CHARLESTON, W.Va.—Shen Yun Performing Arts brought the news to the stage said Norman “Trip” Shumate III, vice president of the Daily Gazette Company and Charleston Newspapers.
Mr. Shumate and his wife Susan saw Shen Yun perform Tuesday, March 11, at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia.
Shen Yun performs classical and ethnic Chinese dance. The dancers strive to bring to life China’s rich cultural heritage from 5,000 years of history. According to Shen Yun, its mission is to revive that cultural heritage by telling historical and literary tales. Through dance, they come to life.
Shen Yun dancers also perform dances highlighting stories of bravery in China today. The stories are frequently tales of virtue with people striving to uphold their dignity and freedom. Mr. Shumate called the performance very timely.
“We read about people being taken away and put in prisons and things like that for speaking out or doing something different in China time to time, so it’s enlightening to see it on the stage like that,” Mr. Shumate said of the performance.
An orchestra, comprised of Western and Chinese instruments, accompanies the dancers. Solo singers perform as well.
Mr. Shumate said he also enjoyed the beauty of the performance, particularly noting the costumes, the artistry, and the talent of the dancers.
He appreciated the performance and its presentation of modern day China.
He said the performance was “very informative and allow[ed] you to see the real history in China through their art.”
Its important for people to understand what is happening in China, he said.
“It’s very poignant and timely to see it on stage in a performance type fashion. We really appreciate it,” Mr. Shumate said.
Reporting by Jin Pang and Nicholas Zifcak
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
