Mr. W. said, “I love the intricacies of Chinese dancing and the history, but I’m more impressed with the discipline that it takes to perform. For example, the way they held their poses for up to nine seconds was pretty amazing. That’s impressive!”
He learned that the company wasn’t able to perform the show in their beloved mother country. During the Cultural Revolution, China’s ancient divine traditions were all but decimated under Chinese communist rule.
“It sounds like they [Shen Yun artists] are ostracized for doing this in their homeland, China. … They couldn’t do this inside China, so this is kind of an important venue for them,” he said.
The performing arts company is based in New York. Most of the members are ethnic Chinese, but many of them were born outside of mainland China, and all of them live in New York.
Mr. W. has been brought up around Asian culture by doing martial arts since he was young, unlike his wife who had only a little knowledge. Despite having less familiarity with the cultures than her husband, she enjoyed the show.
“I just loved it. I loved the music, the dancing. I have always been fascinated by the costumes, everything. It’s fascinating. It makes me understand the culture a little bit more. Watching this, I think there’s so much that us as Americans do not know about Chinese culture, and this has been really wonderful tonight,” said Mrs. Wilson.
Her husband offered another perspective from his experience as a producer.
“It’s a little different presentation, from a production value. It’s different pacing than what most Americans are used to,” he said of the projected backdrop that changed with each dance. The rhythms of the show vary. Some dances are very slow and gentle. Others are vigorously physical. Many tell stories, with surprises and shifts of mood.
Both enjoyed Shen Yun so much, that they were eager to tell their Chinese friend, who is very involved with the arts in her city.
“She’s in Milwaukee and I’d like to tell her that I saw this show and found it fascinating,” Mrs. Wilson said.
‘It’s amazing. It’s incredible’
Ms. Luck, who works for a television station as the director of human resources was also in the audience.
“I love it. The costumes are amazing. The performances are exquisite. And it’s just been a great evening so far. I love the dance. I grew up dancing, so I love all the moves,” she said.
“But I will say you guys are amazing. The art that you bring here this evening is incredible, and keep up the great work, you’re doing a great job. Anybody who does not come and see this, they’re crazy. It’s amazing. It’s worth every cent. “
She loved the digital backdrops: “The coming in and coming out of the performances pop, it’s amazing! It’s incredible.”
She was speaking about divine beings flying down from the heavens and off the screen to appear on stage as people.
Other scenes, pastoral landscapes, mountains and rivers, majestic palaces, and temples, remained static yet were integrated with the performance. Trees blossom, fires break out, and landscapes are restored, and viewers enter and leave a microscopic world. The projections are essential to the dances.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts Spring Tour 2009. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
