LOS ANGELES—Ernest Balderas, president of Kids Artistic Revue, which produces a national dance competition every year, had a very different kind of dance experience on Sunday evening, April 24, at the Microsoft Theater.
“It was very magical, very theatrical, very colorful, and inspiring,” said Mr. Balderas after attending Shen Yun Performing Arts. “It brings a cultural prospective that’s unique to us here in America.”
A non-profit company dedicated to reviving the 5,000-year true, divinely-inspired culture of China, Shen Yun was founded in New York in 2006. It has since become a worldwide phenomenon.
“The production value of the dance was amazing,” Mr. Balderas said.
A Shen Yun performance focuses on classical Chinese dance, telling stories and legends from all eras of Chinese history. Live orchestra, folk dances, musical soloists, along with dazzling costumes and a projected background that interacts with the performers in the midst of the dances, give the audience an unforgettable experience.
“I was very impressed with the backdrop,” said Mr. Balderas. “I was very, very impressed with the fact that they were able to use the backdrop in the choreography and the overall production to actually enhance the storytelling of the performances.”
Mr. Balderas said the dancers were obviously having a great time on stage, and it was amazing that they could portray a story line, the meaning behind the story, and the emotion associated with it, just based on their movements and the sound of the music.
“The music, obviously that’s a whole talent in itself,” he said. “The fact that they are able to perform live and bring that to the stage and along with the movement of the dancers is a great combination.”
Shen Yun’s orchestra incorporates traditional Chinese instruments, with their distinctive spirit and sound, with a classic Western symphony orchestra. The orchestra has toured on its own to select cities in the past few years.
The music includes soloist singers, who sing in the difficult bel canto style, while maintaining Chinese diction. Mr. Balderas was impressed that they could project such volume without a microphone.
He said he felt connected to the lyrics of the singers, which were projected onto the backdrop in English.
“I think a lot of it was very spiritual. I felt it was talking about life and heaven,” said Mr. Balderas. “There were a lot of touching moments.”
Mr. Balderas said the entire production was very enjoyable to watch. All the different elements worked together very well, and the performance was noticeably well-rehearsed.
He said he would recommend it to others.
“I’m exposed to a lot of dancing on Broadway or seeing the dancers here in the U.S.,” he said. “This brings a different element to the whole dance experience, which I appreciate.”
“It just shows that regardless of where you’re from, movement and dance is very universal,” he added.
Reporting by NTD Television and Sarah Le
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.
