NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.—Michelle Carter, a former ballerina who has transitioned to a career in nursing, attended Shen Yun’s evening performance on Valentine’s Day at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center.
Watching the dancers’ fluid movements on stage, Ms. Carter said it brought her back to her childhood and reminded her of the first time she ever went to ballet class.
“The moves, the flow, it just makes me feel like a child, and it brings tears to my eyes. We came to see Shen Yun in 2012. We enjoyed it then, and we enjoy it now.”
According to its website, Shen Yun is demonstrating the beauty of China before communism. The artists are also committed to raising awareness about societal issues that are ongoing in modern-day China.
“I don’t believe in communism,” Ms. Carter commented.
“I feel like everyone should be free. The dancers, in their dance, they are free. I feel like when we see them, it mimics that. They’re now in New York, and I hope there’s going to be many more shows and many more [dancers] that’s going to join.”
Ms. Carter also really enjoyed the spiritual element of the performance. The message she will be bringing home with her from the evening is “truth, love, belonging, and knowing.”
“When you’re a child, you grow up. Your parents are there to protect you, but what you choose to do along the way is your own choice. You choose to be a good person, or you choose to be a bad person. It’s about faith—it guides us all,” she said.
“It’s very interesting. It’s nice to see other aspects of Chinese culture, and it’s very educational as well. I liked both the art and the history behind it,” he explained.
“Some of the traditional things—you don’t see that in current movies or current things about China. I think it’s very inspirational in the sense that it highlights the positive things that sometimes are missed in the current kind of art.”
Shen Yun’s message “definitely speaks to the heart,” he added.
“It definitely speaks about the original kind of what is Chinese culture. It’s not just what you see in the news, but it’s what the people want—to go back [to traditions.]”
