 years of history and deeply spiritual foundations that have been almost completely destroyed following decades of communist rule.
One of Shen Yun’s unique features is its orchestra. It’s the first in the world to combine classical Western and Chinese instruments within a Western symphony orchestra. Shen Yun also boasts virtuoso vocalists who sing Chinese lyrics using the bel canto style.
Cathy noted the great technical qualities of the dancers. “Our kids are in gymnastics and dance, and we just really appreciate how quietly everyone lands. You can’t hear a thing.” She noted there was more to the dance. “I feel there’s a lot of tranquility and peace with the dancers and that they are emulating that.”
Don Horein, an electronics design engineer for 45 years, now services and trains installers on electrical discharge machines. “Every single age can enjoy this and appreciate it,” he said.
Their daughter Melissa said, “It’s beautiful, everything, the dancing, the technique that they’re using. I love the balance with the orchestra and the older Chinese instruments and the Western instruments. You don’t know where to look because every person is great and it looks like a lot of fun.”
As an optometrist and from a medical perspective, Melissa thought the music had a soothing effect. ”I love it. All the bright colors and it all meshes very well. It’s very uplifting to be here.”
English Professor Acknowledges Great Stories in Dance and Music
Mark Connor, an English professor at Skidmore College who attended Shen Yun Performing Arts with his wife Barbara, says he loved the show, calling it “amazing, magnificent” after seeing it for the first time.
Mark was delighted by the stories and the stirring music. “As a literature person, I really liked the storytelling through the dance and music and everything. I think you learn a lot about the culture and the beauty and the art.”
The quality of the performance was at a high level and, he would tell others about it. “I tell them it’s very colorful and entertaining and beautiful and a great artistic production.”
Barbara concurred. “[It gives us] a little insight into Chinese culture. I think it’s great.”
Reporter Weiyong Zhu and Yvonne Marcotte.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
