Shen Yun stopped in Raleigh and Greensboro, North Carolina last week—bringing classical Chinese dance and music, and 5,000 years of rich culture, to life on stage. Audience members said they felt inspired and uplifted.
Ben Mack, consulting manager at Ernst & Young Global Consulting Services, said: “It was beautiful and uplifting and inspiring. I think just the vibrant colors and the energy of the dancers and the stories that made you think of heaven and divine things and the connection with life on Earth.”
Cristy Holmes is the dean of arts & STEM at Central Carolina Community College. She said: “I think it was very symbolic of the spirituality of the show and the culture and also it was just very beautiful and you can tell the talent of the dancers.”
Classical Chinese dance is an art form that dates back thousands of years. According to Shen Yun’s website, the movements are rich in their ability to express a variety of feelings and stories. These dances range from ethnic and folk dances to current issues involving modern-day communist China’s persecution of faith.
“I just think it’s lovely. I really like learning about the culture. I really like how the history is kind of mixed in with the dance moves. I feel like it’s so emotional, I got really emotional a couple of different times so it’s just been beautiful. Honestly the persecution dance, I thought that was really moving. The actual singing in the middle of it took my breath away, quite literally,” said Heather Smithey, a senior product manager at SiriusXM.
Ashley Hamlet is an assistant director of the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources department in Nashville. She said: “I have heard of persecution before, but I would say that was something that had a large impact on me was … there were at least two pieces that focused on modern-day China and those are quite moving because you hear about the persecution, but to see it acted out …. there was a lot of feeling and meaning in that.”
Tom Cesar, retired CEO of Tom Cesar Management Solutions, LLC, said: “I think the part that really touched my heart was, again, the matter of acknowledging the One God, and showing what’s going on with the Communist Party. It’s a real threat everywhere and I think a number of people who love freedom and have a respect for God would reject atheism and that whole kind of government.”
