MIAMI—Cesar Gadea-Gonzalez and Isabella Panizza were full of enthusiasm after seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts. The experience had been a vibrant one and profound as well, the two shared.
“Oh, it was incredible. Are you kidding me?“ said Mr. Gadea-Gonzalez, an engineer. The two saw the performanceat the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 24.
Ms. Panizza described it as perfection.
“I feel from everyone that was dancing and showing how alive they were,“ she said. ”And the unity, not just between men and women, but the synchronicity. They were in sync. It was perfect. I’ve never seen such perfection ever.”
Mr. Gadea-Gonzalez said he saw the history and humanity of China and the Chinese people, not the regime that rules it.
“Despite everything that’s going on, it gives some good light to the situation, and it’s very hopeful. It gives a warmth to the people as well,“ he said. ”I’m very grateful to be shown the opportunity that Shen Yun is here, and it’s a very, very enlightening experience.”
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New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, and takes as its mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.
Formed in 2006, the company has since become a global phenomenon, with eight simultaneously touring groups. Today, it aims to show people “China before communism.”
That was a China that had once been called “the land of the divine” and the “celestial empire.” But when communism took power in China less than a century ago, it sought to replace traditional culture with one of atheism and struggle.
Shen Yun’s mission is a brave one, said Ms. Panizza, a businesswoman from Brazil.
“We accept, and we understand,” Ms. Panizza said. She said the artists were resilient and stayed true to themselves despite the obvious danger they must face. Mr. Gadea-Gonzalez agreed.
“I think that they’re doing a very fantastic job. Very brave of them as well to do this, especially since, you know, I’m assuming they all come from China as well, right? They have their families there,” he said. He could understand, he added, being from Nicaragua, where citizens fear the country is on the verge of a civil war. Many of the Shen Yun artists indeed have family still in China, whom they may never be able to see again.
Shen Yun is blacklisted in China, and the Chinese Communist Party has even sought to influence theaters and governments overseas to prevent Shen Yun from performing even in the United States, South Korea, or South America. The artists are unable to return to China without fear of repercussions.
“So that hits very close to home for them, I’m pretty sure. And it’s not easy. I’m pretty sure speaking about this and expressing this whole thing, but you know, [they’re] very brave. I love the fact that they should keep on doing this, you know. Not to give up and then and don’t lose hope in their in their home country,” Mr. Gadea-Gonzalez added.
With reporting by Lily Yu.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
