MIAMI—The Magic City warmly welcomed New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts to the stage for the first time ever on Friday, April 18, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts—the second-largest performing arts center in the United States after Lincoln Center in New York City.
Anchor and producer for CNN en Español, Ismael Cala, was among those in the audience who had special things to say about Shen Yun: “I loved it. I loved it. I think that it is a great opportunity to learn a lot about traditions and culture and everything about China.”
Shen Yun draws upon stories and legends that span China’s history and have been documented and passed down uninterrupted for 5,000 years, leading up to the current times.
“It’s a little trip, but it is a long trip,” Mr. Cala said, “because in less than two hours we are able to know a lot about China.”
Mr. Cala heads his network’s weekend morning newscasts and presents the feature program “El Mundo Informa.” He is considered to have a high profile within the Hispanic community of Miami.
“I would like everybody to be excited and come when the show gets to their city because it is an amazing opportunity,” he said.
“I know that [Shen Yun is] coming next to Buenos Aires, so I invite people in Buenos Aires to watch it because it is a marvelous opportunity.”
Mr. Cala was moved by the dance Ladies of the Tang Palace. Female dancers in beautiful costumes with golden skirts and wide, sweeping sleeves perform a dance that exemplifies “the spirit of China’s mightiest dynasty,” according to the program book. “That was unbelievable,” Mr. Cala said.
He was also struck by the dance Mongolian Chopsticks, in which male dancers perform a traditional dance that uses chopsticks to create an energetic, staccato beat.
It saddened Mr. Cala that the traditional Chinese culture cannot be seen inside China. “It is very interesting and intriguing for me to learn more and get deeper into religion and mythology, and Chinese culture,” he said.
For thousands of years, Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and other disciplines were at the heart of Chinese society, according to the Shen Yun website. But under decades of communist regimes, the traditional Chinese culture and values have been nearly eradicated through campaigns like the Cultural Revolution.
Mr. Cala described the performance as a celebration. “It’s a culture that really has a lot to offer to the world,” he said.
Shen Yun will give three more Miami performances over the weekend. Its last performances of the season will be in Jacksonville, May 9–11.
Reporting by NTD Television and Adam Miller
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.
