SAN ANTONIO—Rebecca Villanueva, who helps keep the U.S. border secure with the Department of Homeland Security by day, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Tobin Center. It is a performance that has been bridging cultural borders across the globe. She and her husband, Edward Villanueva, also a federal employee, told The Epoch Times they weren’t sure what to expect.
“It’s unique—very, very unique, not anything like we’ve ever seen,” said Mrs. Villanueva, who works in mission support.
Regarding the brilliant costumes worn by Shen Yun dancers, she said, “Oh my goodness, I love them! I want to wear those to work!”
Shen Yun trains its dancers in classical Chinese dance, an ancient art form, to retell old myths. Yet its vibrant vision makes them seem fresh and meaningful—no matter one’s cultural background. Without using words, the dancers communicate emotion with the gesture of an arm or bow of a head. The language is universal.
“They fly,” Mr. Villanueva said, speaking of the aerial acrobatics he witnessed the dancers perform. “So flexible!”
While Shen Yun aims to stir hearts through its ancient skills, the company is also geared up to impress viewers of the present. Its patented animated 3D backdrop whisks audiences into Chinese landscapes, ancient palaces, and even the heavens. The dancers onstage seamlessly interact with and transport themselves between the backdrop and the stage.
“When the dancers actually interacted with the backdrops, it’s just the coolest thing ever,” Mrs. Villanueva said.
She was captivated by an ancient Chinese superhero called the Monkey King, who, in one piece, was being taught by a magical monk master. The digital backdrop and acrobatics, not to mention the humor in Shen Yun’s dances, all came together. “It was just so funny when the monkey was trying to change shapes—I loved it.”
Mr. Villanueva was also moved by Shen Yun’s mission. The New York-based company isn’t allowed to perform in China because many of its members are Falun Gong believers, and some even had to flee the mainland due to religious persecution under the Chinese Communist Party. Now Shen Yun takes on the mission of reviving the values that were “almost lost” in China.
“First time seeing [Shen Yun],” he said. “I’m very impressed with the performance and the choreography, the background, the colors, everything. It’s a beautiful show.”
