NEW YORK—CEO of BOSU Fitness Thomas Weck said, “A child would be awestruck” seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts, just as he was at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater on April 25.
“It is just magnificent,” Mr. Weck said. “It is for the enjoyment of everyone.”
The New York-based company revives 5,000 years of Chinese culture, including classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and ancient legends.
“Impressive is an understatement,” Mr. Weck said. “This show combines artistry, beautiful choreography, fantastic costumes and precision you just don’t find in performers these days. All of the dance routines and actions are in perfect synchronization.”
Many of the artists involved in Shen Yun have won awards in international dance, choreography, and music competitions.
The movements and postures of Chinese dance are imbued with meaning, as part of a culture held to be divinely inspired. Michelle Ren, a Shen Yun choreographer and principal dancer explains in a video on the Shen Yun website that “the movements or techniques are only a part of it.”
“The most important thing is that we wish to present to the audience a culture and its inner meaning,” she said. One of the challenging aspects of her work is quickly creating and learning new dances. Shen Yun presents a new performance every year, with new dances, music, and costumes.
“Cooperation is very important, and it is something we do well,” she said.
The elaborate costumes are crafted with great attention to detail. From the traditional garb of China’s majority ethnic Han people, to the elaborate headdresses of the Manchurian people, “the right clothes gave off an aura of refinement and dignity [and] it embodied the virtues of Chinese antiquity,” explains Shen Yun’s website.
“It is a joy to watch and a joy to immerse myself in Chinese history,” Mr. Weck said. “I am delighted that that part of the Chinese culture is being preserved and presented.”
The traditional Chinese culture, founded on belief in the divine, was nearly wiped out by the Chinese Communist Party. The regime “has treated traditional Chinese values centered on the idea of harmony between heaven and earth as a threat to its existence,” explains Shen Yun’s website.
Mr. Weck said, “I can appreciate the joy and wonderment of this performance.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Tara MacIsaac.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Thomas Weck’s profession. Mr. Weck is CEO of BOSU Fitness. Epoch Times regrets the error.
