MIAMI—Montserrat Pombo, an administrative assistant at the Office of the Chairman and CEO (Latin Iberia) at a record label, attended Shen Yun for the first time on the evening of Feb. 21 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
She said the experience was spectacular.
“I’m so visually pleased. The dancers, the instruments, the sound, it’s been amazing—It’s also been a learning experience for me with Chinese culture. So, I’m very happy to be here,” Ms. Pombo stated.
Though Shen Yun has met with global acclaim since its founding in 2006, it is currently banned by the Chinese Communist Party from performing in China.
For Ms. Pombo, Shen Yun is “a beautiful marriage” between traditional culture and modern society.
According to the company’s website, Shen Yun’s live orchestra is the first to permanently combine ancient Chinese and Western instruments.
A music industry professional herself, Ms. Pombo said it was “breathtaking, for real.”
“It’s very captivating and enthralling. It’s been a spectacular experience,” she expressed.
Referring to the artists’ mission to bring back traditional culture and revive spirituality in China, Ms. Pombo said, “It’s such a beautiful message, especially today. It’s so important to get it out there, and I’m so happy to have witnessed that as well.”
For her, Shen Yun’s message is about “unity and love and tradition.” Ms. Pombo enjoyed herself so much that she will be returning to see another show the very next day.
“I’ve been super enlightened. I think I’m coming back tomorrow. I loved it. I loved it. I’ve got so much more to learn now. There is so much to Chinese culture that you have to experience it more in-depth.”
“I think they’re professionals, and they need to be proud of what they’ve done and how they’ve demonstrated their culture to the rest of the world.”
Also enjoying the performance was Adrian Morales, a multi-platinum music producer and the recipient of the Grammy Award.
“It’s beautiful. I’ve been coming to [Shen Yun] for about 12 to 14 years. So, I’m very familiar with the show. Every time I come, the music is brand new,” he said.
“The experience is evolving into something brand new and beautiful for me. The blend of the classical music with the Chinese instruments has always been perfect.”
“My wife is a Falun Gong practitioner, so I’m very familiar with the entire situation. I’ve accompanied her to anything related to human rights or anything that’s deemed to help bring attention. It’s something that’s been at the forefront for me,” he expressed.
“It’s been mind-blowing since the beginning,” he said. “The interaction of the dancers with the graphics is always on point. It helps to tell the story even better.”
In the future, Mr. Morales plans to uphold his annual tradition of attending Shen Yun and plans to invite more friends to join in on the experience.
