CHICAGO—Among those who enjoyed the Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company at the final Chicago performance were friends Nancy Schimmel and Victoria Creason.
Ms. Schimmel, a partner at the law firm Barnes & Thornburg, and Ms. Creason, Executive at Ernst & Young, attended the Civic Opera House on April 22.
“I just think it’s beautiful, the colors , the costumes, spectacular, very beautiful,” Ms. Schimmel said.
Shen Yun intends to revive authentic Chinese culture. According to the company’s website, the backdrops display a range of Chinese imagery. “From vast open grasslands in one dance to the stately elegance of Tang Dynasty pavilions in another; from dusty yellow battlegrounds to tropical beaches to Himalayan peaks to picturesque scenery of the Yellow River Delta—the digital projection infinitely expands and transforms the stage.”
Ms. Schimmel particularly enjoyed the dance Lotus Leaves: I thought the colors were beautiful.”
In this dance, displaying classical Chinese dance, lotus maidens dance on water, and their full-circle fans sway in the wind like lily pads.
Of the dance, Ms. Schimmel simply said: “It’s stunning.”
“It’s so wonderful. It’s so different from classical American ballet, or Russian ballet. It’s quite beautiful,” said Ms. Creason.
Ms. Creason particularly enjoyed the piece, How the Monkey King Came to Be, of the story-based dances that tells an episode for the classic Chinese text Journey to the West.
“I like the monkey. I love the animation. I love the way, with the graphical design, it brings [figures] into the dance.”
Ms. Creason was describing the animated backdrop that showed figures flying in the air as they were projected on the backdrop, and then appear as actual dancers on stage.
“It looks like they are literally coming right out of the backdrop onto the stage,” Ms. Schimmel said.
Ms. Schimmel also enjoyed the Shen Yun Performing Arts International Orchestra, which seamlessly combines Western and Chinese instruments.
“I think it’s wonderful,” she said.
Ms. Creason also appreciated the two emcees, guiding the audience from dance to dance. “I just love the symbolism,. I actually like having the emcees help to explain some of the theory behind the stories. … It’s so rich in heritage.”
If Ms. Creason were to capture Shen Yun with a crisp quote, she would say: “It’s serene, it’s calming.”
Reporting by Catherine Wen and Sharon Kilarski.
Upcoming performances in the United States include Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 24, and Columbus, Ohio, on April 26 and April 27.
For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
