FORT WORTH, Texas—Through the performing arts, New York-based Shen Yun revives 5,000 years of the divinely inspired traditional Chinese culture.
Shen Yun dancers perform classical Chinese dance and ethnic dances from China’s many ethnic minority groups. As Shen Yun’s website states, dance is part of human culture, and art is meant to uplift.
Classical Chinese dance is its own independent system of dance with systematic training in unique postures and movements, and aerial techniques.
The athletic ability and timing of the dancers impressed Mike Karbo, a local construction business owner who attended the performance with Jenna Karbo.
Their two friends were with them, Bridget Wells and Elvira Jimenez, who had seen Shen Yun the previous year, and loved it so much they decided to come back and bring friends.
For Mr. Karbo, it was an eye-opening experience drenched in color.
“Sometimes when they all move at once, it’s just like turning the lights on and off,” he said.
Shen Yun’s costume artists collect countless designs of traditional attire and work to give the audience an authentic presentation of Chinese attire, which is said to be inspired by the heavens. Hundreds of pieces are created for each season.
“I was amazed,” Mr. Karbo said. “It’s an education in Chinese culture.”
Through the arts that Shen Yun performed, the group saw similarities and differences between their own cultures and traditional Chinese culture, in the best ways. The deeply spiritual aspect of Chinese culture resonated with Mr. Karbo, who saw many commonalities.
The dances were also inherently unique, and thoroughly traditional Chinese in the aesthetic sense.
“It just shows that difference—the culture that we live in [compared to] where the performance comes from,” Ms. Jimenez said. “The beauty of nature and the beauty of the colors in [the] graceful dancing was just beautiful.”
Ms. Karbo said the experience was phenomenal, beautiful, and educational.
“It enlightens you,” she said. “It makes you feel happy inside.”
“[We’re] definitely going to come back,” she added.
