(Minghui.org) During the week of January 29–February 4, Shen Yun’s eight touring companies shared China’s pre-communist culture with cities in the United States, Japan, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
“I Enjoyed it Thoroughly”
U.S. Representative Ken Buck from Colorado saw the performance in Washington D.C. with his daughter on February 1.
“I enjoyed it thoroughly… It was great, as usual. Great costumes, great dancing, great music,” said Mr. Buck, who is a repeat Shen Yun audience member.
“I think it’s a great look back on Chinese culture before communism, and hopefully we return to that someday so that the people of China are free again,” he added.
“This Is the Most Beautiful Dancing I’ve Ever Seen”
Roger Marshall, U.S. Senator for Kansas, saw Shen Yun with his wife Laina at the Kennedy Centre on January 31.
“This is my first time here, and that was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life,” Mr. Marshall said.
“Five thousand years of history—I must admit we don’t cover these types of things in our history [classes]. I didn’t realise the spiritual side of the history. I’m very curious to learn more.
“I’m just stunned by the beauty. I was overwhelmed by how beautiful all of it was,” he said.
He recommended people to see Shen Yun because although he and his wife had attended other Broadway shows, this was different from all other performances.
“I’m not much of an aficionado for some of the arts, but this is the most beautiful dancing I’ve ever seen,” he emphasised.
For Mrs. Marshall, Shen Yun shared an important message about spirituality as well as “how communism tried to suppress that, and how it’s affecting the people.”
“It is a beautiful way to tell the story. I think in any country if there’s no freedom of religion or freedom to worship, it affects the whole country,” she said.
Mr. Marshall, who is also a physician, was touched by Shen Yun’s portrayal of the Chinese Communist Party’s forced organ harvesting from people of faith to fund the regime’s transplant black market.
“As a physician, I’m well aware that this is a business. Foreign countries, with these organ parts, make millions, if not billions, of dollars. Unfortunately, so many of these organs supposedly come from China and quite often, I’m afraid, from prisoners and people that are unjustly imprisoned as well… This story-dance really puts that in perspective. That is from a true story and it’s a tough one,” he said.
“An Incredible Show”
U.S. Representative Pat Ryan from New York saw Shen Yun with his wife and his entire staff at the Kennedy Center on February 2.
“It was an incredible show and honor to be here,” said Mr. Ryan.
“It was an incredible performance… This show should be able to be seen around the world [in] every country,” he said.
“It Brings You Joy”
Wayne Sleep OBE, a former principal dancer at the Royal Ballet, and Liz Brewer, a renowned events organiser and expert on social behavior and etiquette, saw Shen Yun in London on February 2.
“It was unique, and it’s something I didn’t expect at all… It’s simple some of it, but joyous. It brings you joy,” said Mr. Sleep, a patron of the British Ballet Organisation and vice-president of the Royal Academy of Dance.
As a professional dancer and choreographer himself, Mr. Sleep found the flow of Shen Yun’s dances smooth and faultless: “When you finish a line, it almost ripples into the next movement, so it’s never still. And to be able to do that with 20, 30 people on stage, that they all breathe into the next step.”
Mr. Sleep said he loved the traditional Chinese stories in Shen Yun, “I love the innocence of it, like a child.”
He also said of the dynamic backdrop: “I’ve never seen that before. So it was wonderful and it was so accurate.”
Mr. Sleep came to watch Shen Yun upon recommendation of his friend Liz Brewer, who said she loved Shen Yun for its energy, color and “the deep message.”
“It’s an education for a lot of us here because we’re still totally unaware of the kind of life that is going on [in China],” she said.
She said she could feel the energy that came over to the audience: “What I specifically notice is, the audience is spellbound. You can hear a pin drop, they’re concentrating while they’re watching this.”
Ms. Brewer said this was her second time watching Shen Yun, “The first time I saw it, it was unexpected and the flow and the way it’s done. And when you understand the background and how everything has been prepared and put together, then you can appreciate it a lot more.”
“I Feel Very Privileged to Have Seen This Today”
Corrie Van-Loon, an ultrasonographer, saw Shen Yun in Fresno, California, on February 1.
“It was beautiful. It was gorgeous. Didn’t know what to expect. It’s my first time here. And I will definitely come back. It was amazing. The message throughout was beautiful. And those performers are so, so, so, so talented. And I want to know who the costumer is… because [the costumes] are amazing… I feel very privileged to have seen this today,” said Ms. Van-Loon.
She described her feelings while watching the show as, “a lot of excitement, a lot of amazement, and just a lot of pleasure.”
She said the message she saw in the performance was, “the beauty of the gift of life. The beauty of the soul. The beauty and the peace that we should be living and that we should pursue it.”
Ms. Van-Loon would like to say to the performers, “God bless you all. You’re so amazing. I just don’t know how you can do this day after day, but you are blessed and continue because people are getting so much joy and pleasure from you.”
“All Dance Teachers in the World Should Come Watch”
“It’s a spectacular performance. Because the professionalism of the dancers, the choreography, and the colors were all impressive. Gorgeous and unique. I think all dance teachers in the world should come watch such wonderful performance,” said Ms. Buonaguro.
“There’s Such Beauty in This World”
Danielle Jones, an after school planning coordinator, saw Shen Yun with her mother in Fresno, California, on February 1.
“I loved all the colors. The dancers are so graceful, and the music just took me to another place,” Ms. Jones said. “It reinforced how important the arts are. And that music and just this form of dance and performance is really a way to kind of bridge.
“There’s such beauty in this world and goodness in this world. And I loved being able to experience the stories, and taking away things that resonated with me,” she said.
She mentioned the values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance in particular, “You know, the three what I would call core values.”
She would like to say to people who have not seen the show, “If they appreciate music; if they love to support the arts; if they want to see a story told, but through dance and music and song, that this would be the show that they’d want to see.”
Ms. Jones’ mother also enjoyed the performance. “I just loved it… It was just exquisite,” she said. “Majestic. They float. I just feel like I’m still floating with them.”
“Very Creative and Traditional”
Elizabeth Orr, a teacher and the director of a chorus, saw Shen Yun with her son AJ in Fresno, California, on February 1.
“It was beautiful. So well done. Thank you very much. Quite impressive. The flow, the grace, the music, the visuals – all such a wonderful production,” Ms. Orr said.
She described how she felt while watching the performance, “Awe. I am so impressed. Just really impressed… I feel inspired. I feel excited. I feel wanting to dance myself. And I feel gratitude towards all of the work that the performers do to make this production.”
She also said she appreciated “the values of beauty and truth and courage.”
“It’s very creative and traditional,” Ms. Orr said.
“The Level of Mastery Was Very High”
Vadim Shaim, the principal engineer at a technology company, and his wife Karina Shaim, an administrative assistant, saw Shen Yun in San Jose, California, on the evening of January 31.
“It’s good. I like it. Pretty high professional I would say,” said Mr. Shaim.
“It is a show about history and culture. It is important to learn it for people who don’t know,” he said.
Mrs. Shaim also enjoyed the performance. “It is very beautiful, very enjoyable. The level of mastery was very high,” she said.
“I like the costumes, so colorful. I’ve never seen Chinese dancing before. I was inspired by how they prepare for the show, how they go over the limitation. Not only do dance, but also meditating, and prepare mentally and spiritually for the dance to go over the limit.
“It’s very valuable to learn other cultures, background, cultural art, because [they are] true pieces of art,” she said.
“Experience Shen Yun At Least Once”
Bien Doan, a San Jose city councilmember, saw Shen Yun in San Jose on January 31.
“I think it’s a great use of technology to smoothly transition from a movie scene onto a live stage, and I think it’s very well done. I think everyone should come and experience Shen Yun at least once in their lifetime,” he said.
“I think the message is very clear. I don’t think anyone in the world wants to be oppressed. We want to have the freedom of choice to speech and to do whatever we want in the world that is best, and we should live in a very compassionate, kind, and caring world. I think democracy in the end will win and I hope that all the people who are being oppressed in the world and under communism, hopefully they can be free,” said Mr. Doan, who fled communism in Vietnam at a very young age.
For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
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