SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun: ‘You Feel the Divinity Coming Out,’ Says Arizona Patron

Feb 18, 2023
SHARE
Shen Yun: ‘You Feel the Divinity Coming Out,’ Says Arizona Patron
Debra Winsberg and her daughter Tori Winsberg at the Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center in Arizona on Feb. 17. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)

MESA, Ariz.—“It was eye candy,” said graphic artist Debra Winsberg, who attended Shen Yun Performing Arts with her daughter, Tori Winsberg, at the Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center in Arizona the afternoon of Feb. 17.

From the costuming and “the color combinations [of] how they match the background,” to the design of the screen technology and the live orchestration, Mrs. Winsberg was impressed with every aspect of Shen Yun’s artistry.

“The whole thing top to bottom was beautiful,” she said.

According to the company’s website, Shen Yun’s costumes and colors are true to traditional aesthetics and styles, painting each dance piece with the splendor of the past.
Ms. Winsberg, nursing student in Arizona, was impressed with the beauty of Shen Yun as well.

“Honestly, I am speechless,” she said. “It was just beautiful, I really didn’t know what to expect coming in, but it topped my expectations for sure!”

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company. Along with folk dances and solo performances, the production depicts story-based pieces that tell tales from ancient times to the modern day.

Shen Yun’s aim is to revive China’s 5,000-year-old traditional culture. The production says their performance demonstrates “China before communism,” and the ancient civilization that was once known as “The Land of the Divine.”

Mrs. Winsberg said she could tell that the Shen Yun dancers truly enjoy what they are doing.

With their “smiling happy faces … you can see it’s very important to them,” she said.

In addition to a live orchestra that blends traditional Chinese instruments into a classical Western orchestra, Shen Yun also boasts virtuoso vocalists who sing Chinese lyrics using the bel canto style.

“The spiritual element came through in the baritone and the tenor,” said Mrs. Winsberg. “That was heartfelt … the things they were saying we feel also, and there’s a common ground with other religions—loving, sharing, etc. … it was very touching.”

‘Very Enlightening’

“The music makes you feel good, lifts you up and makes you feel part of the dance,” said Scott Crawford, electric commercial contractor. “Good show, wonderful story [and] dancing!”
Mr. Crawford also attended the matinee performance of Shen Yun at the Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center in Arizona on Feb. 17.
Scott Crawford and his guests at the Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center, in Arizona, on Feb. 17, 2023. (Mary Mann/The Epoch Times)
Scott Crawford and his guests at the Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center, in Arizona, on Feb. 17, 2023. (Mary Mann/The Epoch Times)

“I see the divine and the divinity in everything they are doing,” he said. “It’s very spiritual … very enlightening.

In the past, artists looked to the divine for inspiration and cultivated virtue in order to create uplifting art. Today, Shen Yun’s artists follow in this noble tradition, which is why audiences feel there is something different about Shen Yun, says the company’s website.

“It shows the divinity of the dance and the people … I feel they are divine beings dancing,” said Mr. Crawford.

“You feel the divinity coming out and [it] helps people progress and to do good for others.”

Reporting by Sherry Dong, Mary Mann, and Jennifer Schneider.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
Related Topics
shen yun
SHARE