“It was incredible, absolutely incredible. It was everything I expected and more.”

 

“The dancing was what I expected. The music was much more than I expected. Especially the musical interludes, the singing and the piano, and the erhu. I was really amazed by it.” 

 

“I was just amazed at how well the two [Western and Eastern music were] blended, because I know how different they are. I know one’s an 8 tone scale, and one’s a 5 tone scale, but it’s all blended together beautifully.”

 

“The singing was in Chinese, but you get the feeling you understood the words, even though I don’t’ speak Chinese. I think I got a lot from it. ... I liked all of the philosophy behind [the lyrics]. And I really liked the idea, the political content.”

 

“I really, really liked the Monkey King ("Monkey King at Fire Mountain”). It’s one of my favorite Chinese stories.” 

 

“I know quite a bit of Chinese history from doing the research for that, and I thought this [Shen Yun’s portrayal of Chinese history] was really authentic. I recognized a lot of the stories, a lot of the ethnic stuff. Very powerful. One of the things I love most about China and Chinese history is that there are so many threads. It’s like a tapestry. The politics, the ethnicities, the culture, the way everything works together, and sometimes does not work. And I love that. [It’s] very intriguing.” 

 

“Today, there’s so much going on that we don’t hear about - Tibet, Falun Gong. It’s just so interesting to see how it all plays out. And the continuity is the amazing thing.” 

 

“I think [Shen Yun’s mission is] incredibly important, both for China and for the world.” 

 

“[Shen Yun] makes me feel a feeling of connection and continuity with the past. I love the whole idea of China’s culture has so many connections with what we call the ancient world. It’s almost as if you were Chinese, and grew up in that culture, the ancient world is still alive in your heart. It’s the world that I wish we had in the West.” 

 

“I think [Shen Yun] could make the world not only a better place, but a more connected place. ... I would love, for example, to see someday people live on other worlds, or on other stars, doing those dances. It would be a wonderful thing. It would mean that humanity has gone to the stars, and that culture has played a role in it, thus making us immortal.” 

 

“It’s mostly emotions. ... It’s an amazing experience.” 

 

“I’ll come back to see it again.”