“I think you guys are all amazing. Keep doing what you’re doing. It’s really inspirational to be watching you guys up there doing what you do, and it does make everybody feel really good about themselves,” said Ms. Dallosto, a dancer.
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.
“Even for myself, being a performer and being on the other side of it, it really does still put a smile on my face and makes me want to keep doing what I’m doing as well,” Ms. Dallosto said.
Shen Yun’s website states that Classical Chinese dance training includes three main components—technical skill, form, and bearing, which is one of the many ways that Classical Chinese dance is different from ballet.
“Today was really amazing. It was so unique as well, very different from what I do as a profession. It was really enjoyable. The costumes were amazing, the dancers were phenomenal,” Ms. Dallosto said.
Audience members often comment that Shen Yun’s dancers exhibit great skill in gymnastics or acrobatics, but Shen Yun’s website tells us that the techniques seen in the performance actually originate from classical Chinese dance.
“It was really interesting to learn that the acrobatics and gymnastics actually come from the history of the country as well. So it was really interesting to see the culture and the style of the dance,” Ms. Dallosto 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.
“The history that I learned from watching all of the different routines, I think it’s definitely something that I can take. I feel a lot lighter after watching the show as well,” Ms. Dallosto said.
Chinese literature, along with Chinese history and legend, is a rich source of inspiration for Shen Yun.
“I think the culture—a lot of the stories are really interesting and make you laugh a little bit,” Ms. Dallosto said.
She added that the way the choreography interpreted each story made each dance “really easy to understand,” and “light-hearted.”
