SAN ANTONIO—Some of the most compelling pieces of art are those that tell a story. Shen Yun Performing Arts uses dance and music to tell stories of traditional Chinese culture and modern-day China.
“It’s wonderful to tell the story through art, right? [Shen Yun] really enlightens other cultures as to what the history in China is, and what’s happening in the present day in a way that people can really receive it beautifully but powerfully,” said Aaron Storoy, network operations manager and Air Force veteran.
Shen Yun is based in New York, and its artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.
“The dancers were perfect. The technique, the professionalism, the presentation, they were awesome,” said Cindy Storoy, an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.
Every year, Shen Yun’s resident choreographers and composers work together to produce an entirely new program.
“It was very eye-opening, enlightening. And I love that the artists, the choreographer—didn’t shy away from telling the story and letting us know this is what’s going on,” said Mr. Storoy.
Perfection is impossible to achieve in the arts, but Ms. Storoy believes that Shen Yun came very close to it.
“Nothing is perfect, but this was very close to perfect in terms of performance. And they’re very disciplined. You can tell the flexibility, the presentation, [and] the technique. They all moved fluidly together. So, it was awesome,” she said.
Shen Yun’s use of its digital backdrop is patented. The backdrop changes scenes in the blink of an eye, and artists are able to fly high into the sky or dive deep into the sea.
“I love how they use the set. The way that the dancers did that and then came back out is sensational,” said Mr. Storoy.
Chinese history is 5,000 years long. Each of Shen Yun’s dance stories draws from Chinese history, literature, myth, or legend.
“I learned a lot just by watching. The show itself is a very educational piece from a cultural standpoint. I think we learned some things we didn’t know before,” said Ms. Storoy.
Shen Yun was founded in 2006, and it has grown from one to eight companies that tour the world simultaneously.
“I’ve been trying to get to a Shen Yun event for the last 10 years. And it absolutely met my expectations. We loved it. It was absolutely exquisite,” said Ms. Storoy.
She added that she’ll be back again for Shen Yun’s next season.
“I look forward to next year’s production, [and] to seeing Shen Yun again. Thank you for being so disciplined and such perfectionists in your presentation,” said Ms. Storoy.
Reporting by Nancy Ma and Maria Han.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
From The Epoch Times
