HOUSTON—Kathy Hogenson, CEO of Zone Oil, was surprised with gifts to Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company’s show in Houston and was impressed by the flow and grace of the performance at the Friday evening, Dec. 23, performance at Jones Hall.
“It was beautiful! It was graceful, athletic, sophisticated. It was just beautiful, and peaceful,” Mrs. Hogenson said.
She said she appreciated the variety presented by Shen Yun in its representation of traditional Chinese culture, and that it was a “beautiful integration of all the arts.”
The New York-based company brings 5,000 years of Chinese civilization to life on stage with classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dances, solo vocalists, and a unique blend of classical Chinese instruments with a classical Western orchestra.
“It was just so graceful, there was a theme to each part of it,” Mrs. Hogenson said of the stories. “It was just beautiful … as it walked through Chinese history.”
Mrs. Hogenson said watching Shen Yun made her feel peaceful, and she admired the artistry of the dancers and their costumes.
“Beautiful! The costumes were just amazing. All the flowy skirts and the arms, the sleeves that just extended beyond them; it just had an art of its own,” she said.
The female dancers wore costumes with long “water sleeves” in the dance Sleeves of Silk, which act as an extension of the artists’ arms, and feelings.
Mrs. Hogenson said Shen Yun’s integration of the music with the dance felt new to her, and the orchestra was excellent.
“I do think they’re high caliber, the orchestra. It added a new depth that I’ve never heard before. Just the different instruments, the beauty of the symphony is the ability to play together and to play off each other, and it’s just so well orchestrated,” she said.
Mrs. Hogenson said she liked that the performance was educational through the storylines, and that the representation of the culture was “respectful.”
“I liked the stories. It gave you an appreciation for the culture; there was a bit of learning, a bit of teaching.”
Shen Yun has three companies touring the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company will perform at Houston’s Jones Hall through Tuesday, Dec. 27. For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
