DENVER—When the curtain opens for Shen Yun Performing Arts, audiences are in for something special.
“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,” reads Shen Yun’s website. “Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired.”
That special energy was certainly not lost upon Allen Service and his wife, Esther Mills, at the Buell Theatre on Tuesday evening.
“I’m enjoying it very much,” said Mr. Service, former provost at Regis University. “It’s very different from anything I’ve seen before.”
As a proud Irishman, Mr. Service was struck by Shen Yun’s genuine portrayal of cultural heritage. The traditional dancing spurred his memories of traditional Irish dancing. However, Mr. Service especially noted, “The scale of the production [of Shen Yun] is just quite amazing.”
Mrs. Mills was reminded of their daughter-in-law, who is from Hong Kong. “It’s lovely,” Mrs. Mills said. “We wanted to see this show so we could share it with our granddaughter.”
Shen Yun seeks to revive China’s divinely inspired culture, a culture nearly destroyed after 60 years of rule under the communist regime. Although Shen Yun’s mission focuses on reviving China’s true spirit, such a performance cannot be seen in China today “where traditional culture has been nearly lost,” states Shen Yun’s website.
Despite the unfortunate state of today’s China, Mr. Service considers himself fortunate for experiencing Shen Yun. “It’s world class stuff,” he said.
“The scale of China—just the diversity of China and the size of it,” he added. “It’s just such a different scope than we are used to here. Five thousand years and the geographic diversity—the cultural diversity—it’s mind-boggling.”
Even though Mrs. Mills also felt fortunate for the performance, most notably the “exquisiteness in the color,” she could not help but bring her thoughts back to one regrettable aspect: “That my granddaughter will never have the opportunity to know all of her culture,” she said, adding that she hopes to take her granddaughter to next year’s performance.
Reporting by Qian Zhang and Michael Fitzgerald
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.
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.
