WATERBURY, Conn.—Shen Yun Performing Arts graced the stage at the Palace Theater on Wednesday evening, enchanting the audience with a revival of the most ancient culture on record.
Based in New York, Shen Yun travels around the world purveying the 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture, according to the company’s website.
“A Shen Yun performance features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending the sounds of both East and West, breathtaking backdrops, splendid costumes, singers—together creating an experience that’s leaving millions in awe,” states the website.
Martin McCarthy, who owns Northeast Wood Sales, enjoyed the performance with his wife Vicky and son Jack.
The McCarthys said they were particularly drawn to the traditional and folk dances, including the Mongolian Bowl Dance—where female dancers depict a cultural dance while balancing bowls on their heads—and the piece Dancing for the Gods, which shows a traditional Tibetan dance high in the Himalayas.
The younger Mr. McCarthy said the energy of the performers acting as one cohesive unit was such that he could feel it in the air.
“And the colors,” he said. “The colors are very vibrant.”
Mrs. McCarthy said the performance was both joyous and inspiring.
Spirituality in Shen Yun Touches Doctor
Dr. Carol Gracco, a speech pathologist with The Institute for Voice and Speech, said Shen Yun was a wholesome performance.
“I wish everyone can see this,” she said.
Shen Yun’s dancers, proficient in the ancient art form of classical Chinese dance, are accompanied by digital backdrops, handmade costumes, and an orchestra that melds classical Western and traditional Chinese instruments. The dance pieces are interspersed with award-winning vocalists.
“I treat people who have problems with their voices,” said Dr. Gracco, “so I very much appreciated the singers—they were very, very good.”
The foundation of traditional Chinese culture is the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, from which stem “a rich and profound system of values,” according to Shen Yun’s website. These include the concept that one respects the heavens to know one’s destiny, as well as the five cardinal virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness.
Dr. Gracco connected with the spirituality imbued in traditional Chinese culture.
“Without that we are nothing,” she said. “I think that’s perhaps the most important message that this organization brings and that’s something that is greatly lacking today.”
Shen Yun was both spiritual and intellectual; “The spiritual part of it is the most important thing,” Dr. Gracco added.
Further, because of the revival of true Chinese culture, Shen Yun cannot currently travel to China—despite visiting over 100 cities each year—because the ruling communist regime nearly decimated the culture through various violent campaigns.
The latest campaign is the persecution of the spiritual practice Falun Gong, which is guided by truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, and “has helped over 100 million Chinese people understand and return to the essence of traditional Chinese culture—Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist schools of thought,” according to Shen Yun’s website.
Because of a stark contrast in ideology, the communist regime started persecuting the practice in 1999, but practitioners have stood firm and peacefully exposed countless injustices. “Their spirit of compassion and tolerance manifest the very essence of China’s 5,000-year-old divine culture,” states Shen Yun’s website.
Dr. Gracco said it was surprising to see several dances depicting the modern situation in China, but surprising in a good way. “I was pleased to see that they were open about that,” she said. “Very well done.”
Reporting by Hannah Cai and Zachary Stieber.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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