ESCONDIDO,Calif.—“It’s a very dignified and beautiful representation of Chinese culture,” said Darren Pudgil, director of communications for the mayor of San Diego, after seeing the performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, on Friday, Jan. 20.
The New York-based dance and music company seeks to revive the 5,000-year-old traditions of China and show the “the deeper spiritual core of the ancient culture,” which were destroyed under six decades of communist rule, according to its website.
“It’s a fabulous performance,” said Mr. Pudgil. “Beautiful, very graceful, very nice.”
He was also impressed by the costumes. Shen Yun’s hundreds of gorgeous, hand-made garments span China’s dynasties, regions, and ethnic groups, says the company’s website.
“The costumes are beautiful,” he said.
Accompanying Mr. Pudgil was Itica Milanes, a reporter for TV Channel 10.
She was struck by the discipline displayed by the dancers.
“The posture and the facial features. The expression on their faces … everybody has a different expression,” she said.
Classical Chinese dance is rich in expression. “Through expression of bearing and form, beautiful dance movements bring out the inner meaning of intrinsic thoughts and feelings, explains Shen Yun’s website.
Ms. Milanes discovered that loyalty was an esteemed virtue in ancient Chinese civilization.
“It seems like loyalty is very important,” she noted.
The dance Mu Guiying Commands the Troops, is based on a story from Chinese history which demonstrates how loyalty is highly regarded. Mu Guiying, believing her husband has died in battle, heads to war in his place, after witnessing his bloodstained cape, says the program.
“Very entertaining. They are telling us stories through dance,” concluded Ms. Milanes.
Reporting by Flora Ge and Diane Cordemans.
Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company is in San Diego at the California Center for the Arts, through Jan. 22.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3WTKCEA4tE[/video]
