NASHVILLE, Tenn.—One of the dances in this year’s Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company show, called Our Story is about a caring teacher, loved by her students, menaced by corrupt authorities. Mr. Ted Turnipseed is a school principal in the Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) system, which serves military families. He said he “liked that one very much. I think teaching is a difficult job. We give mixed messages to teachers. We tell them to be creative and lead kids to think outside the box, but at the same time we have a very specific idea what we want teachers to teach as well.”
Mr. Turnipseed said he was glad the teacher’s students defended her, and glad to see their happiness. He attended the performance at Andrew Jackson Hall on Feb. 18.
He is a world traveler. He said he was determined to “put as much color on my palette as I could,” and therefore made sure to see the world. The military makes that easy and affordable, he said.
Mr. Turnispeed visited China while teaching in Okinawa, Japan. Speaking of the New York based Shen Yun Touring Company not yet being allowed to perform in mainland China, he said he had noted how much information was restricted in China. In Beijing, an educated person took him aside and quietly asked him to show him where Okinawa was on a map. He said he felt the man feared being overheard asking the question. It gave him a hint of how authoritarian the communist regime must be, he said.
While living in the East he came to love Chinese culture, “I do, you can’t help but live there and not develop an appreciation for the pride and character of the Asian people. If you came to my house you would see terracotta warriors on either side of my fireplace.”
Naturally he enjoyed the dance Recalling the Great Qin, in which the Terracotta Army comes alive for an artist.
Ms. Reita Bumgardner retired from teaching for the Dept. of Defense. She said, “I thought it was awesome, like nothing I’ve seen before, just beautiful, beautiful.”
Mr. Turnipseed said he also liked the dance Plum Blossom, “because the metaphors in the music and dance is just wonderful.”
Ms. Bumgardner laughed and said it was remarkable how much unity the female dancers conveyed. “The colors, and the beauty, how well it was synchronized. All the women were the same type. They all looked exactly the same, it was fascinating.”
Mr. Turnipseed said his overall impression was “For me it was very visibly beautiful and highly technically excellent.”
Shen Yun will give two shows in Memphis on Feb. 26. For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org .
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun performing Arts.
Mr. Turnipseed said he was glad the teacher’s students defended her, and glad to see their happiness. He attended the performance at Andrew Jackson Hall on Feb. 18.
He is a world traveler. He said he was determined to “put as much color on my palette as I could,” and therefore made sure to see the world. The military makes that easy and affordable, he said.
Mr. Turnispeed visited China while teaching in Okinawa, Japan. Speaking of the New York based Shen Yun Touring Company not yet being allowed to perform in mainland China, he said he had noted how much information was restricted in China. In Beijing, an educated person took him aside and quietly asked him to show him where Okinawa was on a map. He said he felt the man feared being overheard asking the question. It gave him a hint of how authoritarian the communist regime must be, he said.
While living in the East he came to love Chinese culture, “I do, you can’t help but live there and not develop an appreciation for the pride and character of the Asian people. If you came to my house you would see terracotta warriors on either side of my fireplace.”
Naturally he enjoyed the dance Recalling the Great Qin, in which the Terracotta Army comes alive for an artist.
Ms. Reita Bumgardner retired from teaching for the Dept. of Defense. She said, “I thought it was awesome, like nothing I’ve seen before, just beautiful, beautiful.”
Mr. Turnipseed said he also liked the dance Plum Blossom, “because the metaphors in the music and dance is just wonderful.”
Ms. Bumgardner laughed and said it was remarkable how much unity the female dancers conveyed. “The colors, and the beauty, how well it was synchronized. All the women were the same type. They all looked exactly the same, it was fascinating.”
Mr. Turnipseed said his overall impression was “For me it was very visibly beautiful and highly technically excellent.”
Shen Yun will give two shows in Memphis on Feb. 26. For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org .
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun performing Arts.
