DAYTON, Ohio—“It was such a delight to see the incredible visual, the stunning dancing, the excitement, the culture, and the history of China,” said John Nagy. “All of those things wrapped up in a terrific performance.”
He was referring to Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company at Dayton’s Meade Theatre, on Feb. 25.
“Shen Yun presents colorful and exhilarating performances of classical Chinese dance and music. It is a presentation of traditional Chinese culture as it once was: a study in grace, wisdom, and the virtues distilled from the five millennia of Chinese civilization,” states the company’s website.
Mr. Nagy is a Creative Strategist for TriComB2B which specializes in business-to-business marketing of technical products and services.
From an advertising perspective, what got Mr. Nagy’s attention was the Shen Yun poster. “The poster was magnificent … That’s what got me in [the theater].”
Shen Yun takes the audience through 5,000 years of culture from ancient times to the present by presenting beloved myths, legends, and history. It does so with short story-based dance dramas.
It is a culture almost completely lost due to the 80 years of Chinese Communist rule, particularly during the Cultural Revolution.
“For me it was a real education … It was interesting in the way it was performed. It was more than just a history lesson. It actually got you involved emotionally, and you just felt part of it,” said Mr. Nagy.
“You could tell the story just in the way it was danced. So, some of it was very heartbreaking with what is going on now. But some of it was just incredibly delightful, very funny.”
“In my business, you try to stir people’s emotions, to get them to either buy the product you have out there or at least take notice,” said Mr. Nagy.
Shen Yun definitely stirred his emotions and take notice.
“What really impressed me was how everything was so precise, as well. You could see there was just a lot of work behind it, and a lot of pride behind it. Again, it was just incredibly beautiful and it was nothing I had ever seen in my life,” he said.
In addition, he particularly enjoyed the dance with a Chinese drum. “I’m a little bit of a drummer. That was really a great surprise to not only see them drum but just so well choreographed.”
Shen Yun Orchestra is known for combining the sounds of traditional Eastern and Western instruments masterfully.
“The music was incredible, a beautiful combination of both the Chinese and the orchestration,” Nr. Nagy said. “You know, this gives me more ideas … just so many delightful things, so many different things for me to witness and behold.”
It should be interesting to see where this inspiration leads Mr. Nagy’s creativity.
Reporting by Joan Wang and Cat Rooney
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.
