DENVER—Paintings and sculptures are admired over time for their unchanging beauty. Joe Pepper, a financial advisor and musician, described Shen Yun Performing Arts as artwork in motion after seeing the performance on April 2.
“It is artwork in motion. It is amazing, absolutely incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Mr. Pepper.
“I’m a musician professionally, so I love the music. I love the live orchestra—absolutely amazing,” he said.
“Not only is this a great theater, but the orchestra pit and the quality and the mixture between that and the dancers is so precise, it’s absolutely amazing,” said Mr. Pepper.
Mr. Pepper shared that he plays the piano, saxophone, and drums. After hearing Shen Yun’s music, he has been inspired to go home to his piano.
“I'll be thinking about this for a long time. I feel like going home and playing the piano,” he said.
“What really touched me was the message that is being conveyed through dance. I’ve never seen anything quite like this. It is the first dance performance of this caliber I’ve ever seen,” said Mr. Pepper.
“I’m so deeply touched by the precision, the passion, and the discipline. It’s just an outpouring of people’s hearts and their spirits,” observed Mr. Pepper.
Having danced as a child, Mr. Pepper could tell that the effortless movements were the result of years of sweat and practice.
“I grew up as a dancer and understand the immense amount of practice that it takes to make it look like it doesn’t take any effort. It’s remarkable—like nothing I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Dee Valdez Pepper, also a financial advisor, was equally moved by Shen Yun.
“I keep crying, and I’m so happy. I brought tissue. It’s so moving because there’s so much truth to what is being told,” said Mrs. Pepper.
The dance that really struck Mrs. Pepper told the story of Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted for their faith in China. Perhaps the worst crime of the century, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is harvesting the organs of Falun Gong practitioners against their will.
“The organ harvesting—that’s a really important reality. [It] is tragic, said Mrs. Pepper.
With a son in Shanghai, Mrs. Pepper shared her wish that he could be home.
“As soon as I got here, I thought, ‘As soon as my son gets home, I want to bring him.’ So, I’m hoping that it’ll still be around,” she said.
“Everyone has to have this experience. As much as I wanted to be here, it exceeds my expectations, so everyone needs to experience this. Thank you so much,” she said.
