SAN ANTONIO, Texas—Kenton Stuth, the founder of a consulting firm, and his wife Holly had hoped to attend Shen Yun Performing Arts last year, but their plans were thwarted due to being out of town.
“This was actually for Valentine’s Day. I actually prayed and said, ‘What can I do for my wife for Valentine’s Day?’ and I got this inspiration,” he said excitedly.
Shen Yun Performing Arts was founded in 2006 by a group of leading Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of China’s ruling communist party.
In the decades since the regime’s violent takeover, Chinese traditional culture was forced to the brink of destruction.
Mr. Stuth thought the performers’ mission to bring back traditional culture through the arts was very impressive.
“I wish I could move the way that [the dancers moved,] I like how they don’t weigh anything, just bouncing in the air like that,” he expressed.
Mr. Stuth was especially touched by the story-dance piece depicting the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Gong—an ancient spiritual belief in the Buddhist tradition. Its followers uphold the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.
He said the main character’s steadfast faith even in the face of unfathomable brutality was “really beautiful.”
“I read about [the persecution,] I understood that dance,” Mr. Stuth explained.
“In fact, years ago, there was a show of [human] bodies that were preserved. The Chinese government said [the bodies] were those of criminals. At the time I was in the medical field and I was really fascinated by it, but I went back and thought about it, it’s really terrible how those bodies came to exist.”
Using classical Chinese, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as solo musical performances, the artists recount tales from ancient times to the modern day.
“It kind of lifted my body a little bit. It felt very spiritual,” he added.
The lyrics told the message that there’s someone—the Creator—that’s really taking care of us and “it’s just nice to be reminded of that.”
