PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Steve Frary had seen Shen Yun Performing Arts before with his wife. They returned to the Providence Performing Arts Center on Feb. 23 with their children because they knew the children would enjoy it.
He said he thought it was a “terrific opportunity” to expose them to the “incredible art and the talent that these performers obviously brought to the stage right here in Providence.”
The New York-based Shen Yun revives China’s traditional culture with classical Chinese dance, solo vocal performances, a full orchestra, and a digitally animated backdrop with scenes depicting China’s rich 5,000-year old culture.
Classical Chinese dance is an expressive art form that allows for the dramatization of stories and legends from the Yellow Emperor through the dynasties to modern day. A variety of ethnic dances also capture distinct traditional ways of life from China’s ethnic minorities and the majority Han.
Mr. Frary, a self-employed business professional, said his children wanted their mom and dad to explain the stories, which include the famous exploits of the Monkey King, to them. He said his children were very interested and engaged.
For Mr. Frary, he found the stories to be “really universal.”
“This form of art is a great way to communicate the stories to all types of people around the world,” he said, adding that the forms of dance are thousands of years old, much older than anything in the United States.
He said he found the performance dynamic, vibrant, and an eye-opening opportunity to understand Chinese history and Chinese art.
He noted that it is a special opportunity to see Shen Yun, and to understand how much people share in common “in terms of our interest in our stories and our need to tell those stories.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Ananda West
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.
