DALLAS—TV host Kevin Freeman attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ evening show at the Eisemann Center on Jan. 3. It was his first time seeing the company, and he had high praise for the experience.
“The dance was beautiful; the storytelling was good. I really enjoyed learning the history,” he said. “It was wonderful to see China before the influence of the CCP and just the beauty and the passion that was displayed.”
The New York-based Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by elite Chinese artists who fled persecution under 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.
Shen Yun’s mission is to return to the world’s stage the glory and beauty of China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.
“The story was actually well explained in the dance. It was nice to have the emcees come out and explain a little bit in advance so you knew what to look for. I found it fascinating,” he said.
“The dance tells a story, the music tells a story, and both were incorporated here beautifully.”
A former economic warfare consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense, Mr. Freeman has extensively studied traditional Chinese culture, and said Shen Yun reinforced his understanding.
“I’m a big admirer of the Chinese culture. I’m not a huge fan of the Communist Party,” he said.
“As an American citizen, I believe in liberty, justice, and the American way. The Chinese Communist Party is … in opposition to individual liberty … but I think the Chinese people are wonderful people. I think the culture is a wonderful culture and I admire it a good amount.”
Though Shen Yun is beloved by audiences around the world, the company is currently banned from performing in China due to its commitment to presenting the truth about life under communist rule.
Mr. Freeman also praised Shen Yun’s live music, which combines a classic Western orchestra with traditional Chinese melodies and instruments, including the two-stringed erhu and pipa—an ancient lute.
“The music was fabulous,” he said. “It was entertaining, it was upbeat and positive in its approach. So, the music and the dance worked very well together to tell the story.”
Mr. Freeman encourages everyone who has not yet seen Shen Yun to take the opportunity to attend.
“I absolutely recommend people check [Shen Yun] out. It’s interesting, it’s not anything as a cultural experience that you will [usually] encounter, and it gives insight into China before communism, which is a beautiful thing.”
