Shen Yun’s Cultural Storytelling Impresses in Oklahoma

Terry Neese, CEO at the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City. After the evening show on April 20, she spoke about what stood out.

“The performance is really remarkable. The poise, the dynamism of the interaction with everyone that’s on stage, the music is just incredible. I find it very thrilling,” said Neese. “I am shocked at the energy, the ability of the performers on stage to be in the air all at the same time and all of a sudden they are on the floor. It is really remarkable what they do.”

Shen Yun specializes in classical Chinese dance. The company was founded with a mission to revive and spread China’s divinely inspired history. The dancers are accompanied by a live orchestra.

As Shen Yun explains, for thousands of years classical Chinese dance was spread through folk traditions, imperial court performances, and ancient theater.

“It’s just tremendous to be able to see how they don’t speak—but you can determine with the way they move their body what is actually happening in the story. So they are telling a story. That’s a true, remarkable story,” Neese added.

“I thought it was living poetry. Each story was magnificent and well portrayed,” said David Althouse, a published writer. “And I loved the dance portrayal of each of the stories. It’s beautiful.”

Story-based dance is one of the ways Shen Yun portrays Chinese traditional culture. According to its program book, Shen Yun performs stories from ancient legends, to those set in modern-day China. All of the performances display traditional Chinese values.

“Those stories were very meaningful and they touch on all of the important things to all of us around the world—love, devotion … loyalty, and God,” said Althouse. “The important things in life are God, and family, and faith.”

“The message that I got was to not forget the spiritual side—to stay focused on that, and not to get too wrapped up in the modern day, and to remember where we’ve come from,” said Megan Vance Ochs, vice president of John Vance Auto Group & Vance Insurance.

“It is something I have never experienced before … having the opportunity to see this is an incredible adventure. And I’m just very honored to be able to sit in the audience,” Neese added.

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