ESCONDIDO, Calif.—Attending Shen Yun Performing Arts while it played at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, was a hugely satisfying experience for husband and wife Pete and Laine Althen, and Laine’s father, Wayne.
“It’s fantastic,” said Mrs. Althen enthusiastically.
Mrs. Althen, who works in marketing, said she was really pleased that people who knew little about [traditional] Chinese culture now had the opportunity to witness it through Shen Yun New York Company’s dance and music performance.
Enjoying Shen Yun’s classical Chinese dance and music performance was a great way to celebrate the Chinese New Year, said Mr. Althen.
Mr. Althen, who works in an audio and music department in the movie industry, was so fascinated with Shen Yun’s orchestra that he kept an eye on what was happening in the orchestra.
The Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra plays all original compositions and is a unique blend of classical Western instruments and traditional Chinese instruments.
The Chinese flute, called the dizi, with its high pitch and “beautiful sound,” had caught Mr. Althen’s attention.
“I was looking at the front middle section where they have the more traditional Chinese instruments. I really like how they blended them all together.”
Listening to the erhu, a two-stringed bowed instrument, was also a joyful experience for Mr. Althen. Being seated in front of the mezzanine was a real bonus, he said.
“I love that sound,” he said. The erhu, which is held in a vertical position, differs from the violin in that it has only two strings and no fingerboard. According to Shen Yun’s website, the erhu is capable of emitting a wide range of emotions.
“I was really glad they had live music, which was a great touch,” said Mr. Althen.
The performers on stage were also amazing, he said.
“Good synchronicity,” he said, noting how well the dancers timed their leaps as they came out on stage.
Classical Chinese dance is based on bearing, form, and technical skill, says the company’s website. Jumping and tumbling are techniques that require vigorous training on the part of the dancers.
“They did a really creative job of mixing the projection imagery with the live imagery,” said Mr. Althen.
The hi-tech imagery used in Shen Yun performances is able to create other worlds by lifting the stage and setting it among “blossoming landscapes, deep forests, Mongolian prairies or celestial paradises,” says Shen Yun’s website.
Mrs. Althen agreed with her husband, adding that the backdrop was “unique.”
“I’ve just never seen anything with the use of the projection and the live performers in synchronicity, interacting,” she said.
“I thought the quality of the projection was astonishing,” added her father, Wayne, a retired mechanical engineer, who with his engineering background appreciated the fact that everything had run smoothly.
Reporting by Alex Li and Diane Cordemans.
Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company be in Phoenix, Arizona at the ASU Gammage Jan. 27–29.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3WTKCEA4tE[/video]
