OMAHA, Neb.—Alfred Thomsen believes that the Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring company offers a unique and worthwhile performance. “In fact, I have a meeting tomorrow [where] I will recommend to them, to the people that are in attendance, if they’re not already signed up to come.”
“I would agree. Come to see it,” said Beverly, his wife of 56 years.
“That’s the first time she has ever agreed with me,” joked Mr. Thomsen.
She felt the performance was lively and he considered it upbeat.
Now retired, Mr. Thomsen was the president and owner of the real estate management company that managed Woodman Tower, office spaces, and parking garages throughout the city.
Shen Yun has a mission to restore 5,000 years of semi-divine civilization—China’s past cultural glory to the world. With its dancers, musicians and behind-the-scenes crew members, Shen Yun brings nearly a hundred people on tour with each of its four companies.
“I had no idea what to expect,” Mr. Thomsen said. “I was thinking about what it took to stage something like this. I mean from the costumes to the choreography, the orchestra. Then I think about them traveling and doing that from city to city, that’s a big undertaking.”
Mrs. Thomsen didn’t know what to expect either, but felt it was outstanding. She mentioned the modesty of the women’s costumes. “I thought it was very interesting the girls always had long pants on under their dresses unlike our American dancers,” she said.
According to Shen Yun’s website: “Shen Yun’s costume artists collect countless designs of traditional attire, ranging from those of emperors, ministers, and generals to the everyday clothing of the common people. They use bright colors to tailor and recreate hundreds of new pieces each season.”
As for the deeper themes of the performance, the treatment of traditional values and morals, Mr. Thomsen said that our current culture has “a long ways to go.” He explained that times had changed since he and his wife were young, and that “some of it is difficult to experience and live with.”
“It was an enjoyable evening,” Mr. Thomsen concluded.
Reporting by Cat Rooney and Sharon Kilarski
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
