NEWARK, New Jersey—For about two hours, thousands sat inside the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s ornate theater, gazing at a cultural display of China’s 5,000 years, brought alive by classical Chinese dances and live orchestra music.
“I do love the dresses and all the costumes. I find them really beautiful, especially the gradients on the sleeves, the way they just sort of flow. It’s really beautiful,” said Joey Moran, creative director at Kean University.
Moran was referring to the water sleeves dance, where dancers perform in long and silky sleeves.
As for Michael Collins, a judge at the New Jersey Superior Court, the 3D animated backdrop was a standout. “The way they worked the screen, the technical stuff they did, that was just fabulous. And it was so clever, because it was just like a seamless segway. You would have the performers there [on] the steps, disappear. Boom, and then on the screen. I mean, it was really, it was magic.”
“I think through the dance, they actually show not only the culture but history and what’s going on currently in China,” said Natalia Rakhimoff, deputy director of capital budget at the NYC department of transportation, Staten Island Ferry. “So it’s [a] very important message to the audience.”
“It was uplifting, and particularly the stuff that was political, I thought [it] was bold. I mean, that’s never gonna play in Beijing. You know that,” said Michael Collins.
On top of folk dances and mini-dramas from ancient Chinese history, Shen Yun also has dances depicting spiritual seekers holding fast to their faith in the face of Beijing’s persecution campaign against spiritual believers. The group tours around the world celebrating traditional Chinese culture, but cannot perform in China.
“I believe that government should be of the people, for the people, by the people. That’s not in China now. Since 1949, it’s been a little problematic,” said Collins.
He added he could feel the energy from the performance. “Look, if I’m feeling it, everybody else was feeling it as well. I’m not one of those people I think that’s easy to get to. But that stuff got to me.”
Joseph Hyon is an internist. He said the performance showcased a deep culture of 5,000 years. “We’ve really forgotten all about that, except we only know modern China. I really think that we should go back and see what was good and bring it forward.”
Shen Yun has wrapped up all performances in North America. Two companies are still performing in Sweden and Mexico.
NTD News, Newark, New Jersey
