DENVER—Tanvi Munshi, professional Bollywood dancer (a cinematic blend of classical Indian dance with Western influences), was deeply moved by Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Buell Theatre on April 11.
“It was breathtaking; it was unbelievable,” Mrs. Munshi said. “I think everybody should experience it at least once in their lifetime.”
“As a dancer, I know that it is not easy what they are doing. It is extremely difficult, but they make it look so easy, elegant, and artistic,” she said.
“And in spite of such heavy dancing, they all had smiles on their faces; their expressions were extremely beautiful,” she added.
According to the company’s website, Shen Yun presents “China before communism.” The presented heroes in the 20 dance-dramas embody the most exalted virtues of Chinese civilization and convey morals still relevant to the modern day.
“I could see the years and years of training … because every time they perform a dance, we don’t [hear] them make any noise, we don’t see them breathe heavy, and that tells you what a true artist is,” Mrs. Munshi said.
“Also, their interaction with the LED screen, the way they enter and exit the stage was absolutely brilliant,” she added.
According to legend, China’s ancient clothing was inspired by heavenly attire, and the Shen Yun dancers’ costumes accurately hearken back to the different dynasties and regions.
Mrs. Munshi was particularly impressed with the costumes, or “drapes,” and how the dancers used them to express movement.
“The drapes that they were using were not just the part of their costumes, they were also the props they were using,” she said. “It is extremely difficult because you have to control it and let it flow at the same time, and I think they did a brilliant job in that.”
Mrs. Munshi was surprised by the elegance and restrained strength of both the female and male dancers.
“In India, when we see the male dancers, they are very aggressive … but here, the males had the elegance as well. They were doing all the stunts and everything, but … every time they land, they did not make noise,” she said.
From the time the curtain opened upon a heavenly realm, Mrs. Munshi said it “set the tune of the show very well, right at the start.”
“I think in the singing, … about tradition, keeping the tradition and believing in spirituality, and that really showed in the opening sequence itself,” she said.
China was once known as “The Land of the Divine,” and Shen Yun presents this culture by drawing upon the Middle Kingdom’s Buddhist and Daoist philosophies. In the past, artists looked to the divine for inspiration and cultivated virtue in order to create uplifting art. Today, Shen Yun’s artists follow in this noble tradition, which is why audiences feel there is something different about Shen Yun, says the company’s website.
“When I used to perform on stage, my director told me … ‘When you come on stage, I do not see you, I see what is inside you,’ … your aura speaks on stage, and you don’t see the body, you see the aura that’s performing. And that is what I saw in these performers,” Mrs. Munshi said. “They were not dancing just bodily, but their mind, their soul was performing with them.”
According to the company, the name Shen Yun can be translated as “the beauty of divine beings dancing.”
Mrs. Munshi said the performance gave her “food for thought.”
“It makes you question what is happening around the world and how you can change yourself to bring about change in the world,” she said. “It starts with you, and this show gives you that food for thought.”
To the artistic director of Shen Yun, Mrs. Mushi said, “he is a really blessed artist.”
“I wish him all the very best, and I do request him to continue his work and keep spreading the joy that he is,” she said.
“There are many people, but just one soul that is performing, and it shows … it’s a brilliant show,” she added.
