NEW YORK—DJ Johnny Stewart was enchanted by the music and vocals in Shen Yun Performing Arts, which performed at New York’s Lincoln Center on Saturday evening.
“The music is just phenomenal,” he said. “The music in concert with the dancers, and the video background, the backdrop, is incredible. Down to every millisecond is flawless.”
Shen Yun’s core is classical Chinese dance, an ancient art form that is one of the most expressive dance styles in history.
The accompanying orchestra deftly melds a classical Western orchestra with traditional Chinese instruments, such as the suona, a double reed woodwind instrument, and the dizi, or bamboo flute.
“The ability to seamlessly blend these two systems to create one fresh, harmonious sound is what makes the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra unique,” according to the company’s website.
“I loved the orchestration, I loved the choreography,” said Mr. Stewart. “I was pretty much amazed at how it all comes together so perfectly.”
Mr. Stewart spins in some of New York’s most acclaimed venues, such as the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, the Guggenheim Museum, and the Pratt Mansion. After a stint in art school, he starting spinning for fun before harkening back to what his father taught him growing up with his father’s thousands of albums.
He has worked with a range of celebrities, from Akon to Russell Simmons.
The performances by Shen Yun’s sopranos and tenors are something Mr. Stewart won’t forget soon.
“Mind blowing,” he said. “Unbelievable.”
Shen Yun is based in New York and tours to the top venues in the world, including New York’s own Lincoln Center, as well as Palais des Congrès de Paris, Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, and Wiener Stadthalle, Halle F in Vienna.
Besides saying that the music of Shen Yun left him with “lots of energy,” Mr. Steward said that Shen Yun has inspired him.
“It makes me want to study more Chinese culture,” he said. “All aspects.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Zachary Stieber
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Shen Yun Performing Arts is performing at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center through April 28.
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.
