WASHINGTON—The idea that art should at once delight and instruct is not just a maxim of the Western tradition: it has arrived in Washington with a thoroughly Eastern flavor.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, a premier Chinese classical dance company, began the first of seven performances at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 29, bringing its characteristic blend of traditional Chinese dance and music, borne of the 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. Embedded in the performance—with its soaring vocals, unique musical compositions, and exquisitely synchronized dances—is a timeless message about the continued relevance of ancient Chinese virtues, and even a rekindling of those values for a modern world.
January and February 2013 is also the eighth time that Shen Yun has come to the Kennedy Center, and the eighth time it has impressed Washington audiences.
