FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—“It was great. Wonderful performance,” said David R. Adams, a retired diplomat who was with the State Department’s Foreign Service. He was accompanied by Myra Adams to see the Saturday evening Shen Yun performance at the Broward Center for Performing Arts.
“I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised,” he said. He had initially thought Shen Yun was sponsored by the Chinese regime until he read the program. Shen Yun Performing Arts is based in New York. Its mission is to revive 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture, which has been all but eradicated by the Chinese communist regime.
Mr. Adams is currently the vice president of Cross International Catholic Outreach, which helps ministries that are protecting women under threat of forced abortion in China and also supports an orphanage for disabled children in China, among other services.
“We are both very devout Christians, so we empathize with the persecution that the Falun Gong [is] undergoing in China. We understand Christians are also persecuted, so we should show solidarity for freedom of religion in China.” He was referring to a dance that depicts the battle between good and evil—the Chinese regime’s ongoing persecution of Falun Gong.
Falun Gong (also called Falun Dafa) is a traditional self-cultivation practice that was widely practiced soon after its introduction in China in 1992. The communist regime banned Falun Gong in 1999 and began a persecution campaign that continues today.
Mr. Adams said the performance helped expand their knowledge of China: “We knew something already. I'd read much about it. I’ve forgotten a lot, but I studied Chinese history.” He said he saw a lot of commonality between traditional Chinese and Western spiritual beliefs, divine mercy, for example.
‘Beautiful Show, So Engaging’
Myra Adams, a writer and producer, said, “I like the multimedia, the incorporation of the video with the stage. Where they connected that, I thought it was really interesting.”
Theatergoers often remark about Shen Yun’s unique digital backdrops that depict a wide range of scenes of China’s landscapes and history. The backdrops complement all aspects of the performance and give the impression that dancers can float seamlessly between the stage and the animated backdrop.
Mr. Adams reminded her: “You liked the one where they had the amazingly colored, the certain color, it was like a deep blue, and the girls were spinning around in the dresses.”
“Oh, yes! That was great,” Mrs. Adams said. She singled out the last scene several times, calling it great.
Speaking of the performance in general, she said, “I thought it was really good. I thought it was a really beautiful show, so engaging.”
Mr. and Mrs. Adams said they would introduce Shen Yun to their friends and families. Mr. Adams said they had already told people about the performance. Originally from Washington, D.C., he said he remembered Shen Yun had performed at the Kennedy Center there.
Reporting by Vivian Shao and Louise Rothman.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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