HOUSTON—Radio and TV producer Cesar Procel attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ sixth show at the Jones Hall for the Performing Arts on Dec. 30, accompanied by his friend, Rico Salcedo, a criminal defense lawyer.
Exiting the theatre at the conclusion of the evening, the two friends were stunned by the beauty and skill of New York-based Shen Yun’s performers.
“Honestly, I’m very surprised at the quality of the production, and I really like the colors. I like that it’s bright, it’s colorful, and it keeps everybody engaged.”
Shen Yun’s website describes the company as the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, with its artists highly trained in the ancient art form that has a history spanning thousands of years—celebrated for its athleticism and expressive power. It explains that numerous tumbling techniques often associated with gymnastics and acrobatics actually originate from classical Chinese dance.
Though neither man was familiar with Chinese culture, both thoroughly enjoyed the performance, thanks in part to the company’s bilingual hosts, who provided a short introduction to each piece before the curtain rose.
“He’s amazing,” Mr. Procel said. “I like the interaction between [the hosts,] the transition from English to Chinese, and the touch of comedy they add to it. I like it a lot.”
“I enjoyed it a lot,” he shared. “It’s excellent, very exquisite. I like the orchestra, and I like the singing ... The choreography is very nice.”
“I just like the culture,” he added.
To describe Shen Yun to his audience, Mr. Procel said he would encourage them to “go see something different.”
“Houston has a large theater district, and I think more people need to take advantage of quality shows like Shen Yun when they come to Houston,” he said.
