LAS VEGAS—On Feb. 24, Shen Yun opened the first of its four consecutive shows at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.
“We have come three other times. I like how they’ve added comedy over the years—that was neat,” Ms. Dineen said. “The vocalists were beautiful and the [two-stringed] erhu was cool. We don’t get to see much of that in America.”
Their goal is to share with everyone the beauty and glory of pre-communist China.
Having worked her whole life in the criminal court, there was very little Ms. Shinost hadn’t seen. She knows very clearly what she wants out of life.
“I want a better life—I can tell you that— [Shen Yun] really inspires me to try to be a better person. I was really impressed with it,” she said.
“I had watched a news program before where they talked a bit about Falun Gong and organ harvesting,” she said. “I thought that was an impressive part of the show tonight, it was really inspirational. It wasn’t entertainment—they really had a message.”
Ms. Dineen chimed in that it was good to learn about what is going on in the world. “We have no idea here [in America.] We feel like everyone everywhere is free to worship as they choose. So, to hear and see that—it’s tragic.”
In fact, for its insistence on portraying the truth of events in present-day China under the communist rule, Shen Yun is banned from performing in China.
“It’s neat to see that people are the same everywhere. China, here, wherever—we all have the same things that we love. We love the truth and we love compassion. It can [manifest differently] but it all comes back to people wanting to love, to be loved, and to care for each other.”
