CLEVELAND—On a routine basis, Sally Suarez deals with things that accentuate beauty, yet the beauty of Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company was overwhelming to her.
“It’s so beautiful. It’s artistic and the intricacies and the detail, so elegant,” said Ms. Suarez who is a store manager of a Claire’s, a store that specializes in beauty accessories.
Josh Andrews, assistant store manager of a Lids, accompanied her to the performance at the State Theatre on Jan 30. He was equally impressed with the 5,000 years of China’s divinely inspired culture he saw on stage.
“A Shen Yun performance features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending East and West, and dazzling animated backdrops—together creating one spectacular performance,” according to the company’s website.
Ms. Suarez felt here was an exactitude in the artistry. “There’s precision and everyone’s in sync, but there is still personality to it, and it comes through,” she said. “Everyone looks like they’re passionate about what they’re doing.”
One of the dances that stood out for Mr. Andrews was “The Steadfast Heart.” It is a contemporary piece that depicts a couple who are persecuted for practicing a traditional meditation practice called Falun Dafa. Mr. Andrews pointed out that the couple portrayed in the dance stood up for what they believed in despite being assaulted.
Shen Yun’s mission is to revitalize the traditional culture that was almost completely decimated due to the 60-plus years of communist rule.
It is this culture that touched them both deeply. “It’s very memorable. It really hits you,” said Mr. Andrews. He also described the culture as magical, very emotional, and very beautiful.
He noted that the performers make you feel really engaged. “The dancers make you feel part of the story,” Mr. Andrews said.
Ms. Suarez felt there was an intensity, an energy, to the spiritual nature of the traditional culture even though they do not observe any kind of faith.
From Mr. Andrews’s perspective, he saw the power behind Shen Yun in staying true to its heritage.
Reporting by Charles Liu and Andrew Darin
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.
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.
