NEW YORK—New Yorkers, famous for their appreciation of the arts, stepped out in full force on a wet spring day for the Sunday matinee performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Lincoln Center, April 22.
Business owner, Erica Martell, came with her family. “We really enjoyed it,” she said. “It’s very impressive.”
Ms. Martell commented on the variety of arts within the Shen Yun production, noting the sheer scale of the performance.
“There were so many performers—it was wonderful. It had a good range of dance, music,” she said. “I really enjoyed the interaction....the dancers coming out of the screen was really exciting.”
Shen Yun is dedicated to restoring traditional Chinese culture through the performing arts. A Shen Yun performance will present “sophisticated dance techniques, an orchestra joining instruments East and West, beautiful costumes, and a stunning back drop,” the company’s website says.
Incredible Talent
Lani Yeswoit, now retired, was glad to have braced the cool spring weather to see Shen Yun.
“Absolutely wonderful show,” she said. “The artistic talent is incredible. It’s something I’ve always wanted to see.”
Ms. Yeswoit was impressed with the Shen Yun dancers.
“The gracefulness … they make such a difficult thing look so easy. Dancing is not easy, defying gravity the way they do,” she said.
Searching for words to describe her appreciation of Shen Yun she said she loved of “all of it.”
“It’s just spectacular ... very enriching and a delight. I would recommend anyone to see it,” she said.
Heart-Warming Performance
Theo Al, a retired corrections officer came with his wife to see Shen Yun and loved it all.
“It’s very heart-warming,” he said.
Mr. Al enjoyed the historical aspect of the performance which spans “the legends of the culture’s creation over 5,000 years ago through to the story of Falun Dafa in China today; from the highest heavens down to the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom,” according to the company website.
He also appreciated the colorful handmade costumes and the classical Chinese dance sequences. But it was the stories that moved him most, were the contemporary scenes of oppression; “the heartfelt part of what they went through for their rights. A decent way of living and what they believe in.”
In one dance, The Choice, young practitioners of Falun Gong are forced to choose between conforming or standing up for their beliefs, according to the Shen Yun program book.
“It was sad,” Mr. Al, said “Everybody should have their freedom.”
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world, with a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Upcoming performances in the United States include Chattanooga, Tennessee, on April 24, and Columbus, Ohio, on April 26 and April 27.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3WTKCEA4tE[/video]
