WASHINGTON—They came as VIPs in formal roles and as private individuals; they came in groups from colleges or as families; and they came as CEOs and artists, commentators and academics, computer experts and ballet dancers; from as far away as Baltimore and West Virginia, and as close as the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and the State Department.
It was Shen Yun Performing Arts that drew thousands to the Kennedy Center Opera House from the first day of spring and continuing for 10 days.
Indiana Rep. Dan Burton said, “I think it’s one of the most beautiful shows I have ever seen.” Philanthropist Doris Buffett, sister of Warren Buffet, said, “Anybody could see that show [Shen Yun] and be happy.” Rory Pullens, head of the D.C. based Duke Ellington School of Arts, described the Shen Yun performance as “so cultural, so enlightened, and just so artistic.”
New York-based Shen Yun aims to revive and preserve traditional Chinese culture, which has been all but lost during six decades of communist rule, according to the company’s website.
Shen Yun’s main medium of expression is classical Chinese dance, which according to the company, is one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.
“It’s got everything,” said Janice Nevin, a former ballet dancer and now member of the National Society of Arts and Letters in D.C. “It’s got dance, it’s got music, it’s got culture, it’s rich in its embroidery of the story its telling,” she said, adding, “Such a high level of excellence.”
Retired U.S. Army Major General Tony Taguba, now chairman and CEO for Asian Pacific Leadership and Mentors, said Shen Yun’s performance had been a unique experience.
“We were just incredibly, you might say, shocked—in a positive way—of how beautiful the culture of dance in China has been,” he said.
Classical Chinese dance is said to have a history of several thousand years and was passed down through each Chinese dynasty, the company states. Over the years, it has become a comprehensive system of dance that boasts a variety of unique rhythms, movements, and meanings.
