SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Shows the Beautiful Side of China

Feb 16, 2014
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Shen Yun Shows the Beautiful Side of China
Micheal and Joyce Cannon enjoyed an afternoon Shen Yun performance of cultural dance and music at Peabody Opera House. (Cat Rooney/Epoch Times)

ST. LOUIS—“We came to the show because I don’t know anything about China except some of the food we eat here, a lot of oppression and violence and negative things, is what we hear about a lot here. … So I thought it would be interesting to see the art, the beauty of China,” said Joyce Cannon after experiencing the classical music and dance of China presented by Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Shen Yun cannot perform in China. Since the advent of the Cultural Revolution in the 60s, the traditional values and art of China have been nearly lost under the communist regime.

Yet Shen Yun, based in New York, brings the best of ancient China’s legends, myths and history to life onstage.

Both the Cannons enjoyed the music, especially the erhu, or Chinese violin.

“I found the music and all of the performances to be very artistically and delicate, and quite fascinating,” Joyce’s husband, Michael Cannon shared. Mr. Cannon is the project manager for the St. Paul United Church of Christ in Belleville, Illinois.

“I thought it was really light and airy; they seemed to kind of float on the stage,” Mrs. Cannon said of the classical Chinese dance. Mrs. Cannon works in sales, but finds time to volunteer, too.

“Of course, very colorful and I like the screen too, how they jumped in and out of the movie screen. That was interesting,” she added. Shen Yun is known for its digitally-animated backdrop which makes the performers’ environment come alive.

“It was very exciting and very interesting that they’re able to put on this kind of production here in this country where they can’t in their own home country,” Mr. Cannon said.

As for some of the values and beliefs in the performance, he said: “I see they have the same spiritual philosophy that most of the world has, that we are human beings on this planet created by a divine creator of some sort, and we should all try to work to get along. That seems to be a universal truth.”

“It’s a big struggle for us all to get along,” Mrs. Cannon added. “Maybe someday it won’t be.”

Reporting by Cat Rooney and Sharon Kilarski

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.