MINNEAPOLIS—Ms. Phyllis Welter joined the enthusiastic Sunday afternoon audience at the historical Orpheum Theatre on March 11, lauding Shen Yun dancers as they presented both story-based performances depicting ancient legends, and folk dances that reveal the breadth of Chinese culture.
Visibly moved during the intermission, the corporate counsel said, “I’m quite frankly overwhelmed! I think the choreography is beautiful.”
She is a newly-wed and was accompanied by her husband, landscape architect. Mr. Dan Gustafson praised the New York-based show, saying, “Very colorful, very beautiful. Marvelous! Marvelous choreography.”
Shen Yun artists, the world’s elite classical Chinese dancers, tour the world reviving 5,000 years of Chinese classical culture, music and traditional arts, according to the company’s website.
Mr. Gustafson appreciated this and said, “There is a real dedication by the artists, in terms of the music, and in terms of the choreography and the discipline, it’s just marvelous!”
Various aspects of the performances resonated with Ms. Welter. She said, “I love the way the costumes, the color of the costumes are tied into the background, and I’m in awe of the background and the way they bring the figures out of the background onto the stage. It’s beautiful.”
She added, “This is something I’ve never experienced before. I didn’t know that such a thing even existed or could be done like that and it’s beautiful.”
She was moved by the performance, Before Disaster, The Divine is Rescuing. In which a peaceful scene of Falun Dafa practitioners is interrupted when police arrive and began assaulting them.
Mr. Gustafson said, “A great message. A strong human rights statement, a very moving one, that ties back to an ancient culture. The issue of human rights is universal and I think that people from any walk of life can appreciate the issues that are being dealt with.”
Ms. Welter said she would recommend Shen Yun to her colleagues. “Absolutely, absolutely! If you love music and dancing and have an inclination toward the spiritual side of life, I would highly recommend it.”
Summing up her experience, Ms. Welter said, “I love it. Just everything about it is moving and it is excellent, the precision with which they dance.”
Reporting by Valerie Avore and Jeanmarie Lunsford
Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will be at Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University in Indianapolis for two performances, March 13 and 14.
For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
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