CHICAGO—Entrepreneur David Borlo and his son Giovanni had never seen anything like Shen Yun Performing Arts before, and found the performing arts company’s revival of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization to be a spectacular presentation.
Founded in New York in 2006, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, with a mission to showcase “China before communism.” Each program features more than a dozen dance and musical vignettes, including anything from story-based dances that dramatize ancient legends to ethnic and folk dances from China’s 50-some ethnic minorities, which the Borlos found interesting and diverse.
The dancers were captivating for Mr. Borlo, who described the rhythm of one such vignette.
“The fluidity, I like the power and the poise, and there’s a lot of difference in all of it, but it all comes together in a singular moment. I like the syncopation of it,” he said.
“Impeccable!” Mr. Borlo said of the orchestra. “I get lost in the fact that sometimes there’s real musicians playing there, and I enjoy that.”
Giovanni added that he would periodically look down into the orchestra pit to remind himself that the music was being performed right alongside what was happening on stage.
“I have to say they’re doing fine, doing great!” Mr. Borlo said. “I like the authenticity of it.”
