The performance presents 5,000 years of China’s heritage from before communism through classical dance and music, featuring a live orchestra and animated digital backdrop.
Cristina Bickerstaff , an actress and a board member at Sarasota Rising, said: “the music, the dancing, the costumes, everything was so visceral. It was tangible, how much everyone really was able to identify with these amazing stories that you guys told. This was just beautiful. If anyone hasn't seen it, they absolutely must. And I found out that every year it is mixed up and it's different. Thousands of years of things to pull from. Everything was amazing. It was wonderful.”
“Stunning visuals, great storyline. It's great that it's narrated as well, so you know what's going on. It's just, it's a spectacular show. The visuals as soon as you walk in are incredible and very striking, and it just continues to get better and better, as we've seen the acts of the show,” said Michael Brandon, the owner of The Rooted Magnolia.
Scott Sugden, the owner of Shadracks, said: “if they're persecuting you for religious beliefs, that's a problem that needs to be done away with. [You] need to be able to believe whatever you'd like to believe.”
Cristina Bickerstaff said: “I actually learned things throughout the show, and I plan on doing more research, because it would do this amazing thing of jumping back in time and then showing you that there's contemporary issues going on right now. The oppression of religious beliefs and being able to practice them, and that's why they're outsourcing and coming abroad with it. And it was just beautiful to be a part of it. And I was really breath taken and brought in. And I can't wait to go home and tell everyone about it.”
Spirituality and the divine are the pillars of ancient Chinese civilization. These values and traditions are now brought to life on stage and play an integral part in Shen Yun’s storytelling.
“I saw a more spiritual element, more soulful. I think the expression, the way that purpose in life, what the purpose was, was more spiritual and more focused,” said Lynn Davis, a project director at Labcorp. “There is a heaven that we're all striving to get through this world. I like I heard kindness and fellowship. We're trying to be the best person that we can be, to get back to Heaven. And we feel the same way in what we practice.”
“I think it doesn't matter where we live or where we come from, we kind of connect on beliefs and thinking there's a divine being that created us. And I felt that through the performance and that, I think that that's how we connect amongst cultures,” said Svetlana Samayoa, an economist and adviser at LAC Footprint Initiative.
