SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun ‘Gave Me Life,’ Theatergoer Says

Jan 10, 2016
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Shen Yun ‘Gave Me Life,’ Theatergoer Says
Josue Diaz attends Shen Yun’s evening performance at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 9, 2016. (Courtesy of NTD Television)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Josue Diaz is a director of visual merchandising at Boston Proper, but visual effects were not the first thing he lauded after seeing Shen Yun’s evening performance at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 9.



“I am inspired, I am motivated, I am moved. I cried, I laughed. The show gave me life. Incredible! Incredible!” Mr. Diaz said.

Spirituality has always been an important part of his life, Mr. Diaz said, and the performance had many inspiring moments for him. One was seeing hope, when good triumphs over evil, and “you can hold onto your beliefs, your well-being.”

Shen Yun Performing Arts’ dances convey a range of feelings and themes: light-heartedness in “A Joyful Harvest,” military prowess in “Defending the Throne,” reverence for the divine in “Celebrating the Divine,” joy in “Drums of the Grasslands,” feminine elegance in “Manchurian Maidens.” More than one dance portrays courage in the face of evil.

Set in contemporary China, the dance “The Steadfast Heart” tells the story of a group of Falun Dafa practitioners who are about to start their exercise routine. However, policemen sent by the communist regime attack and arrest them. In the end, “a heavenly scene unfolds,” according to the program book.

Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) is a self-cultivation practice that includes gentle exercises, meditation, and living according to the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. It has been persecuted by the communist regime since 1999.

“I think true spirituality is when you’re able to allow others to be,” Mr. Diaz explained. “Just the idea of light being able to overcome any darkness was a beautiful message.”

After speaking enthusiastically about the spiritual impact of the performance, Mr. Diaz remarked on the visual effects: “It was just so beautiful, the colors, the movement, the flow, everything around it was just such a beautiful composition, so well done.” He said he was very moved by the designs, the mixing of colors, the ombré.

Shen Yun uses brilliant colors in unexpected combinations for its meticulously crafted costumes. Costume designers who see Shen Yun are wowed by the costumes. Many say they’ve taken inspiration from what they’ve seen.

Mr. Diaz found the whole effect—the colors, the culture, the dance, the stories—“so fascinating, so beautiful, and so easygoing.”

“I love the show, love it!” Mr. Diaz said. “I think everybody should see it.”

Shen Yun will perform in five more Florida cities as part of its world tour: St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Melbourne, Venice, and Orlando.

Reporting by NTD Television and Louise Rothman

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.

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.

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