Shen Yun concluded its two performances in St. Louis, Missouri on Feb. 19. This season, the group brings performances to the world with eight companies touring simultaneously.
“It was beautiful, it was so vibrant and bright,” said Rachel Cohen, who is a designer and the owner of BrandBold. “I was just thinking the whole time of like, it’s winter. And how much we really need the vibrant and bright. It was just really refreshing. Especially this time of year.”
“We were excited about the dancing and the music. And we were expecting to see, amazing performance,” said Ben Harris, the founder of Harris Technology.
“But I don’t think that we realized how much we’re going to be moved emotionally and how getting caught up in the story and realizing the mission behind all of it. It’s really been very inspiring,” he added.
“It was absolutely incredible. I love performances because I work in the entertainment industry. I think there’s a big need for this kind of entertainment specifically, because there’s a lot of passion involved in it,” said Austin McCardie, who is a cinematographer and a co-owner of Brothers 3 Studios.
Mr. McCardie said after filming a lot of movies, there’s just something that doesn’t translate from screen to person: “It’s something just extraordinary to sit in an audience. And just feel the energy that comes from the stage. It’s one of my favorite things,”
Bonny Shirk is a professional musician who graduated from the University of Michigan with a major in violin and a minor in piano. She appreciated the Shen Yun orchestra’s combination of Eastern and Western instruments.
“Such a cool fusion of being able to bring east and west together and make it modern, but at the same time celebrate the traditional instruments. And I think that the exposure of having everyone be able to hear the instruments and the remarkable job that they did composing music that works to have that blended orchestra is really amazing,” Ms. Shirk said.
According to Shen Yun’s mission statement, the show aims to bring back China’s 5,000 years of traditional culture and history through classical Chinese dance and music.
Mr. McCardie said it is special for him to see the performance “because I get to experience something that I can see was handed down for thousands of years. What kind of chance do I get to do that? I mean, I never get that kind of chance. So to be able to go here, it’s almost like an honor.”
“I think it’s something that everyone should see and understand. I think it helps to break down a lot of the cultural misunderstandings that people have. And I think it’s important that everyone has respect for each other’s cultures,” Ms. Shirk said.
“Those elements of being able to understand how actually similar all of our religions are and the respect for a higher being. And that hope that we can find in believing in something bigger than ourselves is so beautiful,” she added.
“I think that for a lot of people, maybe in the United States, they don’t realize that history. I don’t think that they appreciate how religion and faith was really a big part of the Chinese culture for a long time,” Mr. Harris said.
Other audience members voiced hope for the tour to return next season.
“It’s absolutely extraordinary. Some of the best performances I’ve ever seen. I wish them the best. I really hope that I can get to go and see them again, at some point when they come back next year. Just one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. You guys are incredible,” Mr. McCardie said.
“I think everybody should come and see it. There’s so much depth to the whole thing. And it’s just beautiful,” Ms. Cohen said.
“Thank you for what you’re doing in carrying on the tradition of not only the Chinese culture but representing a lot of different cultures and giving hope to people that want to keep their culture alive. It’s so important to always hang on to your roots,” Ms. Shirk said.
Shen Yun’s tour will runs until May.
NTD News, St. Louis, Missouri.
