EDINBURGH, U.K.—On the afternoon of Feb. 11, Shen Yun Performing Arts concluded its second and final show at the Edinburgh Playhouse to warm applause.
“I thought it was moving,” Mr. Dunn said. The performance “gives you an insight into what was going on historically and China [today].”
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of the communist party.
For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.
“In all cultures, we silently or outwardly have our own gods. … It’s important because it takes you back to the seat of your origins,” he expressed.
“I think it’s important to remember [that] you should always be glued—doesn’t matter where you end up in the world—to where you came from.”
He also praised Shen Yun’s live orchestra, which accompanied each dance piece.
In Chinese, the words for ’medicine‘ and ’music’ share the same written character, differing only in pronunciation, reflecting the ancient belief that music is one of the earliest forms of medicine in the world.
Seamlessly blending the grandeur of a Western orchestra with the ethereal beauty of Chinese melodies, Shen Yun musicians produce a profound emotional range that captures the depth of the human experience.
Lastly, Mr. Dunn urges everyone who hasn’t seen Shen Yun yet to “go and see it.”
“I think it’s one of those things you’ve got to experience yourself, absolutely,” he said.
“It’s one of those things you’ve got to sit there, take it in yourself, and make your own decision. I thoroughly enjoyed it.”
