HONOLULU—“This is the second time that we’ve been here, and it’s just as great as it was the first time,” said retiree Joan Schmidt after attending Shen Yun Performing Arts for the second time at Blaisdell Concert Hall on Saturday afternoon, May 9.
Shen Yun was founded in 2006 in New York by a group of leading classical Chinese artists. A performance includes classical Chinese dance, folk dance, story-based dance, a live orchestra incorporating Chinese and Western instruments, a stunning projected backdrop, and talented musical soloists. The audience also experiences authentic Chinese culture.
“For 5000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China,” says Shen Yun’s official website. “Humanity’s treasure was nearly lost, but through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is bringing back this glorious culture.”
“It’s wonderful,” said Ms. Schmidt. She was very impressed with the dancers’ beautiful handmade costumes and also their incredible athletic abilities.
“We were just saying how so agile they are, how flexible, and even when they do their jumps, they’re soft,” she said. “They just seem to float in the air. Beautiful.”
Classical Chinese dance is known for its incredible flips and spins, but it’s also known for its gentle elegance. “It is one of the most rigorous and expressive art forms in the world,” states the Shen Yun website.
Ms. Schmidt said she always comes out feeling happy, because the performance was so wonderful.
“You come out floating, too,” she said.
She said she enjoyed the educational aspect of Shen Yun, which introduced her to some ancient and modern Chinese history. She also has some Chinese ancestry.
Ms. Schmidt said she was especially drawn to the mountainous scenery in the colorful interactive digital backdrops, which reminded her of the green mountains of Hawaii. She felt herself simply dwelling on its beauty, and said she'd like to go to China someday.
“It does get you very peaceful,” she said. “It’s wonderful. Just wonderful.”
‘Every time different, every time very beautiful’
“This was the third time we have seen it,” said audience member and professional singer Jacqueline Chun after attending Shen Yun. “It is beautiful. Every time different; every time very beautiful.”
Ms. Chun trained in classical opera singing, but also sings in other popular styles and many languages.
She said the soprano soloist in Shen Yun was “very good.” She was also very impressed by the instrumental soloist on the erhu, a two-stringed Chinese violin. “Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!” she said.
Ms. Chun attended this and other performances with her husband, and they brought their daughter to see Shen Yun on Saturday for the first time.
Overall, Ms. Chun and her family had a wonderful evening.
“Beautiful. First class,” she said of Shen Yun. “Beautiful music, beautiful dancing, the costumes are beautiful, the scenery is beautiful, the lighting, the special effects … very clever, very nice.”
Reporting by Song Song, Sally Sun, 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.
The 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.
