ESCONDIDO, Calif.—Shen Yun Performing Arts concluded its final performance at the California Center for the Arts on Sunday, March 2 with a standing ovation, curtain calls and not a spare ticket left in the house.
“It’s fantastic,” said Joe Isom, executive vice president of California Sheet Metal, who attended the performance with his wife Clarice Isom.
Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts was established in 2006 with a mission “to revive the true, divinely inspired culture of China and share it with the world,” according to the company’s website.
At the heart of a Shen Yun performance is classical Chinese dance, accompanied by live orchestra with both Eastern and Western instruments, and rounded out with vocal and instrumental soloists. Folk and story-based dances and a vibrant interactive animated backdrop complete the performance.
“[The] costumes are amazing,” said Mrs. Isom. “I love the screen in the background. … That’s very clever.”
Mr. Isom said he and his wife came to see Shen Yun because they had been intrigued by the colorful advertisements. They had also recently hosted foreign exchange students from Beijing in their house for a week and were very interested in China and Chinese culture.
Mrs. Isom thought the stories behind the dances were very interesting, and she appreciated the emcees who came out before each piece to introduce the story and explain Chinese culture and history.
“I think sometimes in America [we’re] not quite in touch with what’s happening in other parts of the world,” she said. “This is just a little taste of [Chinese culture].”
Shen Yun’s website states, “Shen Yun cannot be seen in China today, where traditional culture has been nearly lost. Yet Shen Yun—a non-profit organization—has become an international phenomenon, bringing the wonders of ancient Chinese culture to millions across the globe.”
Mr. Isom said, “It really brought to light there are still a lot of restrictions, and things are different in China than what we know. That was very educational. Amazing.”
Reporting by Sophia Fang and Sarah Le
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.
