DENVER— Zachary Parra, a 3D designer, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at The Buell Theatre on March 30.
“This show was phenomenal,” said Mr. Parra. “It was amazing. The color, the performance, the music. It was way more than I expected. Such a joy to be here.”
As someone who works in the tech industry, Mr. Parra was impressed by the way
Shen Yun incorporated technology into its performance through its own patented animated backdrop, which allowed performers to move seamlessly between the stage and the
background.
“I was astonished,” said Mr. Parra. “It was well put together. I was a bit envious, just because ... I’m an artist myself, so seeing this work being done—is like, how are you doing this? I’m very interested to know how, but it really added an extra element to the whole performance and another state of realism to it, which just enhanced the whole thing.”
Mr. Parra said that he was able to gain some inspiration and that “it definitely makes me want to get more into animation.”
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has been the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company since its inception in 2006. Its performers come from all around the world, united in their
mission to revive traditional Chinese culture and the beauty and goodness of China before communism. Shen Yun currently has eight equally sized companies that tour the world simultaneously, delighting audiences in over 200 cities across more than 20 countries and spanning five continents.
Mr. Parra shared that he was touched by some of the story-based dances in Shen Yun’s program. Some of the story-based dances are set in modern-day China and depict the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of followers of faith.
“I was not completely aware of the situation,” said Mr. Parra. “I hear things here, but to really get more information on the circumstance, it’s a lot to take in. ... Honestly, I wish things were better for the people there. I wish things were better for the people.”
After seeing through Shen Yun what traditional Chinese culture and China were like before the current
communist regime seized power, Mr. Parra said that he wished China could return to how it once was in the past.
“I have a more profound and more enlightened respect and admiration for the culture from just watching this,” he added before saying that the message he saw throughout Shen Yun’s
performance was to “stand together, [be] triumphant, and don’t give [up] hope.”
Reporting by Lily Yu and Wandi Zhu.
