Shen Yun Performing Arts has launched its 20th anniversary tour, in which the New York-based performing arts company’s eight troupes will tour 170 cities across five continents over the next five months, giving more than 730 performances.
He said he felt that the performance awoke all five senses.
“You almost feel like you can smell the lotus flowers when they are carried by the [dancers],” he said.
“Through this show, we can see things as evoked by the [emcees] who elegantly present each scene to us: These periods of suffering, these periods of prohibition, these periods of mythology, and these periods of incredible and fantastic stories. I find it to be an absolutely extraordinary vision of China.”
“Through dance, it speaks profoundly about Chinese culture and classical Chinese dance, about the period before communism,” she said at the Galaxie Amnéville theater.
“It touched me deeply.”
Dziabas also said that Shen Yun is spreading a “message of hope.”
“I understand that [many] of the dancers ... are Chinese artists living in exile in New York, in the United States,” she said. “That makes it even more powerful and beautiful. These are Chinese citizens who have gone into exile and are giving their very best through art—through this show.”
In the United States, the first of this season’s performances began on Dec. 24 in San Jose, California, followed by Houston on Dec. 26; Waterbury, Connecticut, on Dec. 27; and Jacksonville, Florida, on Dec. 27. On Dec. 30, Shen Yun will also begin its Asia tour in Taipei, Taiwan.
“The first thing that comes to mind is just the beauty of it all,” Mullins said. “It’s overwhelmingly beautiful. If you are trying to get back in touch with your Creator, whoever that might be, this is a great way to do it.
“I’m very inspired. Especially this time of year, when we’re all so stressed out and just struggling with work and trying to have the perfect Christmas for the family—this was nice to kind of decompress and enjoy.
“For two decades, Shen Yun has been a beacon of artistic excellence, preserving and celebrating the rich heritage of classical Chinese culture through music, dance, and storytelling,” the certificate reads.
“The Houston City Council and the residents of our great city proudly honor Shen Yun Performing Arts for its extraordinary contributions to Houston’s cultural vibrancy, its commitment to artistic mastery, and its continued dedication to sharing world-class performances with our community year after year.”
“The dancers were incredible. They were so precise. They were so technical,“ he said. ”You saw the emotion of each different performance from past history all the way to the present. It was a great journey.
“The orchestra was great. All of the different sounds and the music that they were able to provide while the dancers were performing went perfect. A big shout-out goes to the MCs as well, they really explained what we were watching, the importance and historical history of each dance, and I thought it was just excellent all around.
“Seeing it on videos or hearing about it does not do it justice. You have to come and see it with your own eyes, and I guarantee you, you won’t be disappointed.”
