NEW YORK—The precision of the dancers captivated Dalila Pasotti, a luxury jewelry designer and owner of Hollow Dancer, Inc. jewelers. She described Shen Yun Performing Arts as simply wonderful.
“So athletic, beautiful choreography—it was perfect,” said Ms. Pasotti after the Saturday evening performance at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater.
The major standout for her was the precision of the choreography. Her friend and fellow jeweler Elena Acquadro, owner of Elena Acquadro Jewelry, agreed.
“We like to pay attention to detail—in millimeters,” Ms. Acquadro said. “So we noticed how perfectly aligned [the dancers] are, we really noticed that.”
Ms. Pasotti was also moved by Shen Yun’s portrayal of the spirituality inherent in traditional Chinese culture.
“Definitely, some strong messages and it’s good,” said Ms. Pasotti. “China is an ancient culture you know—thousands and thousands of years.”
However, this ancient culture has been under attack in communist-ruled China.
Shen Yun’s website explains: “Over its past 60 years of rule, the communist regime has treated traditional Chinese values—centered on the idea of harmony between heaven and earth—as a threat to its existence. And in its systematic campaigns like the Cultural Revolution, it has uprooted traditional beliefs and destroyed ancient treasures.” The New York-based company was founded by leading Chinese artists sharing a wish to revive traditional Chinese culture.
“I think its a meditative culture, kind of graceful,” Ms. Acquadro said.
Ms. Pasotti was also intrigued to learn of Falun Gong, a spiritual discipline rooted ancient China that has been persecuted by the communist regime for over a decade.
“Some of the things shown ... you’re not allowed to do that anymore,” Ms. Acquadro said referring to a dance depicting Communist Party police descending on a mother and daughter for practicing Falun Gong..
She noted that she liked how Shen Yun also raises awareness of such human rights violations through the performing arts.
“I think the awareness is key,” Ms. Acquadro said.
She said the performance inspired her to find serenity.
“I think I’m going to be a little more meditative,” Ms. Acquadro said. “I was really thinking about that because it really centers you and calms you down.”
“The more the visibility for the good things, the more you can progress,” said Ms. Pasotti. “Meditating is amazing.”
Reporting by Amelia Pang and Genevieve Belmaker
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.
