FORT LAUDERDALE—Vibrant costumes, riveting dance pieces, soul-stirring music, and an interactive backdrop combine to transport audiences through thousands of years of China’s divinely-inspired culture.
Karla Yancey, editor-in-chief of ACAMS Today, a publication for professionals in the financial crime detection and prevention field, appreciated this tour through time and space.
“I thought it was wonderful,” she said. “I like how it went through all of the history of the Chinese civilization, and also the costumes, and the music, and the dancers were all great.”
Karla attended the performance with her husband Ammon, partner of a commercial construction company, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 20.
Shen Yun is a New York-based classical Chinese dance company that was founded with a mission to preserve and transmit traditional Chinese culture through the arts. It travels the world every year with an all new program containing classical dance vignettes, musical soloists, and stories from the ancient past up to today’s China.
Ammon applauded Shen Yun’s storytelling, saying he liked all of the stories in the program.
“They were funny, they were moving, emotional, very well done,” he said.
Karla agreed, pointing out that the divine theme flowing through the stories resonated with her.
“I like the connection to the spirituality that they brought out, and show that there’s a deep history, a deep root in spirituality in the Chinese culture. I really appreciate it,” she said.
Two stories stuck out to Karla, both of which exemplified the power of faith, she said.
The first one was a piece titled “Goodness in the Face of Evil,” which depicts a young woman persecuted for her belief in spiritual practice Falun Dafa, set in today’s China. The second story titled “The Ties of Affection, the Tao of Destiny” tells of how a Taoist’s faith provides hope in times of despair.
“In the very end, it was great because they showed how if you are good, you eventually receive your reward, whether it’s in the future, whether it’s in the next life. It pays off to be a good person,” Karla said.
Ammon was also impressed with Shen Yun’s unique musical score.
“I like the mixture of traditional Chinese instruments with the Western orchestra, and the composition was very well done, it was moving,” he said.
“It had humor and sadness at the same time, it was good.”
By combining sounds from both traditions, Shen Yun’s orchestra is able to evoke the depth of feeling from melodies played by Chinese instruments over the resonant foundation of a Western orchestra.
The couple said they wouldn’t hesitate to introduce the performance to their friends and family.
“If you want to see an introduction, and learn about the history and culture of China, their dance and music, I would highly recommend it,” Karla said.
