WASHINGTON—Russ Ptacek, an award-winning television and investigative reporter with 9 News Now WUSA-a part of Gannett, Inc.—was in the audience at the Opening Night of Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center Opera House on March 21.
“We were enchanted through the whole thing. We laughed along every time the performers smiled. The energy that they had, we had the same energy in the seats. It was really a lot of fun,” Mr. Ptacek said.
New York-based Shen Yun, with a mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, presents classical Chinese dance and music. Traditional Chinese culture was almost destroyed by communist rule in China. However, the deeper spiritual core of the ancient culture, with values of benevolence, honor, propriety, cannot be destroyed, says the company on its website.
Mr. Ptacek said, “I think the performance transforms language and culture. It was full of energy and full of smiles. The performers just had so much energy in every movement. ... it was just a very positive program.”
According to Shen Yun’s website, “In a collection of short pieces, audiences travel from the Himalayas to tropical lake-filled regions; from the legends of the culture’s creation over 5,000 years ago through to the story of Falun Dafa in China today; from the highest heavens down to the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom.”
“I think the performance was very engaging. I think it was a great opportunity to learn and to see a new culture from a different perspective,” he said.
Shen Yun’s one-of-a-kind orchestra, with its all-original compositions, blends East and West like no other, something that Mr. Ptacek really enjoyed. “It was a wonderful performance and a great evening.”
Mr. Ptacek mentioned that he was going to get on Facebook and tell his friends what he saw tonight: “It was a great show.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Kelly Ni.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will perform at the Kennedy Center Opera House, Washington, D.C., through April 1.
For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
