NEW YORK—The world-class dancers of New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts earned the admiration of ballerinas in the audience at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater on April 25.
“The dancing is extraordinary,” said Laly Savoysky-Smith, who used to study ballet and also worked for the French jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels before retiring. Because Ms. Savoysky-Smith has been to the Russian ballet as well as taking ballet herself she knows dance well, and had this to say, “I know how extraordinary it is—unbelievable!”
Sandra Turner, a retired professional ballerina who danced with the Milwaukee Ballet, was also in the audience. Ms. Turner, who now runs an acupuncture school in New York, praised the tumbling and flips of the dancers.
Classical Chinese dance includes difficult techniques—jumping, leaping, turning, and flipping—that pre-date acrobatics, and inspired acrobatics. Shen Yun’s mission is to revive this and other forms of ancient Chinese culture. It also includes ethnic and folk dance from China’s diverse ethnic groups and intricately designed costumes from imperial dragon robes to phoenix coronets.
Ms. Savoysky-Smith praised the colors, the costumes, and the digital backdrops. The audience is brought through ancient Chinese gardens, Mongolian grasslands, and more with state-of-the-art graphics technology.
“It is sensational. I am very, very happy that I came,” Ms. Savoysky-Smith said.
Ms. Turner was accompanied by filmmaker Bill Paul, who has worked on the television series New York Undercover and is currently working on a series titled Moneyshot that may air on either HBO or Showtime.
Ms. Turner and Mr. Paul both admired the female dancers.
“It’s like perfection. They are perfection,” said Mr. Paul.
He said he is not planning any stage productions, but if he were, he would have found inspiration in Shen Yun. “I liked the choreography a lot.”
“It is a great show,” Mr. Paul said. “Just lovely,” said Ms. Turner.
Reporting by NTD Television, Tracey Zhu, and Tara MacIsaac
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Shen Yun Performing Arts is performing at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center through April 28.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
