NEW YORK—Having traveled the world as a professor, Dr. Ingrid Kreissig said she appreciated Shen Yun Performing Arts’ portrayal of China’s history and traditional values, during the Jan. 15 performance at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater.
Dr. Kreissig is a professor at Cornell University–New York Hospital, and has taught in countries including Germany, China, Russia, and Japan.
“I have been to China five times,” Dr. Kreissig said, noting that she appreciated the history shown in the performance.
Shen Yun is a performance of music and dance that pulls from China’s 5,000 years of culture. In addition to its Chinese ethnic and folk dances, and use of classical Chinese dance, some segments also portray ancient Chinese legends. Although the New York-based company revives ancient Chinese culture, its performances cannot be seen in China today.
The Shen Yun website explains: “The company’s mission is to use performing arts to revive the essence of Chinese culture—traditionally considered a divinely inspired civilization. Since the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] is officially an atheist regime, it is afraid of the freedom of expression this arts company enjoys in the West.”
Appreciating the classical Chinese dancing, Dr. Kreissig said: “The colors and the dresses are very special, made of floating, soft fabric.” She added that “the movement of the dancers is very graceful.”
Tony Soscia, an attorney who also attended the Jan. 15 performance, said “the coloring and the athleticism of these dancers is incredible.”
Classical Chinese dance is known for its broad set of movements, which range from subtle hand gestures to backflips and soaring leaps.
“You can see all the movements in the Olympics,” Mr. Soscia said, “plus in a beautiful, rhythmic style.”
Tarik Burke, a corrections officer in the audience, echoed the sentiments. “It was very nice—the dancing, the acrobatics, the story behind the dancing,” he said. “It was beautiful, really beautiful.”
Shen Yun accompanies its dances with vast landscapes shown on a digital backdrop, where the dancers interact seamlessly with the landscapes. Dr. Kreissig commented that the scenery in the backdrops was extraordinary.
Jacqueline Bernard, who is retired from an accounting firm, also said she enjoyed the backdrops.
“I was amazed by the way they coordinated with the graphics,” Bernard said. “I can’t believe they did that, just the timing. The way they did it was just fabulous. I loved the show.”
The Shen Yun website describes the scenes opened for the audience by the digital backdrop: “The backdrops are magical windows to completely different realms. From vast open grasslands in one dance to the stately elegance of Tang Dynasty pavilions in another; from dusty yellow battlegrounds to tropical beaches to Himalayan peaks to picturesque scenery of the Yellow River Delta—the digital projection infinitely expands and transforms the stage.”
Neolita Bokar, a chef, said overall the show “was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I think everybody should have a chance to experience it.”
Additional reporting by Sherry Dong.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
