KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Cheryl and John Mohler could not believe how good Shen Yun Performing Arts is. “It’s very good; very, very, very good. Very colorful. It’s just, it’s just unbelievable. It really is. The music, the dancers are wonderful,” Ms. Mohler said, after seeing its last performance, at the Muriel Kauffman Theatre, on March 30.
“They said they are the best in the world, and I believe them!,” said Mr. Mohler, vice president of Lender Product Sales with Arch Capital Group, Ltd.
Shen Yun, based in New York, is considered the best classical Chinese dance company in the world. Since its inception in 2006, it has grown to reach over 20 countries and over 100 cities a year. Its mission is to restore the divinely inspired culture nearly lost after decades of communist rule, Shen Yun’s website explains.
In keeping with this mission, Shen Yun performers present stories, legends, myths and literary classics to life through classical Chinese dance. Inherent in these depictions are the countries values, so clearly portrayed that Ms. Mohler could list them off: “loyalty, devotion, love of their country, love of their family, unity,” she said.
In addition to ancient legends and myths, Shen Yun presents stories from contemporary China. One such piece depicts the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in mainland China.
Mr. Mohler expressed surprise that people could be killed for meditating outside.
As for the artistry of what they saw, Ms. Mohler felt the digitally animation projected on the backdrops behind the dancers was amazing. “The people are coming out of the sky or out of the sea, and then all of the sudden they jump up, but they are on the stage. I mean it’s just bringing everything to the audience, and it’s amazing, it really is,” she said of this effect.
She also described the choreography as unbelievable and her husband added mention of the dancers’ synchronization.
Both described the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra as beautiful.
“A Western philharmonic orchestra plays the foundation, while traditional Chinese instruments lead the melodies. The sound produced is uniquely pleasing to the ear. The ensemble at once expresses both the grandeur of a Western orchestra and the distinct sensibilities of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization,” is written on Shen Yun’s website.
“Beautiful,” Ms. Mohler said. “I love the Asian music anyway, I really, really do. It’s just very calm. It’s just very soothing, very light.”
To their friends Ms. Mohler would say, “Fantastic, unbelievable, gotta go!” and Mr. Mohler added: “Definitely, got to see this, gotta go!”
Reporting by Xiao Ding and Sharon Kilarski
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
