Here at Ikeda theater, tickets to see Shen Yun were sold out a month in advance. Let’s hear what the audience thought of the performance.
Gary Dueling, president of Hart Automotive Supply, attended the opening night performance in Mesa on the first of March.
“The dancers are so consistent with each other as a group. They do their individual pieces and they come back as a group, and it all flows so well.”
Judy Halma, owner of Franklin Inn on Durkee Bed and Breakfast attended with Dueling.
“I am really impressed with that screen in the back, how the characters fold into it and fold out of it,” said Halma. “I mean the water splashing, you know, it’s like they act like they got wet. So it’s just a lot of new technology I am not familiar with. It’s real upbeat and it moves along quickly and it keeps your attention.”
Richard Clark, owner of Gila River Goat & Sheep Producers, and his wife Sharon drove 200 miles to see the performance in Mesa. The spirituality and gentleness brought him to tears.
“It’s always nice to see someone from a different culture and to be able to identify with them. And to appreciate those things we hold in common as well as our differences,” said Mr. Clark. “And it was very nice to get a glimpse of your culture and to not, China tends to be stereotyped and you don’t necessarily see them as individuals and people. And this program helps you to do that.”
Ms. Clark used to teach art and music. She thought the performance was relevant for children.
“I have been involved in doing some productions with the school, and so I can appreciate all the hard work that has gone into this production,” she said. “They are very talented, very disciplined, and the costumes, the colors, the talent, everything was just amazing.”
“If they were to come and see this, well first of all, your, kind of inundates the senses. It’s very, it’s beautifully visual and the music is so inspiring, and I think that anyone, any child who comes to visit it will be inspired to develop talents,” said Ms. Clark.
Joanne Jolee Jaffa, owner of Pinnacle American Records and Executive Director of Jolee-Jaffa Music Foundation, Inc., praised the orchestra’s layout.
“The orchestra was amazing, the conductor, absolutely did a beautiful job, the arrangements are beautiful, you’ve got all of the classical instruments; you’ve got your string section, you’ve got your brass section and the percussion and then you’ve got the interesting Chinese instruments, that I am not familiar with, and I heard all of that —and it was very well done, it was very well blended and mixed.”
“And they pulled out all the different emotions and feelings of the stories that were being told; some of them were silly and some of them were funny and humorous and the music was fitting,” said Ms. Jaffa.
Her husband, Bill Jaffa, co-owner of Jaffa Simmons, PLLC attended with her.
“There is a moral element to the performance which is something that we’re desperately lacking in America and probably throughout much of the world. So I think this is a beautiful, beautiful performance, that helps brings us back to where we should be,” said Mr. Jaffa.
“I generally don’t smile but this makes me smile it was a very great show.”
NTD News, Mesa, Arizona
