COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Shen Yun’s debut in Colorado Springs was to a full house at the Pikes Peak Center for Performing Arts on April 5. The land of China was once known as the Middle Kingdom, a place between heaven and earth where mortal and immortals existed and where the ancient Chinese civilization began. This ancient culture is revived through dance, music, song, and and animated backdrops, Shen Yun lets you see myths, legends, folklore, and history all come alive.
Lisa Denigan from Rye, Colorado, wanted her niece, Joy Denigan, to experience the different aspects of Chinese culture. She was searching for a way to see the Chinese culture, “to see it from the ground up, ... where it is today, what they go through, and just have some appreciation of other cultures and other people,” she said. “I think this [Shen Yun] is doing a fantastic job.”
Ms. Denigan found Shen Yun to be not only fantastic but absolutely beautiful. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said.
Joy was happy with her aunt’s decision in picking Shen Yun for a cultural experience. “It’s unbelievable; it’s amazing. I want to watch it all night long,” she said.
New York-based Shen Yun’s goal is to revitalize this lost culture and its associated values, such as reverence for the divine, kindness, and loyalty.
Orchestral music is written for each of Shen Yun’s mini-stories and dances, showcasing classical Chinese dance and folk and ethnic dance. The Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra is one-of-a-kind with its incorporation of traditional Chinese instruments with the classical orchestra ensemble.
Aunt and niece were both impressed by this combination. “Oh, I love it; it’s a wonderful mix---beautiful,” Ms. Denigan said.
“It’s awesome. It’s ... amazing,” Joy said about the sound of the Eastern and Western instruments together.
The journey through 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture was not just beautiful to the two. It was educational, funny at times, and could also tug at the heartstrings.
Joy found some dances were funny while others were sad. She also gained insight into today’s Chinese society and the communist regime’s intolerance of religions.
Ms. Denigan agreed, giving an example. She loved the dance story called, “Monkey King and the Dragon Palace” which was inspired by the classic novel “Journey to the West.“ ”It was hilarious,“ said Ms. Denigan. ”It was fun, and then you saw the persecution of the religion [in another dance], and it’s heartbreaking because you know it’s true.”
Each year, Shen Yun creates an entirely new production from stories, music, and artistically designs hundreds of handmade costumes.
Joy, who enjoys sewing, loved the costumes, and said that she likes “all the different colors that they have—they’re just incredible.”
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.
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.
