“I thought it was beautiful. The dancing was beautiful, the message was beautiful,” Mrs. Farr said. “It’s culturally nothing like I’ve ever experienced; it was really good.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun is the world’s leading classical Chinese dance production. With its flips and gentle elegance, it is one of the most athletic and expressive art forms in the world. According to the company’s website, Shen Yun has preserved the true aesthetics of this classical dance system—the way it has been passed down from antiquity—and presents this authentic culture in its purest form.
“It was a treat,” Mr. Farr said. “I enjoyed the movement of the show.”
The dancers “were all refined and ... the costuming was so good,” he added.
They particularly enjoyed the erhu, a traditional Chinese two-stringed instrument that has been called the “Chinese violin.” An incredibly expressive instrument, it is capable of conveying a broad range of emotions, even imitating sounds from chirping birds to neighing horses, Shen Yun’s website explains.
Mr. Farr was impressed with Shen Yun’s story-based dances that span 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. According to the company’s website, the performance consists of 20 pieces that move “from one legend, region, or dynasty to the next.”
The overall message he received from the performance was, “There’s salvation from above, our Lord loves us, and we’re all destined for heaven.”
Mrs. Farr added that another takeaway is “good triumphs over evil.”
The end of the performance was a memorable part for her.
“I feel ... we can be assured of our salvation, that was the highlight of the show,” she said.
