ESCONDIDO, Calif.—Alan Gore, the former cultural arts commissioner of Chula Vista, is no stranger to exceptional music and performance. When he attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ matinee at the California Center for the Arts on Jan. 29, he immediately knew it was something special.
“The show is fantastic. It’s really good,” he shared. “It has the sounds, it has the moments, it has the spiritual [elements,] and the aspect of what is going on now. It’s very important that we could spread this throughout the United States.
“The dancing was fantastic. The music was awesome. The [singers] were awesome. The whole thing was beautiful,” he added.
Mr. Gore attended the performance with Charlotte Gore, a clinical laboratory scientist. She also had a great time.
Having previously traveled to China, Ms. Gore said she appreciated that Shen Yun “showed [her] a different perspective of China—the traditional China.”
“Not only the performers but the people in the orchestra, it was to me, very amazing,” she said. “The digital backdrops were gorgeous, and I would really try to come again, definitely.”
As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, China’s 5,000 years of history are filled with breathtaking legends and rich traditions. Yet, within just a few decades of the Chinese communists’ rise to power, this magnificent culture was destroyed.
The spread of atheism quickly eradicated the Chinese people’s belief in the divine. The cherished virtues and values learned from the teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism disappeared overnight.
Today, the New York-based Shen Yun is working to revive this lost civilization and bring back to the world through dance and music, the beauty of China before communism.
There were many moments in the performance that touched Mr. Gore. He believed that the traditional values and divine-inspired culture Shen Yun shared was invaluable, and emphasized that it’s very important for everyone “to see something good and beneficial for the people around them.”
“You have to believe in something,” he said. “Spiritually, those things are going to be very, very important for the future because what’s happening now [in society. Shen Yun shows that on stage. It’s really good. Excellent.”
This season, Shen Yun’s eight touring companies are bringing their stunning performances to over 200 cities worldwide. With a brand-new program each year, the company’s 20th anniversary marks another season full of fresh surprises for both first-time and returning audiences alike.
