NEW YORK—A profusion of color and culture inundated those who saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater on Wednesday.
Ed Maldonado, who works for the Department of Homeland Security, and his wife, Jill Maldonado, who works as a producer at Channel 13, both lauded the performance.
As a producer at a local television station, Mrs. Maldonado said she heard of the performance for several years, and after seeing it, “it’s so precise and beautiful.”
Each piece in the performance includes a digital backdrop that shows scenes from ancient China, pastoral landscapes, and others. The backdrop at times shows people coming down from the sky and onto the stage.
“The whole thing so far has been almost overwhelming with all the colors and movement,” Mrs. Maldonado said. “It’s so hard to do.”
The precision of the dancers, she said, is “all perfect,” and echoed statements made by other audience members about the performance.
“They’re amazing, it’s so beautiful,” she said. “I think that’s what moves me the most.”
Formed in New York in 2006, Shen Yun Performing Arts has toured in more than 100 cities around the world. Shen Yun has three different companies; and the Shen Yun Touring Company performed in New York on Wednesday.
“I think this show is incredible, and it is long overdue,” Mr. Maldonado said. “To see it like this on a big stage like that—I love it.”
Shows for Shen Yun were sold out at the David H. Koch Theater for their performances in January. Due to the high demand for tickets, Shen Yun added more performances in April.
“This is really artistic at the highest level,” Mr. Maldonado said.
The aim of Shen Yun is to revive traditional Chinese culture that was all but lost under six decades of communist rule, according to its website.
“I love it,” Mr. Maldonado said, noting Chinese culture has more depth than most people think. “There’s more to Chinese culture than what we’ve been exposed to.”
Classical Chinese dance—a style considered among the most comprehensive in the world—is the vehicle used by the performers in Shen Yun to express the inner meanings of the Chinese culture and spirituality, according to the website.
“It’s really nice to see here in New York, my hometown,” Mr. Maldonado noted.
Reporting by Joshua Philipp and Jack Phillips.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will perform at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center through April 22.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3WTKCEA4tE[/video]
