SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

San Antonio Audience Finds Shen Yun Dance Stories Inspiring and Beautiful

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San Antonio Audience Finds Shen Yun Dance Stories Inspiring and Beautiful
Joe and Linda Tedesco attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas on Jan. 13, 2024. Sally Sun/The Epoch Times

SAN ANTONIO, Texas—Shen Yun Performing Arts performed at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 13. Joe and Linda Tedesco, who were in the audience, said they thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

Mr. Tedesco, a librarian, was drawn to the music and storytelling that provided an immersion in traditional Chinese culture. “The music is beautiful, and [so is] the storytelling.”

New York-based Shen Yun is dedicated to reviving China’s 5,000 years of tradition and culture.
The story of the Monkey King drew Mr. Tedesco’s attention.

“I really enjoy how they believe people originally came from the divine. Very inspiring. Very inspiring. The ‘Bodhisattva of Compassion’ coming in and helping the Monkey King—beautiful,” he said.

“I like the wisdom, that at the end, they didn’t fight the soldiers and the Monkey King, but they saw the truth of the wisdom of the bodhisattva ... rather than trying to fight against themselves or other people—very wise,” he said.

Through classical Chinese dance and music, Shen Yun is sharing with the world the beauty of China’s authentic 5,000 years of history, much of which has been lost or destroyed in mainland China since communism’s destruction of the “old ways.”

Mr. Tedesco appreciated the wisdom that comes from all cultures and enjoyed the Chinese culture presented in Shen Yun. “I just love the costumes and the beauty, the colors and the storytelling, and just sharing the cultural wisdom [from] throughout history.”

The message of hope sung by the vocalist impressed Mrs. Tedesco. “I like the message of hope,” she said. “The song that they sang was beautiful: Not to give up, to keep your divinity, to have hope.”

Mr. Tedesco was also moved by the music and felt “serenity,” he said. “This whole play, I felt serene and a sense of serenity. I’m enjoying it.”

Shen Yun’s orchestra seamlessly marries a Western orchestra with traditional Chinese instruments.

Mrs. Tedesco noticed this and expressed her appreciation. “And to see the live music: It’s actual players. I thought it was a recording. I didn’t know it was actual players—it’s really neat,” she said.

Shen Yun is ‘Very Moving’

Loveada Escamilla attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 13, 2024 (Sally Sun/The Epoch Times)
Loveada Escamilla attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas, on Jan. 13, 2024 Sally Sun/The Epoch Times

Retired principal and teacher Loveada Escamilla said she “thought it was amazing. I liked the messages that it sent out: Just being positive, working with people, having God in your heart—just all of that. It was very moving, very moving.”

Shen Yun was founded in 2006 when leading artists from around the world came together with the common goal of allowing a glimpse of “China before communism.”

The two-string erhu, a Chinese instrument, impressed Ms. Escamilla. “I loved the [erhu]. That was amazing. I had never seen that before.”

Shen Yun not only entertains but educates, Ms. Escamilla found. “Not only for adults but for young children,” she said, adding that its message of hope and faith in a higher compassionate power is “definitely” very relevant for the world today.

She recommended Shen Yun for children “to come with their parents and have the parents be involved and explain to them” the stories presented.

“The way that the world is going right now … We need to have unity, not only in our country but in the world. And we don’t have that right now,” she said.

Ms. Escamilla said that Shen Yun’s performance can inspire people to be good.

“If people come and really pay attention, and not just look at the beauty, but really listen and pay attention to what is being presented, yes!” she said.

Reporting by Sally Sun and Yvonne Marcotte.
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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