INDIANAPOLIS, In.—Don and Cassandra Keech, both carpenters, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler Arts Center, on Feb. 4.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” Mrs. Keech said. “The costumes are absolutely stunning. The colors are so vibrant … The show has been absolutely stunning, and I’ve gotten emotional a couple of times at the beauty of it.”
Mr. and Mrs. Keech felt a resonance with Shen Yun’s mission because they, too, were striving to bring back tradition by constructing classical architecture.
Mr. Keech said that he was inspired by Shen Yun’s performance.
“It’s inspiring to me because they’re using their classical dance in motion to express what they want to see come back,” he said. “It makes me want to do that more in my field of building, to build, to bring that back.”
Mrs. Keech added that as she watched Shen Yun, she “felt such beauty—ethereal like it is heaven.”
Shen Yun’s program includes story-based dances, some of which are based in modern-day China and depict the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of followers of Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice that teaches the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Mrs. Keech said that she “had no idea of the persecution” and that learning about it made her emotional.
“I think we’re so used to the freedom we have here because we both grew up here in America,” Mr. Keech added. “I think it helps seeing what other countries go through and what’s happening in China, and what’s been happening in China for a long time.”
“I was proud of them for sticking up for their culture,” Mrs. Keech said.
“I think it’s really comforting to see that out in the open and people being proud of what their culture is and what their heritage is,” Mr. Keech added.
During the performance, the audience learns that Shen Yun cannot be seen in China. Mr. Keech expressed his wish for Shen Yun to be able to perform in China one day.
“Hopefully, someday, the show can happen in China,” he said. “That would be the best.”
The couple also showed their support for Shen Yun’s mission to revive traditional culture.
“I think it’s great that they’re doing that,” Mr. Keech said. “I think that that needs to happen more … Hopefully, this continues to be popular, and people continue to come to support it.”
“I want to just continue to support them in that effort,” Mrs. Keech said. “Like, I never want this show to go away because I think what they’re doing is important. It’s important that we see the tradition that they’re bringing back. I think they’re doing a fantastic job.”
