Shen Yun Performing Arts kicked off its 2020 season in Purchase, New York, and Berkeley, California last weekend with an all-new program.
“Their athleticism and the gracefulness of the entire company was just mesmerizing,” said Joyce Altieri, a former executive from Rockland County. “I loved it.”
“We’ve been looking to come to see it for two years, so we’re very happy that we did get to see it tonight,” added Joe Holland, a former New York State Senator.
“I was stunned and amazed. It was awesome,” said Edward Heim. “I think the dancers, the performers were amazing. They executed everything flawlessly.”
Heim, who has his own realty company, said he was not only amazed by the dance and the music but the backdrop was something he has never seen before.
“Altogether, a very enriching experience and to learn a little bits and pieces of Chinese culture and history as well.”
Shen Yun, based in New York, travels the world each year with its mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese culture through dance and music.
“Wow, it was just absolutely great. The music, the visuals, the way they combined. It was an experience unlike any other I’ve ever had,” said Gabriel Legendy.
“The fact that it’s 5,000 years of culture being brought, that what we’re seeing are performances that might have been seen in some form over the course of centuries and millennia. That’s just fantastic.”
Legendy is the director of strategy and sales for Horauf America. He brought his wife to Shen Yun as a birthday present after his parents recommended him to see the performance.
“It’s a combination of all of the colors and movement and I felt like I could see it three times and still not absorb all of the things that were happening at one given time during the performance,” added his wife, Helen Mark. “It was pretty amazing both visually and the music was phenomenal.”
For thousands of years, ancient Chinese culture placed great emphasis on the divine.
But after the Chinese Communist Party took power in 1949, the regime has systematically destroyed the ancient Chinese culture.
“I only see Communist China, that’s what we see on American TV. So to see something like Shen Yun introducing us and showing us something like China believing in the Creator, in flowers and in beautiful colors. It’s just amazing to me,” said attorney Richard Alvarez.
“It’s a different China that I haven’t seen.”
Shen Yun aims to keep this tradition alive today, portraying values such as faith, benevolence, and respect for the divine.
The spiritual connotation displayed by Shen Yun has resonated with the audience.
“Love and the heavenly. Just to be a little more closer to God or the Creator or to heaven,” added Heim.
Shen Yun will continue its performances in Stamford, Connecticut, and San Jose, California during Christmas.
NTD News, New York
