LAS VEGAS—Juergen Barbusca, a communications manager who is also on the board of directors for the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts Saturday night at Reynolds Hall in The Smith Center for the Performing Arts
Mr. Barbusca, attending the performance with a friend, was particularly detailed in his praise of Shen Yun.
“I was very much enamored by the performance … the pageantry, the colors, the mythology, the symbolism,” he said. “The soloists, the music, the traditional and the modern orchestra music, everything flowed together very well. I was quite pleased with the performance today.”
Established in 2006, the New York-based company is a non-profit organization that has quickly become an international phenomenon.
According to its website, “Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture.”
Mr. Barbusca’s was impressed by the dance Mongolian Chopsticks.
Shen Yun’s program describes the dance: “Alternating between fast, furious footwork and long, extended arm movements, Mongolian dance is a vivid testament to free-spirited vitality and boundless, expansive expression. Dancers use chopsticks to create a crisp, staccato beat that quickens the blood and stirs the heart.”
In another dance, the Manchurian ethnic dress and dance were displayed. The website describes the shoes worn by Manchu ladies: “'Flower Pot Shoes’ ... had four-inch-high raised soles in the center.”
Mr. Barbusca was impressed. “I was trying to imagine how difficult it must be to walk on shoes like that,” he said, “but they did it with absolute perfection.”
The performance includes scenes from both ancient and contemporary China, and in every scene traditional Chinese values are displayed. The website explains some of those values: “Ideals of loyalty, filial piety, and veneration for the divine are cherished and celebrated. Heroes are extolled for their compassion and tolerance as much as their courage or determination when facing adversity.”
For Mr. Barbusca, the traditional values highlighted throughout the performance had a profound impact.
“I think it gives us hope. I think it gives mankind hope to believe that devotion to the divine or peaceful living can exist. … There is hope, there is always hope.”
Reporting by Yaning Liu and Morgan Bradley
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArst.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.
