NEWARK, N.J.—Investment advisor Carlos Catoya and Vivan Taboada, who works in finance, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on May 1.
“I think it’s magical,” Mr. Catoya said. “I’m very impressed with the choreography and how all the dancers are very much in sync. Visually stunning.”
According to its website, the name Shen Yun translates directly into “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” Based in New York, the artists have made it their mission to revive, through dance and music, China’s divinely inspired civilization to its pre-communist glory.
Its production comprises a series of short pieces that take its audience on a journey through the dynasties and across the vast regions of China. Using classical Chinese, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as solo musical performances, Shen Yun tells tales from ancient times to the modern day.
Mr. Catoya, who has attended many performances, said Shen Yun is one of a kind. “It’s visually stunning, it’s different,” he shared. “The synchronicity is terrific. The athleticism of the performers is incredible. We really, really, really are enjoying it.”
Shen Yun artists are highly trained in classical Chinese dance—an art form with a history spanning thousands of years, celebrated for its athleticism and expressive power. What many may not realize is that numerous tumbling techniques often associated with gymnastics and acrobatics actually originate from classical Chinese dance.
According to the company’s website, the classical Chinese dance seen in China today is heavily mixed with military and modern styles. Only at Shen Yun can the audience experience it in its purest form, preserved as it was passed down through generations.
Mr. Catoya particularly appreciated the story-based dances that bring legends from Chinese historyto life. Though he is not familiar with traditional Chinese culture, and there was no dialogue, he found the narratives easy to follow.
“It’s something totally new for me, which I appreciate. I really enjoy it,” Mr. Catoya added.
Ms. Taboada also enjoyed the performance. She, too, thought the experience was “visually stunning.”
“The dancers are impressive, the dancing is impressive,” she shared. “I would congratulate them on just all their work [in] the show. It’s obvious that they do a lot of work. It shows, and it is perfection.”
