PORTLAND, Ore.—Washington County Commissioner Bob Terry and his wife Penny saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at Portland’s Keller Auditorium on Jan. 18, and both of them said they loved it.
Commissioner Terry has a long history of service with various community and nursery industry associations such as the Oregon Association of Nurseries and the American Nursery and Landscape Association. Before his election in 2011, Commissioner Terry served on the Washington County Budget Committee for 10 years.
As for the performance, he was especially struck by the discipline of Shen Yun’s performers, characterizing them as “phenomenal.”
“I loved how [Shen Yun] has taken the choreography and melded it into the technology,” he said. “So you have kind of an animation-choreography. It’s just wonderful what they’ve done.”
Shen Yun’s digital backdrop serves as an extension of the stage, transporting its audiences to a world where heaven and earth are one, according to the Shen Yun website.
“You have not seen something like that before,” Commissioner Terry added. “But it takes back with your ancient history and brings it forward to the culture to today.”
Mrs. Terry, who has worked with the Lee Family Association, or the Lee On Dong Association, was enamored with the performance.
“I love it, absolutely love it,” she said. “Their synchronization, and the skill, and the talent.”
Shen Yun seeks to revive 5,000 years of divinely imparted Chinese culture, a culture nearly wrought to extinction by 60 years under the current regime. Since 2006, Shen Yun has travelled the globe, bringing the wonders of traditional Chinese culture to millions.
With her own special appreciation for the arts, Mrs. Terry views Shen Yun as the perfect way to educate Americans about China, thereby bringing the two societies together. “I think it is very wonderful,” she added.
“Just to share the arts bridges the communication. And when you share, the children learn their history and their culture.” Commissioner Terry said.
Mrs. Terry agreed. “It gives you an appreciation of how different but how much alike we are,” she said.
Reporting by Chen Si and Michael Fitzgerald
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.
