Among the audience members was Todd Hansen, a financial advisor, who said the performance moved him to tears.
“You can hear something, you can see something, but you really, truly feel at this show. You feel moved, at least that’s what I felt,” Mr. Hansen said. “I was in tears. I was in tears 15 years ago, and I was in tears probably half the acts, six of the 12 acts, just tears running down my face, just that moved.”
Business owner Katie McMurrich said, “I am so glad I’m here. We’re having a great time, and it’s just mesmerizing. The dancers are graceful. There are so many vibrant colors and costumes. And we already have plans to come back. My son really wants to come see it too, so we'll be back for sure.”
Alan Cox, a former weather observer for the National Weather Service, was also impressed by New York-based Shen Yun. “The choreography, the unison, the intricacy of it is just fantastic.”
“It’s very emotional. As you’re watching it, it comes right to your soul and you start realizing that there’s so much other beauty in this world than what’s going on right now,” business owner David Eisenhuth said. “So it’s very emotional. I love it. The performers are great, fantastic, amazing, the acrobatics and everything else. What I would say to other people is, if you haven’t seen this, you have to come see it. I'll see it again.”
Mr. Hansen said, “It teaches us a lot about the history of the Chinese and the fact that it’s thousands of years old, and there are so many wonderful traditions. And the dance and the acrobatic abilities and the storytelling make me want to read and learn even more about China. I think it’s wonderful. I think that’s the heart of Chinese culture, that’s the bone, the structure, everything that’s good and decent and compassionate about Chinese culture.”
“I think of the history that’s there, and the tradition there, and the training for the dancers. They’re obviously very disciplined, and it’s impressive to see both the men and the women and their abilities out there,” Ms. McMurrich said.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Shen Yun has been touring the world since 2006, and has grown to eight different companies. Shen Yun currently cannot perform in China due to the regime’s brutal persecution of faith.
Mr. Hansen said, “The inspiration I have is that I want this to be told in China. The most oppressed by the CCP are the Chinese people that are living in China. And we have to stop that. We have to end that. I was thinking during the last act, and that’s partly when my tears were coming, how beautiful the day is going to be when you can perform in Beijing and the kids there, their grandparents, can see you all perform and know their own culture and their own traditions. That’s going to be a beautiful day, and it’s going to happen. I don’t know if it'll happen in my lifetime, but it will happen.”
“Beauty, love, magnificent performances, unbelievable athleticism, unbelievable music, as my friend said. Just joy and hope that this can spread, and that there will be 18 troupes in year 21, not eight. You have eight troupes now, right? Let’s go to 18 and spread it all over the world,” Mr. Hansen said.
