WASHINGTON–”I think it’s wonderful, and I think everyone should see it,” said Bob Beasley after watching the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Kennedy Center Opera House on Jan. 31.
After attending the Thursday evening performance with his wife Wendy, Mr. Beasley, who is a principal research engineer and instructor at Georgia Tech and a former Air Force colonel, said Shen Yun was a delightful experience.
“It’s wonderful, and I enjoyed the dancing and I enjoyed the stories,” he said. “It’s great.”
Mr. Beasley has more than 30 years of experience in electronic combat research and development, acquisitions, operational flying, aircrew training, and testing & evaluation. He has worked on electronic combat programs at the operational and the secretary of the Air Force levels.
“I think that the color and the scale of [Shen Yun] is just so large—it’s quite awesome, and you just have to see it to feel it,” added Mrs. Beasley, a former director of operations for a defense corporation.
“It’s hard to describe to someone—you just have to see it.”
The New York-based Shen Yun is a world-renowned classical Chinese dance and music company. Formed in 2006 by overseas Chinese artists, the company aims to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture.
Mrs. Beasley has studied dance and said that watching classical Chinese dance was “fascinating” for her.
“It makes me want to study and go home and learn about what the Chinese classical dance really is, and the different styles that it involves, because it is very different from what I’m used to,” she said.
She also said that she enjoyed the story telling aspect of the dances, which aim to express the very essence of traditional Chinese culture and values.
“I like the story aspect woven in with the different types of styles of dance,” she said. “And the costumes and sets were really fascinating—I loved it.”
Apart from classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun also features ethnic and folk dances, which express the character of China’s many diverse ethnic regions.
“The meaning of each of the stories as it comes through dance is really fabulous the way they’ve done it. The way the story shows through and the styles of dance,” said Mrs. Beasley.
“I really enjoyed the dancing itself, and I think the costumes and the color are absolutely gorgeous,” added Mr. Beasley.
According to Shen Yun’s website, traditional Chinese culture has been destroyed during violent campaigns waged by the Chinese communist regime over their 60-year rule.
Mrs. Beasley concluded that Shen Yun represents a positive beacon of hope for the future.
“I got happiness and hope out of it,” she said. “So I thought it was wonderful.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Justina Wheale
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun New York Company is performing in Washington D.C. at the Kennedy Center Opera House from Jan 30 — Feb 3. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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