MADISON, Wis.—Shen Yun Performing Arts graced the stage at the Overture Center for the Arts on Wednesday April 4, leaving audience members enthralled and full of praise.
“I am a former American trained dancer, so for me the show was absolutely amazing to watch,” said Stacy Fuelle. “And the story of the history of China, which I studied in College—so it’s absolutely immaculate. We loved every minute of it.”
New-York based Shen Yun traverses the globe reviving 5,000 years of divinely-inspired Chinese culture, one that was nearly destroyed by more than 60 years of communist rule in China, according to the company.
“Classical Chinese dance is at the heart of the performance, along with brilliant costumes, breathtaking projection, and an orchestra that combines both classical Western and Chinese instruments,” states Shen Yun’s website.
Ms. Fuelle loved the dance Lotus Leaves, in which delicate yet playful lotus maidens dance atop water with unique full-circle fans swaying like lily pads in the wind, evoking scenes of a flowering lotus garden in the summertime, as described by Shen Yun’s program.
“Absolutely: the way they spun, the way they kicked. ... It was incredible,” exclaimed Ms. Fuelle.
Accompanying the former dancer on the evening was John Lam, who manages a hotel in Madison.
“The show was spectacular, I mean there’s no question about that,” said Mr. Lam. “We actually have more of our staff coming in tomorrow night. I think they’re all going to be pretty impressed.”
Classical Chinese dance requires complete training in the fundamentals, learning a wealth of movements and postures, and mastering difficult jumping and tumbling techniques, according to Shen Yun, making it one of the most comprehensive systems in the world.
Mr. Lam noted how special the dancers are on stage, including their chemistry and how graceful they are. “It’s their passion, and without passion I don’t think they could put out a show like this,” he said. “I think that’s the most important ingredient.”
“I’ve never seen this performance before, but tremendous, absolutely tremendous,” Mr. Lam added.
‘Everything was great’
Arthur Peterson, Emeritus Faculty at University of Wisconsin-Madison and international soil and water conservation specialist, was also in the audience on Wednesday evening.
“Everything was great,” said Mr. Peterson, who brought along his son and daughter-in-law, Lois Peterson.
“It was beautiful,” said Mrs. Peterson. “The good and the evil, good versus evil, and people don’t give up on life because life is short, you need to do good.”
The first dance, An Era Begins, depicts the beginning of Chinese civilization. A battle between good and evil in the heavens ends with evil fleeing to earth, and the contest of good and evil continues in the human world, explains Shen Yun’s program.
Another dance Snowflakes Welcoming Spring caught Mrs. Peterson’s attention. “That was a very ‘Wow’ piece,” she said. “And it looked like the people were just floating on the stage. I loved that.”
Reporting by Catherine Wen, Yang Chen, and Zachary Stieber
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world, with a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture.
For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
