PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Carolyn and Paul Hebert work hard to uplift and help the neediest in their community. The Heberts run a charity organization called CHAMP Homes in Hyannis, Mass., which houses homeless youths and adults.
Looking forward to a beautiful dance performance, the couple went to see Shen Yun Performing Arts Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
Mr. Hebert said he was taken aback by the powerful themes of spirituality and freedom throughout the program.
Shen Yun’s performance “brought the hopefulness that light and goodness ultimately triumph,” he said.
“It gave me a sense of hope. Sometimes when things aren’t going so well you want to give up, but when you see the fortitude of the young people and the dancers, it brought back that if you keep at it, goodness will prevail.”
The New York-based Shen Yun performs classical Chinese dance, and ethnic and folk dances. According to its website, the group seeks to revive the 5,000-year-old heritage of Chinese civilization.
To do so, Shen Yun brings stories and tales from Chinese history and literature to life in dramatic performances.
That historical heritage does not only come through in the tales of virtue told onstage, but through the performers’ efforts to live those virtues in their lives. Mrs. Hebert said she was impressed with the how the performers embodied the positive energy of the performance.
“Through the talent of all these beautiful people, the singers, the dancers, the pianist, everybody was just exuding this energy to bring this beautiful message of a spirituality that’s gone on for over 7,000 years. That was really beautiful,” Mrs. Hebert said.
Stories of virtue are drawn form history and are brought to life through short, but expressive dance performances. Some are stories of warriors, some of villagers, some of monks.
Mr. Hebert complimented Shen Yun dancers’ on the precision of their dancing. “There was not a missed beat in their whole performance.”
“We enjoyed every movement and and every dance was very beautiful.”
Shen Yun is “bringing a message again of spirituality, of hope, and of goodness and light,” said Mr. Hebert.
Shen Yun performers are “dancing and singing their way back, and bringing it into the future. That was really beautiful,” said Mrs. Hebert.
Reporting by NTD Television and Nicholas Zifcak
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
