LOS ANGELES—Marilyn Giardino is a filmmaker and college professor of world mythology. Her studies include those of China, so when she saw Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on the opening night on Friday, Jan. 13, she “loved it so much” that she wanted to bring all her students to the performance.
“I have studied ancient Chinese mythology, and I have studied the gods and goddesses of ancient China, and I teach this to my students all over the world,” she said.
“But this is the first time I have been able to see it in action, brought to life by these beautiful performers.
“If I could afford to bring my entire class I would—they would learn so much,” she said.
Ms. Giardino said the symbolism in Shen Yun was “strong,” noting as one example a particular dance performance using long sleeves.
“Like the scarf, it’s like Nüwa, who created the first humans, used her scarf, in the water and the mud, and she flung the scarf, and little people fell, little pieces of mud fell, and became human beings,” said Ms. Giardino. “She also hand-molded humans from clay, which is almost very similar to Biblical ideas, because when you see mythologies around the world, there are quite a few other civilizations who believe man was made from the earth, from clay.”
Ms. Giardino was referring to the performance Sleeves of Silk, which depicts a famous and much-loved classical Chinese dance known for its lovely expression through long gossamer-like sleeves that act like extensions of a dancer’s arms.
