SAN FRANCISCO—Decorated Ph.Ds, Ramona Leibnitz and John Armstrong were among the theatergoers at Shen Yun’s packed evening performance at the War Memorial Opera House, Jan. 4.
“They are so synchronized and so perfect in each of the moves. It’s just a delight!” Said Ms. Leibnitz, cofounder and president of Lead Horse Technologies, Inc.
“Excellent. Just beautiful!” Added Mr. Armstrong, cofounder, chairman and CEO of Lead Horse Technologies.
“The costumes, the grace, and I think the diversity of the eras or dynasties, the mixture of the different cultures presented—they’re so different and they’re all beautiful,” Mr. Armstrong said.
Classical Chinese dance was completely new to both Ms. Leibnitz and Mr. Armstrong, and they were impressed.
“This is totally new to me,” said Mr. Armstrong. Ms. Leibnitz added, “Totally different. I wanted to say that I’m really impressed with the obvious training.”
Shen Yun’s website reads, “Reviving 5,000 of civilization. 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. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired.”
One piece, titled Manchurian Grace, was a favorite of Mr. Armstrong. The piece takes place in a majestic hall of a Qing Dynasty court, where a group of Manchurian princesses dance.
“I liked the Manchurian Grace. The high heels without the heels—Beautiful! Really nice, I really enjoyed it,” he said.
Mr. Armstrong was able to get a glimpse into the happiness that each dancer exudes onstage.
“It was beautiful, and perfectly coordinated, and we had binoculars, so we could see the faces of the dancers, and they looked happy. I don’t know how much of that was performance and how much of that they felt, but it looked genuine.”
Reporting by Vicky Jiang
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.
