HOUSTON—Christmas Eve brought Elizabeth Ellis and her granddaughter to the matinee performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company at Jones Hall in Houston.
At intermission, Ms. Ellis said, “I think that it is beautiful—absolutely beautiful!
Granddaughter Lauren, also a dancer, said, “I loved it! They were really pretty! I loved how everything flowed together with the music and how they stayed together.”
Ms. Ellis also noticed that the energy the dancers emanated made her feel good. “It is not just about what they are supposed to dance but also what they feel inside … It makes me feel good.”
In ancient China, artists cultivated virtue because they believed that to create true art worthy of the heavens, there must first be inner beauty and purity. Today, the artists of New York-based Shen Yun endeavor to follow in that tradition.
Ms. Ellis also said: “I am a retired clothes designer so I am loving the costumes. The way they are made, the silk and the way they are cut on the bias, it’s just flowing—beautiful, and the colors are soft and pleasant to look at.”
Shen Yun’s costume artists use bright colors to tailor and recreate hundreds of glorious costumes each season. The designers stress harmonic balance and contrast. Their objective is an authentic presentation of the attire that comes from China’s divinely inspired traditional culture; and also to produce a stunning stage effect, according to Shen Yun’s website.
Ms. Ellis was also impressed with the digital backdrop. “I have never seen something like this. When you bring the characters flying down and then all of a sudden they are on the stage.”
Indeed, these vividly animated settings seem to extend the stage and transport the audience to a world where heaven and earth are one. They are remarkably true-to-life, and allow you to forget where you are, and to journey to another place and time.
Lauren agreed with her grandmother when she said, “I just loved everything about it. And I would really love to see the show again.”
Reporting by Catherine Yang and Sophia Bronwen.
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
