FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—One couple, on holiday from Canada, attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts’ portrayal of China’s true traditional culture in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday.
Staged at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 27, the presentation was the last of two shows held there.
Also amongst the enthusiastic audience was another couple, Francisco Sotello originally from El Salvador and his wife, Sue Dran, from Vietnam.
Mr. Sotello works in public relations “for one of the number one resorts in the world,” he said, while Ms. Dran has a nail beautician business.
From the opening curtain to its closing, gorgeously costumed dancers are choreographed to match animated backdrop scenes integrated with a fusion of groundbreaking Western and Eastern composition.
“Beautiful. It’s very beautiful—a very different culture,” Mr. Sotello said. “It’s so beautiful. It’s the first time I’ve come to this kind of show, I’m very impressed. We enjoyed it.”
His wife said, “I liked it too,” repeatedly, adding “very wonderful.”
From China’s ancient past to the present, stories derived from ancient heroic legends, beloved folk tales and courageous stories of today, the couple enjoyed them all.
One in particular caught their fancy, Wu Sung Battles the Tiger, a classical novel about a man-eating tiger prowling a village. The tiger is eventually hunted down and killed by Wu Song, but not until he downs “three bowls” of potent alcohol first, the programme book, says.
“It was fantastic, a very fantastic piece. We enjoyed it,” Mr. Sotello said. “This is a beautiful show, very professional.”
‘Snowbirds from Canada’
Jean-Paul Philippe and his wife Louise have “never seen anything so beautiful” as the Shen Yun performance.
“It was beautiful, it was wonderful, it’s high in color too,” Mr. Philippe said. “It’s very nice.”
The couple came from Ottawa, together with Mr. Philippe’s brother.
“We’re snowbirds, we live in the condo for the whole winter and we saw your ad and came down. We enjoy it,” Mrs. Philippe said.
Mr. Philippe is living a happy life, he said, retired from a government job. He and is wife celebrate 49 years married.
“My son went to see a performance last week similar to this, in Montreal and said it was very, very nice,” Mr. Philippe said.
The Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company is part of a world tour of over 30 countries, with three separate companies touring simultaneously.
With reporting by Fany Qiu.
Shen Yun will now perform in St. Petersburg, Jan. 29 and Jacksonville, Jan. 30-31.
For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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