“It was emotional, it was the first time we saw it. It was very engaging, full of emotion,” said Rossella Novarini, an art director. “I found many [similarities] with the path of the human soul. There is a beautiful spiritual part that communicates a lot of emotions and that I discovered to be something that unites all cultures. I discovered that the origins of spirituality are the same in every part of the world.”
“I found it really different from what there is in Italy or in Europe, but it was innovative, different in a way you never see in Western dance,” said Elisabetta Scabini, a dance instructor. “Compared to European classical dancers, they definitely have skills that are sometimes almost superior, because they do somersaults and jumps that are not studied here.”
“It’s wonderful, indescribably beautiful. It’s very moving, with its colors, the precision of the choreography, and the amazing technique. The dancers’ athletic training is impeccable, and you can see that a lot of work, dedication, and passion has gone into it. The music, the costumes, everything is impeccable. Wonderful!” said Meri Forestieri, a dance school owner.
“Magnificent, especially because it conveys a new and different image of the Chinese people. We have been influenced by China in recent years by Mao, by communism. And instead, tonight we have discovered that the Chinese people are a spiritual people, with values, with a wonderful inner strength. Wonderful,” said Ms. Novarini.
“I didn’t think this situation existed. I thought that the show was [produced] in China and then exported from China to the rest of the world. So this particularly struck me, I didn’t think there was such a strict and severe ban on a show and its performance,” said Ms. Scabini. “I want to say congratulations on their bravery, for their dedication to the studio and to all the eight companies that have for the show that they put on and that they bring in the whole world.”
Each year, Shen Yun brings an all new performance, with new dances, music, and backdrops. Audience members said the skill and artistry of the dancers left a deep impression.
“For a dancer, the meaning of a show is definitely to leave a message and Shen Yun launches a very strong message, especially in the act of salvation. So for young people who want to pursue this career it leaves a message of study, of hope, everything together,” said Chenia Delogu, a dance instructor.
Ms. Forestieri said, “Even though I come from different disciplines where there is less acrobatics, but a lot of technique, because I teach academic dance, it requires a lot of technique. I was inspired by the colors; they are very striking. The costumes help the movement a lot, so they complement the dancers’ technique even more. Very beautiful.”
“For me, as a dancer, I understand what was done tonight, all the work, the effort, the consistency, is truly sacrificing life for dance. If you don’t have the passion, certain levels certainly cannot be achieved,” said Ms. Delogu. “You really realize what the human body can do when it trains; it goes beyond the impossible.”
