NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.—Nisha Khanna, a computer software consultant, was left in awe by the Shen Yun Performing Arts’ portrayal of China’s 5,000-year-old cultural heritage held recently in New Brunswick.
“Awe-inspiring—in the true sense of the word,” she said. “Amazing, it really is.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun aspires to revive the traditions of ancient China through performances of classical Chinese dance and music. The entire creation includes digital backdrops depicting China’s famous landscapes and artworks, hand-made costumes intricately adorned, and a full orchestral ensemble.
The one-off performance held at the New Jersey State Theatre on Friday, Oct. 28, played to a full house and the delighted crowd showed its appreciation with prolonged applause and a standing ovation at the end.
“The overall visual effect was stunning,” Ms. Khanna noted. “They were using the background, the costumes and [props] like the fans and the handkerchiefs ... very, very nice. The flexibility (of the dancers). Overall, the visual impact was amazing!”
In a couple of sketches, Shen Yun highlighted the oppression in China today, particularly against the practitioners of Falun Gong, a form of meditation which was banned in 1999 by the Communist regime.
Over 60 years under communist rule, China’s ancient cultural traditions and spiritual values have been systematically quashed, during a period generally known as the “Cultural Revolution.”
“I thought it was a shame you can’t do something like this in China. Really cool that you can see it when you are outside China [though],” Ms. Khanna said.
She concluded that in any country where freedom of expression is available to everyone, the world’s people should support those who are trying to express themselves.
“Good luck to them,” she said adding that the artists had put on a great performance for everyone who attended the show.
Reporting by Ellen Lin and Raiatea Tahana-Reese.
New York-based Shen Yun has three companies that tour simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
