SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Beautiful, Astounding Art Showing Human Dignity: Georgia Couple Praises Shen Yun

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Beautiful, Astounding Art Showing Human Dignity: Georgia Couple Praises Shen Yun
The Ficocellis attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the William B. Bell Auditorium on Jan. 10, 2023. Nancy Ma/The Epoch Times
AUGUSTA, Ga.—Dance and music are universal languages that transcend language and cultural barriers. It was through these universal languages that Mark Ficocelli, who works in rehabilitation technologist services, and Elizabeth Ficocelli, a voiceover artist, were able to experience the beauty of traditional Chinese culture when they attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the William B. Bell Auditorium on Jan. 10.

“The show was astounding. It was beautiful,” said Mr. Ficocelli. “It was heartbreaking at times to see what you hear about, but really don’t always process: the oppression of the communist government in China and communism in general. To see the beauty of the ancient aspects of Chinese culture made me want to know more about that ancient history and the ancient culture of China that has such beauty, such a moral grounding, such an intent to blend the dignity of the human with the art and for the glory of the Creator. That was amazing to see.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists who fled the oppressive communist regime in China. Their mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture through classical Chinese dance and music. According to the Shen Yun website, China was once known as the “Land of the Divine,” and its culture was greatly influenced by the spiritual teachings from Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, yet these beliefs were all abolished by the atheist communist party that took power in 1949. The audience learns from the emcees during the performance that Shen Yun cannot be seen in China today.

Mrs. Ficocelli said that she and her husband knew about China’s oppressive government prior to seeing the performance and expressed their sympathy for the Chinese people.

“We know what’s happening in China,” she said. “We pray for their freedom one day and want to support this dance troupe going around the world, trying to bring this message to the world, that their own country can’t see this program right now and that is a crime. It’s a shame and I hope for the freedom for all people, but especially the Chinese.”

Mrs. Ficocelli added that suppression was not something exclusive to China. “This whole being suppressed—we’re having this in our own country. We’re not far behind China in this and I hope it’s a wakeup call to Americans in particular, but the whole world, because we’re all going down this path.”

Mrs. Ficocelli also expressed her belief that the traditional Chinese values shown in Shen Yun’s performance were still relevant for today’s society. “I think the messages: virtues, kindness, compassion, forbearance—all those messages, I think, are true for all of us. They are very timely, even though they may be thousands of years old. They’re very timely for today.”

Shen Yun’s program is made up of a series of dance vignettes. The opening piece depicts divine beings who follow the Creator to descend from the heavens to the Earth and establish Chinese civilization. The concept of a Creator resonated deeply with the Ficocellis.

“We do come from one Creator, who has a plan for our lives and it’s not how we’re living currently,” said Mrs. Ficocelli. “There is a beautiful divine heaven awaiting us and a call to turn our lives back to that direction and to make that our goal for our lives here on earth.”

Mr. Ficocelli said thought it was “extremely important to have Shen Yun travel the world, spreading the message of truth, but also spreading that message of hope that if we work together as a world under the belief that the Creator gave us dignity and gave us the ability to coexist peacefully and not under oppression … it will help bring the reality. I think sometimes people live in a blindness. They don’t want to see the truth because it’s too harsh and I think it’s important for people to see the truth.”
Since its inception, Shen Yun has grown from one to eight equally-sized companies that tour the world simultaneously. The 2023 season is Shen Yun’s largest season yet, with its eight companies set to perform in more than 180 cities across five continents.
Shen Yun’s program also includes songs performed in the traditional bel canto style. Mrs. Ficocelli resonated with the lyrics. “The soprano singer—her lyrics really said it: if we’re just living our own lives and being God of our own lives—basically atheists—we’re not going to achieve [world harmony] … The absence of God is communism. That is evil. That is dark. That is what happens when we turn our lives away from God. We end up in human bondage.”

“The message for us was a powerful spiritual message and it was refreshing to see that,” added Mrs. Ficocelli. “Even in other mainstream entertainment, you don’t see those messages and they (Shen Yun) were very bold in what they proclaimed on that stage today.”

The Ficocellis also wished to express their respect for Shen Yun’s artistic director, D.F.

“I want to thank him for the effort and all the hard work of all these people,” said Mrs. Ficocelli. “You know that they are extreme professionals. They are dedicated. They are committed. You can tell they believe in what they’re doing up on that stage. It’s not just an act for them. It’s their life. It’s their core belief and that comes through, so I definitely congratulate and encourage the director to bring it out. Bring it to the world because this is the time. We need to hear it now.”

“Thank him for his courage and all of the artists’ courage to be so vulnerable to say the truth in this beautiful way because it is risky to say the truth in today’s world,” said Mr. Ficocelli. “The Chinese people know it more than most because of the severe oppression of communism, so it’s amazing to see the courage that’s demonstrated through this performance, this beautiful presentation.”

Mrs. Ficocelli had a message she wished to be passed on to the dancers as well. “Thank them for the performance. I can’t imagine, I’m sure their whole lives are dedicated to performance and to study this ancient Chinese dance and so I am just grateful that they are doing this. They really touched my heart deeply tonight.”

Reporting by Nancy Ma and Wandi Zhu.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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