ATLANTA—Frank Maiolo, a software engineer, and Shannon Maiolo, a director of business insights with an online payment company, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts on Jan. 28 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
“I had a knee injury recently, but ever since I was little, I’ve been wanting to see the show. And so I’m really happy to finally be able to see it,” shared Ms. Maiolo, who was first captivated by Shen Yun’s promotional trailers.
She described the dance as “beautiful and ethereal.”
Shen Yun is based in New York, and its artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.
“Very uniform and graceful and perfect and pristine. Absolutely love it,” said Ms. Maiolo, who used to do ballet as well as other forms of dance.
“You can tell they really work hard. All the dancers are really dedicated,” Ms. Maiolo observed.
Shen Yun’s use of its digital backdrop is patented. The technology’s versatility allows the set to change scenes in the blink of an eye, giving the stage endless possibilities.
“The video effects with the backdrop, how it’s made seamlessly part of the act, is really unique. I saw that there was a patent for it, which is really cool. It’s this unique show-going experience which is everything that I'd hoped it would be,” Mr. Maiolo said.
Shen Yun is on a mission to present “China before communism,” and revive people’s connection with 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and culture.
“I found that the costumes and the different set pieces, all of the different storytelling, it was beautiful, and it’s very transportive. It just takes you to this world, and it’s very immersive,” Mr. Maiolo shared.
“The orchestra is fantastic. The music has been beautiful, and it’s very unique in the sense that, usually, if you go to a ballet or a dance show, right, you’re hearing more classic European style orchestras. But [Shen Yun’s] orchestra [is] playing these Chinese styles of music and presumably some Chinese instruments. It’s gorgeous, and it’s a special, unique experience that I’ve never seen,” Mr. Maiolo said.
