BOISE, Idaho—A longstanding tradition in the art world is to look to the divine for inspiration. From Michelangelo and his Sistine Chapel to folk musicians in China to J.S. Bach, many artists have given heaven credit for helping them with their creations.
“[Shen Yun] is beautiful,” Slick said. “I love it. I love it. It’s so colorful and expressive, and creative and funny and intricate and multi-layered, and everyone’s so talented. It’s mind-blowing. I can’t fathom it. It’s just amazing.
“It’s so beautiful. It’s like looking at a sunrise or a galaxy. It’s just gorgeous,” Slick continued, adding that the artists could not have done a better job portraying traditional Chinese culture: “It’s top-notch!”
What especially touched the artist’s heart in Shen Yun are “the colors and the background and then how the dancers kind of match it with their movements and their outfits and their expressions.”
Slick found deep meaning throughout the performance and said the message she perceived changed from piece to piece.
“[The message] is very well portrayed, it’s very well expressed. You get the point of what’s happening. Every dance is different, but I like how they bring what’s happening in China here, in a beautiful, fun way. But also it shows the seriousness of some of it,” Slick said.
“[The meaning] depends on the dance. So, you know, one dance can be happy and just showing how a village comes alive at night or how a palace used to look. I like how different dances show different historical meaning, like they would dance for the emperor. Or the kind of darker one about the prison and being persecuted that shows what’s happening now. And so each different dance has a different meaning,” she added.
Slick said of the pieces that portray persecution: “It’s sad. Of course, my heart feels for them.”
The fine artist has already been recommending Shen Yun to her friends since this was not her first viewing of one of the performances.
“I lived in Japan and I saw them when I was in Japan and it’s been maybe three years. So I had to come back and see them when they came here. But I’ve been telling all my friends to come see them.
“It’s a rainbow kaleidoscope of culture and dance and beauty. I love it!” she said.
