SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun a Blessing, Say New York Audience Members

Jan 10, 2015

NEW YORK—Helen Korolikova had wanted to see Shen Yun Performing Arts for the past three years but was not able to catch a performance. With her background in classical music, Ms. Korolikova was excited to finally see the New York-based performing arts company.

This year, with front-row seats to a performance reviving 5,000 years of ancient Chinese civilization, Ms. Korolikova could see every movement and gesture. She could even see the jewels on the dancer’s costumes. And it was nothing short of a blessing, she said.

“This time I thought I have to catch it and it’s a blessing for all of the people,” she said during intermission of the Shen Yun performance at Lincoln Center on Jan. 9. “I’m so happy.”

Starting from a very young age, Ms. Korolikova was classically trained in piano and spent much of her earlier years studying classical orchestras and operas in music school, she explained. So seeing the ancient culture and classical forms brought alive by Shen Yun was so touching to her. Talking about the experience brought tears to her eyes.

“They were able to bring it to the 21st century, and give it to us, so beautifully, that everyone can understand,” Ms. Korolikova said.

Shen Yun was established in 2006 with the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture through the arts.

The company performs classical Chinese dance, which is a “complete system of dance, embodying traditional aesthetic principles,” according to the Shen Yun Performing Arts website.

The website further states, “Classical Chinese dance is a culture left to us by the ancients who came before us, its beauty should be riches shared by all of humanity, its purity should not be contaminated.”

Throughout the show, a number of ethnic and folk dances are also performed.

“It’s a beautiful representative of different nationalities and different cultures,” Ms. Korolikova said. “It just gives me goose bumps.”

Through the art forms, Ms. Korolikova said she saw “respect, honor, trust.”

Chinese culture is said to be divinely inspired, and the ideals of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism make up the essence of traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun seeks to revive these virtues through the arts, according to its website.

Ms. Korolikova attended the performance with Mr. Anthony Marchese, a real estate developer who owns supermarkets throughout the five boroughs. He said every aspect of Shen Yun was incredible.

“[Shen Yun] has so much culture that we’ve never seen before,” Mr. Marchese said.

Mr. Marchese, a frequent patron of the arts, was captured by the vivid colors of Shen Yun’s costumes and unique animated backdrop. He especially liked the grace of the dancers and the sleeves that seemed to float. He described the experience of sitting mere feet away from the unique orchestra, seeing the blend of ancient Chinese and classical western instruments during the performance.

“I would recommend the show to anyone—a thousand percent,” Mr. Marchese said.

Reporting by Milene Fernandez, Shannon Liao, and Catherine Yang

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.

Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.