CHICAGO—James Rudolph, who works for a large machine manufacturing company in Chicago, was delighted with Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company. He caught the show Saturday afternoon, April 16, at Chicago’s Civic Opera House.
New York-based Shen Yun showcases classical Chinese dance, a dance form that has tremendous expressive capability and a demanding repertoire of spins, leaps, flips and turns.
“I really was surprised with all the energy and just the athleticism of the dancers,” Mr. Rudolph said.
But Shen Yun is known for more than its dance. The company tours with world-class bel canto style vocalists, and a full orchestra, composed of both Chinese and Western instruments.
“The singers were just spectacular—the sopranos that they had—so it was a good blend for me,” Mr. Rudolph said of the mix of the performance types.
In bringing Chinese performers and arts to the world, Shen Yun strives to revive the classical performing arts of China, long suppressed or destroyed by China’s communist regime.
Mr. Rudolph expressed that he felt it was a shame that Shen Yun cannot tour in mainland China. “They can do these shows everywhere except for in China,” he said, but expressed the hope that China will become more open for exchange in the future, and that the rest of the world can, in turn, get to know China better.
“I thought it was very entertaining, so I’ll be sure to tell my colleagues to come down and check out the show,” he said.
Reporting by Charlie Lu and Sharon Kilarski.
Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company will perform at Chicago’s Civic Opera House through April 24. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
New York-based Shen Yun showcases classical Chinese dance, a dance form that has tremendous expressive capability and a demanding repertoire of spins, leaps, flips and turns.
“I really was surprised with all the energy and just the athleticism of the dancers,” Mr. Rudolph said.
But Shen Yun is known for more than its dance. The company tours with world-class bel canto style vocalists, and a full orchestra, composed of both Chinese and Western instruments.
“The singers were just spectacular—the sopranos that they had—so it was a good blend for me,” Mr. Rudolph said of the mix of the performance types.
In bringing Chinese performers and arts to the world, Shen Yun strives to revive the classical performing arts of China, long suppressed or destroyed by China’s communist regime.
Mr. Rudolph expressed that he felt it was a shame that Shen Yun cannot tour in mainland China. “They can do these shows everywhere except for in China,” he said, but expressed the hope that China will become more open for exchange in the future, and that the rest of the world can, in turn, get to know China better.
“I thought it was very entertaining, so I’ll be sure to tell my colleagues to come down and check out the show,” he said.
Reporting by Charlie Lu and Sharon Kilarski.
Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company will perform at Chicago’s Civic Opera House through April 24. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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