HOUSTON—A health care executive felt a sense of universality when he saw Shen Yun perform on Dec. 30 at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts.
“We all come from the same place, so we are all one, regardless of what continent we are from,” said Doug Bedre. He is Co-Owner and Vice President at InterMed Health, which advises healthcare organizations.
“I loved the show,” Mr. Bedre said. “It was great. We were looking forward to it.” His daughter had been talking about the show for more than three weeks, he said.
New York-based Shen Yun traverses the globe with the mission of reviving the 5,000 year old, divinely inspired Chinese culture, according to the company’s website, having been established in 2006.
“In a collection of short pieces, audiences travel from the Himalayas to tropical lake-filled regions; from the legends of the culture’s creation over 5,000 years ago through to the story of Falun Dafa in China today; from the highest heavens down to the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom,” the website states.
Mr. Bedre enjoyed the educational aspect of Shen Yun.
“We were just delighted to come and see and watch the history of Chinese, which goes back about 5,000 years,” he said. “It’s amazing.”
According to the Shen Yun website, “Many of the tales and characters depicted in Shen Yun dances draw inspiration from ancient records and classics. Based on documented historical events, these stories give abstract ideas—like loyalty, filial piety, selflessness, and tolerance—a concrete form.”
Roger Murray, a geologist who often sees dance shows, also attended the Dec. 30 performance, and he was glad he did. “Well, the dancing was very good, the music is good ... it’s entertaining,” he said.
Like Mr. Bedre, Mr. Murray felt the artists gave people a chance to learn something new. He said, speaking of Chinese civilization, “What’s interesting is that it’s very, very, old. And not very many people in this country really know much about it. So it’s all new to almost everybody, even though it’s so very, very, old.”
Reporting by Christy Su and Mary Silver.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s International Company will be performing in Houston through January 1. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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