“I loved it. Oh, my goodness. The colors and everything. The dancing, the flying. It was beautiful,” said Dave Ellis Forét, an author. “Through the whole show, I sat there, I rarely looked over at my wife because I was so enthralled with the dancing and the performance.”
Allen Maxwell, a naturopathic physician with the AW Health Institute, said, “It was incredible to see, just the amount of training and also likely the technology involved. In that it was seamless, the moment the artists and the dancers drop back, you would see them go on to the screen, and so it was a beautiful example of just the advancement of technology and the ability to use technology to amplify the art.”
“It was amazing. It was colorful, it was theatrical, and it elicited feelings. It was beautiful,” said Tatum Hobbs, the owner of Satori Yoga and Wellness. “I really enjoyed the female dances and the poise that they have. Just the way that they carry themselves, the elegance and grace is just my favorite.”
Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture from before communism. A culture that the Chinese communist regime has been seeking to destroy through its oppressive persecution of faith and tradition.
“There were several times where my heart just cried out for the people in China that are unable to express their own beliefs in their hearts, for fear of having their eyes gouged out, or whatever other sort of wicked, evil punishment can be spread. It hurts to think that there is not the ability to even gather and thank your Creator, that’s horrible,” said Joe Guinn, the CEO of LBC Fleet.
“I knew the trials and tribulations that China is going through right now, but it’s just the heart, the heartbeat of the people, the heartbeat of the country. Just the strength and endurance. It blows me away,” said Mr. Forét.
Sanida Starr, a program specialist with the City of Phoenix, said, “We have to keep those values. We have to keep the tradition, and times are changing, but we always have to go back to our roots and be respectful and see all the different cultures and differences in this world that make it beautiful.”
“It was just so enjoyable to see the costumes, the choreography, and the messages throughout the entire presentation,” said Mr. Guinn. “We as mankind have so much more in common than what separates us. And I believe that there are forces in the world that try to separate us and divide us. And I do not believe that it should be that way.”
Mr. Maxwell said, “The singers were phenomenal. You know much of our language as a doctor, we studied the psychology and how one communicates. And it’s well known that it’s not just the words we say. It’s actually mostly the tone, the energy that’s behind the words we say. And so I thought the energy, the intention behind the singers was so beautiful and precious, you could feel it. It’s not something that you might hear or be able to perceive in the mind, but it’s an experience that’s felt deeper than that in the heart.”
Ms. Hobbs said, “I think that adding spirituality into anything makes it fuller with deeper meaning. And so it wasn’t just dancing in colors. It had a point, and it was fantastic.”
Mr. Maxwell said, “It was truly a gift. It was such a beautiful performance. Not just because of the artistic performance, but because of the message. Because they’re keeping alive something that is so precious. A reminder of the Divine essence in us and everything around. And so I loved it. I’ve been wanting to come for many years, and thankfully, finally, we were able to make the time, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
