SAN DIEGO—Watching Shen Yun’s performance gave Steff Sylver Saavedra hope that the beauty of traditional culture can be restored to humanity.
On Sunday, March 27, at the Civic Theater, Ms. Saavedra, vice chair of the nonprofit American Indian Recruitment Program, witnessed how Shen Yun translated traditional Chinese culture through dance, music, and moving storytelling.
“It was absolutely beautiful. Everything just flowed so magnificently. It kept you captivated, kept you inspired. The music—you could feel it in your heart. You could feel it right down to your soul,” she said.
Ms. Saavedra was enthralled by how the dance movements conveyed the dancers’ emotions and inner self. “I was almost at the edge of my seat,” she said.
As a Native American, Ms. Saavedra understood the challenges of holding onto one’s traditional heritage.
“As an indigenous person, because 90 percent of our population is no longer here, we’re still struggling to gain our cultural identity back. It is very hopeful and inspiring to see the Chinese culture still live on,” she said. Her organization assists Native Americans with securing higher education and academic success.
Following the Cultural Revolution in China, Chinese traditional values and artistic forms were nearly lost. Today, Shen Yun’s mission is to revive ancient Chinese culture through music and dance.
By the end of Shen Yun’s performance, Ms. Saavedra felt hopeful that traditional cultures from around the world could be revived.
“It just really touched my heart,” she said.
Reporting by NTD Television and Annie Wu
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.
