SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Magazine Founder Inspired by Shen Yun

Jan 16, 2014
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Magazine Founder Inspired by Shen Yun

NEW YORK—As Olga Papkovitch was leaving Lincoln Center after watching a Shen Yun Performing Arts performance on the surprisingly warm evening of Jan. 15, she felt that she had just seen a show that the world could benefit from.

“I think it’s very inspiring,” she said. “I think the whole idea of Shen Yun is beautiful because it projects the spirituality, the love for people, the love for freedom.”

Ms. Papkovitch is a designer and founder of the PopImpressKA Journal, which stands for Popular Impressive Kaleidoscope. The magazine covers subjects from fashion to chemistry.

She said that the world lacks unity and empathy, and that Shen Yun is a purveyor of what is lacking. “Shen Yun gives people a chance to believe in something higher than themselves,” she said.

Shen Yun is a New York-based classical Chinese dance company founded by leading Chinese artists who wished to revive traditional Chinese culture.

An important component of classical Chinese dance is its attention to a dancer’s inner spirit and his or her ability to convey deep emotional expressions.

“It’s beautiful,” Ms. Papkovitch said. “The movements are incredibly light and very impressive.”

Spirituality is an intrinsic part of traditional Chinese culture. Many of the dances revolved around traditional Buddhist and Daoist tales.

“I think the world needs a little bit more movements like this because it gives people beautiful sight and it also gives people hope,” Ms. Papkovitch said. “ The world needs hope.”

She said the unity of humanity was the theme that she took away from the show.

The dances are accompanied by an unique orchestra that features a combination of classical Western and traditional Chinese instruments, as well as an advanced digital backdrop that transports the audience to settings such as lush Mongolian plains and majestic Manchurian courts.

“I think they did an incredible job using the projector screen,” Ms. Papkovitch said. “You can see the characters flying in the air and coming down the stage. It was very smoothly done.“

Ms. Papkovitch also designs bags and clothing, and says Shen Yun’s silk costumes were inspiring, particularly the Emcee’s dress.

“The silk has such a beautiful way of taking a form,” she said.

“On stage, when they were dancing, the silk would take form and create an image,” she said. “It was beautiful because we know it was an ancient way of traditional costume.”

“Even the back-screens were matching the costumes,” Ms. Papkovitch said. “It was really, really great.”

With reporting by Amelia Pang.

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.