CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Top-notch commercial realtor William Chafin, Jr. was happy with this year’s birthday gift. His daughter gave him a ticket to see the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, Shen Yun Performing Arts, perform at Charlotte’s Belk Theater at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center.
“Oh, I loved it. It was a great performance ... It’s very visual and exciting,” Mr. Chafin said.
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 Shen Yun website.
Mr. Chafin has a 10-year-old granddaughter who loves to dance, he said, which only increased his own appreciation for dance.
He was happy Shen Yun had come to Charlotte.
“I love it. Love it. It’s the first time we’ve been to this type of performance,” he said.
Established in 2006 by a group of overseas artists, New York-based Shen Yun set out on a mission to revive 5,000 years of civilization, in particular the spirituality that was part of China’s divinely inspired culture, according to the website.
Many of these values and traditions were lost in the decades after the Chinese Communist Party took power in China. They can no longer be seen on stage in their country of origin, but are being brought to life through Shen Yun’s performances around the world.
Mr. Chafin again expressed gratitude to Shen Yun for starting the presentation from the beginning of the ancient Chinese civilization when Gods, Buddhas and Taos interacted with humankind and traditional values were respected.
“There’s such a distinct difference between the Chinese culture and our culture,” Mr. Chafin said. “And of course, the now versus our culture. ... Things they can’t do we often take for granted here—the freedoms that we have, and the ability to express ourselves that they can’t do in China.”
In addition to ancient legends and myths, Shen Yun presents stories from contemporary China.
One such piece depicts the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in mainland China. Falun Gong, a traditional meditation practice based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance has been brutally persecuted by the Chinese regime for over a decade.
Mr. Chafin thinks that Shen Yun portrays the persecution well.
Mr. Chafin has excelled in his field. He is a member of The Charlotte Region Commercial Board of Realtors and a member of Coldwell Banker Commercial’s “The Platinum Circle of Distinction,” which is the most prestigious honor an individual can receive and places him within the top five percent nationally, according to its website.
Reporting by Maggie Xie and Raiatea Tahana-Reese
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.
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.
