TUCSON Ariz.—Lois Mintah, a digital artist, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall on March 1.
“When the divine came down, when the gold circles were radiating, I felt that energy. I felt that energy coming into me, and I’m going to carry that with me,” she shared.
Ms. Mintah suffers from chronic pain, but while experiencing Shen Yun, her pain was eased.
“I have chronic pain, but seeing a show like this literally makes my pain less. It even makes my balance better. When I was coming through the crowds, I wasn’t dizzy, like I normally would be. So I feel like it helps me with my pain. I would sit through three shows in a row if I could.”
“You can feel the energy from the dancers. Being with the audience is different from sitting near a living room—there’s no distractions. You can’t have your cell phone with you. You have to come and see it in person.”
Shen Yun, based in New York, is on a mission to present “China before communism” and to revive people’s connection to 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and culture.
“It makes me want to learn more about ancient Chinese culture, and it’s just so beautiful and so powerful, and I like how you bring that back to life,” Ms. Mintah said.
Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.
Ms. Mintah noticed that even with Shen Yun’s dancers, there is a revival of traditional male and female qualities.
In today’s society, where it seems like everything is trying to influence us, Ms. Mintah says that we often lose ourselves amidst it all.
“The modern world is so busy, and our attention is always pulled in so many different directions. Sometimes we don’t even know who we are because the people are trying to tell us who we are.”
“When the modern world says get everything that you can get. Get as much money as you can get. Who cares about being kind because it’s not that important? Shen Yun says it is important even though the modern world will treat you cruelly if you show compassion.”
“God will reward you for your kindness and for your compassion. That’s so important for me to see. Being kind to other people is being recognized by God in heaven. That’s so important to me,” she said.
Shen Yun’s singers are trained in bel canto technique, and the digital backdrop provides a translation of the Chinese text being sung.
The songs’ texts are written by Shen Yun’s artistic director, D.F., and often address the dangers of modern ideology and the importance of cultivating compassion.
“That’s a message that a lot of people need to hear, and I like that they’re unapologetic about it. It’s real, and if you don’t believe it, you are absolutely missing out,” Ms. Mintah said.
“Atheism is a product of foolishness and trying to elevate ourselves above the divine. The modern world rejects the divine. You come to a show here where the divine is valued, you just start to feel more whole as a person.”
