LOUISVILLE, Ky.—“I felt peace, a peace that took hold inside me,” said Debby Respondek after watching Shen Yun Performing Arts.
Mr. Terry Respondek, owner of the Respondek Railroad Company, and his wife, Debby, who studied classical ballet for 10 years, saw the performance hosted by The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts on April 29, 2015.
“We went on a short vacation for the day and found this show. We saw a sign out there, bought tickets and now we have seen the show,” said Mr. Respondek.
“It was a very great show, very beautiful, and amazing,” said Mr. Respondek.
“I enjoyed the dancing, the grace of the performers and just the overall feeling that came towards us from the stage, which is still inside of me,” his wife said.
Shen Yun, based in New York brings classical Chinese dance and traditional music to the world.
“The songs came from the singer’s heart. That’s the key to a performance,” said Mr. Respondek.
He continued, “It is very uplifting. You could come here, feel the blues, and all of a sudden you no longer feel depressed. This is because everything is bright, and cheerful. It is a blessing, it is special, and it comes from the heart,” said Mr. Respondek.
Shen Yun’s “stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired,” according to Shen Yun’s website.
Shen Yun Makes This World Better
Mr. Aurel Neamtu, professor at the University of Louisville, his wife, Dr. Daniela Neamtu, a physician, and his daughter Diana, a medical resident, attended Shen Yun.
“The scene The Power of Compassion was amazing, I thought it was so beautiful that I actually cried,” said Dr. Neamtu.
“It is an excellent show. The performers impressed the audience with an excellent idea, that comes from such an old culture. This is amazing,” said her husband.
He continued: “The scene The Power of Compassion is strong enough to penetrate through centuries, and to teach us. Although this is an ancient idea, they teach us in a new way how human beings should be.”
“Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture,” says Shen Yun on its website.
What I learned from Shen Yun is that “we should be closer to each other, and understand each other better. We should be more tolerant, which probably would make us live a better life and make this world better,” Mr. Neamtu said.
Shen Yun “brought us ancient Chinese culture. We want to get closer to this culture, through the show., I think this is a message that tells us to use dance, music and songs to tell of other cultures. This message is of friendship and peace,” he said.
Allegory for People Doing the Right Thing
In the audience were Dr. David and Dr. Kelly Dunn, both professors and physicians at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, their 11-year-old twin daughters and son Michael.
“Shen Yun is very elegant, very tasteful, and the choreography is outstanding … and all the scenes brought to the audience peacefulness,” said Dr. David Dunn.
His son liked The Fable of the Magic Brush the best. Dr. David Dun explained to him, “I think that this particular scene is an allegory for people doing the right thing, as opposed to trying to take advantage of other people.”
“Everything is very beautiful, very peaceful. The stories are like fables that go across all cultures … The stories hold common values for all of humanity,” his wife said.
“One discovers a sea of traditional Chinese culture. Mortals and divine beings merge on stage as one. Principles such as benevolence and justice, propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution, all come to life, washing over the audience … these ideals are the essence of traditional Chinese culture,” said Shen Yun on its website.
Reporting by Sherry Dong and Heide B. Malhotra
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
