In San Jose, most people saw Shen Yun for the first time at the Center for Performing Arts on Dec. 29, 2022.
Many described after the performance how they were touched by what they had seen.
“I had a loss, personal loss in my family. And I wanted to schedule something that was very uplifting,” said Karen Bolte, a bereavement counselor at Sutter Hospice.
“The feeling of pride in one’s culture and the liberty of being able to worship as one wants to and the discipline of the dancers and their coordination—the joy that came from them was very important to me,” she said.
Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional culture, much of which was lost during the Cultural Revolution and under the Chinese Communist Party.
At the San Jose performance, some attendees spoke of the importance of tradition.
“It’s important so that way they can keep it alive, the histories of each culture,” said Daniel Tellez, owner of Bhogal Bros Construction Inc.
“Once we lose our tradition, we lose our bearing and grounding of who we are, and so that’s why I believe that traditions are important,” said Yevgeniy Pislar, an attorney.
“And so it is important to see and continue the traditions that were passed down from our ancestors,” Mr. Pislar said.
‘I’m Just Overwhelmed’
Leslie Alves, president of McA Remodeling Inc, said she was very moved by Shen Yun, to the point of tears.
“Oh my goodness, I’m just overwhelmed. I did cry,” she said.
Ms. Alves spoke of a piece of the performance that featured redemption and “the Creator coming back”. Its portrayal of compassion and faith moved her, she said.
“And I think that’s what made me cry knowing history, knowing the story, it’s just incredible,” Ms. Alves said.
“I think we’re in that kind of time and place right now, so it’s exciting to see it happening before our very eyes,” she added.
Some of the pieces depicted in the performance show a spiritual practice called Falun Dafa being persecuted in China today. Audience members, such as Ms. Alves, spoke about why it’s important for people to see something like this.
“Because I don’t think that people understand what the people from China … have gone through to come to get the freedom that they have right now,” Ms. Alves said.
“And that it is important for us to understand for our own United States,” said Ms. Alves. “So I think it’s very important for us to understand our freedoms and the opportunities that we have. And the arts, to be able to perform it in that way,” she said.
People in the past lived in harmony with heaven and Earth. Therefore, much of traditional Chinese culture was divinely inspired. Shen Yun presents those elements on stage.
Nathan Kusalich, the owner of H2O Transport, LLC., said after the performance that people need to understand history so to appreciate what the future may hold. He also spoke about how a person’s faith can affect their character.
“When you’re religious, you’re thinking more about the afterlife and doing good now and being a good representative of whatever faith it is,” Mr. Kusalich said.
“When you’re atheist, you have no real pure person to mentor from. So anything goes. It’s like there’s nothing holding them back from doing anything, really,” he said.
NTD News, San Jose, California
