Shen Yun: A Performance of Authentic Chinese History

Shen Yun: ‘The homage to the traditions, the older traditions of China, is reflective of the 5,000 years that China has been in existence.’

Michael Borrico and Lisa Rush stand for a photo during the intermission of a performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater in New York on Jan. 14. Joshua Philipp/The Epoch Times

NEW YORK—Pulling its inspiration from China’s 5,000 years of culture, Shen Yun Performing Arts gave audience members a feast of elegant and diverse dance at the Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater in New York on Jan. 14.

“I like it—the show, and the stories,” said contractor Michael Borrico, during the intermission.

Mr. Borrico said he enjoyed the emcees who introduced the history and meaning of various parts of the performance. “It sort of gives you a little insight into what the story is going to be about,” he said.

Shen Yun Performing Arts is based in New York and has set out to rekindle China’s traditional cultural heritage. The company includes award-winning Chinese dancers, singers, and musicians.

Joining Mr. Borrico was model Lisa Rush, who said she particularly enjoyed the music accompanying the Bel Canto singing, which she described as “very, very nice.”

The performance includes dances from China’s various dynasties and ethnic groups. It also includes dances of stories and legends ranging from parts of the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West to stories taking place in modern China.

Each segment of the performance presents the various virtues and underlying beliefs that rest at the heart of traditional Chinese culture.

‘Very inspiring’

“I think it’s wonderful,” said L-Mani Viney, a world history teacher. “The homage to the traditions, the older traditions of China, is reflective of the 5,000 years that China has been in existence.”

“One of the things that has definitely stuck out for me this evening is the tribute to Falun Gong. I found that part very, very inspiring,” he said.

The piece he referred to, entitled “Our Story,” is based on a true account of a teacher who is persecuted for writing “truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance” on a blackboard as part of her lesson. The three virtues are the guiding principles of the Chinese meditation practice Falun Gong, which is banned by the Chinese regime.

“The part that I like about it is that they went ahead and made that statement,” Mr. Viney said. “It says something about the arts—one beautiful thing ... is that the arts should have no censorship.”

Being based outside of China, Shen Yun is able to perform uncensored, but Mr. Viney noted, “that statement is a very phenomenal one,” as “there is of course a fear of persecution, persecution of maybe family that’s still [in China].”

Mr. Viney said he also enjoyed the overall performance. “The discipline, the members that are in sync with each other, the colors, the choreography, [are all] very lovely.”

He said there is a playfulness in some of the stories and dances that “shows a very human side to everything.”

Shen Yun Performing Arts will perform at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater through Jan. 16. For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org