For the second year, Philadelphia City Councilman Mark Squilla watched Shen Yun at the historic Merriam Theater.
Just like the previous year, he was once again amazed by the art and culture in the performance and its deeper meaning has drawn him in.
“The spirituality and divinity and also the morality that is shown in the show is amazing. The choreography is just unbelievable, and the way everybody moves in sync, it’s an amazing experience just to be here and to see the show,” Squilla said. “I think the message that they’re sending about morality, that love conquers hate and that if you have strong enough faith you’ll be able to survive any hardships that are brought upon you. I just think that the show really emanates that and makes the audience feel like they’re a part of it.”
Shen Yun dancers seek to enchant audience members not just with their movements, but also with their hearts.
Squilla was indeed able to feel a sensation beyond a mere appreciation of their physical prowess.
“You could see how excited they are to be here, the smiles on their faces, and that it’s really not a job for them, they’re enjoying it and it’s them willing to show how they feel inside, bringing that divinity from inside out, and to share that with everybody who’s watching it—you can feel it. And the excitement—it’s an amazing show, and it makes you feel good just being in the audience, to be able to watch it.”
Good Conquers Evil
Using stories from ancient legend to the modern days, Shen Yun aims to display the essence of traditional Chinese culture through story-based dance.
“When you see that the old elements of China and the values that they had, to be able to transcend [transmit] them through generations and to be able to have the young people today see how the people back in the day were, and to be able to appreciate that and value that, I think it’s priceless,” he added. “And to be able to show that here in the United States is something that we could teach our children the same values.”
Since 1999 up until today, the communist regime in China has persecuted practitioners of the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, for refusing to give up their beliefs and upholding the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.
“So it’s sad to know that. But it’s also rewarding to see that people are still willing to fight for those rights, and to have those rights, and how passionate they are about it, and will not give them up no matter what the consequences may be.”
He finds that it is important that Shen Yun shows this to the world, and appreciates Shen Yun’s efforts for doing that.
“It’s important because it makes you realize the things that you have here in the United States, and knowing that other people don’t have those same rights, and I think by bringing that to light, makes you appreciate it more and it also makes you appreciate the hardship that others go through,” Squilla added. “Unbelievable—it’s the best thing that anybody could ever ask for. Keep up the great work and looking forward to seeing this year after year after year.”
NTD News, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
