Shen Yun Performing Arts arrived for two shows at the Mechanics Bank Theater in Bakersfield, California on March 7 and 8.
“It was a fantastic show, very entertaining, the dancers are fantastic, and it has a message, said Dr. Antonio Sanchez, a Family Physician.
Middle School music teacher Gary Castro said, “It’s bringing the traditions of China to the world.”
“This is the first time I’ve been to a show like this and I am deeply impressed with how things were done in China and the traditions that you [Chinese people] have and it’s very beautiful,” he added.
John Lake, owner of Rain for Rent said he “enjoyed the show very much.”
“I’ve been to China, I’ve seen a lot of the things in the background. I understand there’s many different cultures in China. I especially like the Mongolian piece,” he said.
Lake said he “liked the spiritual aspects of the show. I think that’s important to show.”
“It’s just nice to see something beautiful, and to see something that has respect for tradition,” said Alan Steinke, a software development manager.
Audience members appreciated Shen Yun’s message and its depiction of the persecution of faith in today’s China.
Dr. Sanchez said the message was about freedom “and the ability to express one’s emotions and their beliefs.” He said, “It’s a very, very important thing. You realize that communism doesn’t have any of those things and that it’s very repressive.”
Choir teacher Denise Castro said the message to her was about “celebrating the meditation and the freedom of thought and seeing humanity as divine, and that we were once divine. And then we have come down here to kind of atone, and to fix some things in ourselves and to improve ourselves as a whole. I thought that was very powerful. And it’s a completely different way than I’ve seen spirituality.”
Mr. Steinke recalled a scene that summed it up for him: “The one scene where they’re really … the passion that came through when they’re talking about religion … being able to express our faith without persecution, and the desire, that yearning, I think humans have to be able to express that desire for the transcendent … was really pretty strong,” he said.
“And I think that’s really, unfortunately missing with a lot of people in our society in the world today,” said Steinke.
Shen Yun continues to perform in cities throughout California until late April.
NTD News, Bakersfield, California
