Shen Yun Performing Arts closed out their performances in Stamford, Connecticut with five sold out shows at The Palace Theatre this May. Taking theatergoers on an immersive journey through 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the company revives history, tradition, and beauty through the medium of classical Chinese dance and music.
Scott Benedict, director of ING Financial Services, said, “choreography is beautiful, very artistic. The quality and precision of the dancers is spot on. It’s wonderful to see. The costumes are absolutely beautiful. And it’s also very nice, that there is a story to be told with each one of these dances, which is quite different. And very entertaining. So we’ve loved it.”
Jeffrey Tucker, founder and president of Brownstone Institute, said, “I was just thinking that it’s one of the few occasions available today to experience traditional culture, both in its western and eastern sort. So that makes it very special. You showed how China was before communism. And it also inspired me to want to learn more about Chinese history, I have to say.”
Gideon Fountain, a real estate broker at Houlihan Lawrence, said, “the physical aspect of it is amazing. I also liked seeing Chinese culture, the reminder that it goes back 5,000 years. That’s very significant. Communism, 70 years, Chinese culture, 5,000 years … I grew up with China as a communist country, so it’s interesting and revealing and educating to me to see, be reminded of how much culture existed long before, centuries and centuries before.”
Cynthia Donaher, CEO of Donaher Media, said, “We were blown away. It was absolutely spectacular. So visually stunning. The colors were incredible. The costumes were incredible. The dancers, the performances.”
Drawing inspiration from China’s rich cultural heritage, each performance holds a theme of spirituality, a value that is found at the origins of traditional Chinese culture.
Phil Piqueira, retired vice president of global standards at Underwriters Laboratories, said, “I think it came through very clearly, that there’s a divine element to what people are about. I think Chinese culture probably feels that there’s a need for that spiritual element to be rejuvenated.”
James Aulenti, chartered financial consultant of Atlantic Wealth Advisory Services, said, “It’s difficult for me to describe my feelings. It’s just illuminating, and elevating, and enlightening. The show starts with an image coming from heaven, that God is calling us to him. And he came here to save all life on Earth. And that was a wonderful beginning to the show.”
Mr. Tucker added, “I think every faith in history has a vision that we can transcend our bodies and touch something that’s bigger and greater than ourselves, our creator, and to be ultimately united with that. And that was very much present here … I would just say, continue to introduce this diversity of Chinese culture, unite it with Western culture, and it’s a beautiful gift to us all.”
NTD News, Stamford, Connecticut
