LONG BEACH, Calif.—Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company impressed and inspired audience members at the Terrace Theater on Saturday, Feb. 7. Among those in attendance were Jriya Sirchaisntop and Paul Brestyanszky.
Jriya Sirchaisntop, a building specialist, seemed to be quite pleased with the night’s performance.
“I really, really enjoyed the show,” said Ms. Sirchaisntop. “It’s amazing.”
Established in 2006, New York-based Shen Yun is a non-profit organization working to bring 5,000 years of Chinese civilization to life through the performing arts. Having performed in front of millions of people across some 20 countries and 100 cities, Shen Yun has become widely recognized as a global phenomenon.
Ms. Sirchaisntop was captivated by the show’s unique presentation.
“Everything catches your eye. Everything makes you feel, feel something connected to the piece,” she explained. “The music, the costumes, the people’s faces, the way they act, the way they dance.”
According to the Shen Yun website, “A Shen Yun performance features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending East and West, and dazzling animated backdrops—together creating one spectacular performance.”
For Ms. Sirchaisntop, watching Shen Yun appeared to make a deep spiritual impression.
“Everything tells a story and it makes you feel a certain way,” Ms. Sirchaisntop said. “I don’t know how to explain it. But it’s very touching. Down to your soul almost.”
As the website states, “Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired.”
Also in attendance for the performance was Paul Brestyanszky, a government consultant.
“The show was stunning,” said Mr. Brestyanszky. “A marvelous visual, spiritual, and human spectacle.”
Mr. Brestyanszky was not just struck by the show’s spiritual quality, but by the beauty with which it was presented.
“The human compassion, the strength of the human spirit, friendship, education, love, all of that put together in a spiritual framework,” he said. “It was beautiful.”
“For [Shen Yun] this spiritual connection is motivation for striving to excel, is the heart behind each movement of the dancer and each note of the musician. It is why audiences can feel there is something different about Shen Yun. Their source of inspiration, rooted in traditional Chinese culture, is the spiritual discipline known as Falun Dafa,” explains the Shen Yun website.
Mr. Brestyanszky was very enthusiastic about taking his family to see Shen Yun perform in the future, especially his grandchildren since—as he phrased it—“they'd learn young what the human spirit is about, because that’s what Shen Yun does.”
Reporting by Alice Su and Morgan Bradley
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. Shen Yun’s World Company will perform in the Greater Los Angeles Area through February 8. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
The 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.
