Vincent Bocina, a psychologist, said, “The choreography was something like I’ve never seen before, and the stories, I understood them. The dancing, the music, just unbelievable.”
Scott Slomowitz, a patent attorney with Caesar Rivise, PC, said, “The performance is just unbelievable. The costumes are just amazing. And I know that it changes every year. I understand that the performers return, but everything every year it is unique.”
Rachel Stott, a campus minister, said, “Beautiful. It is unbelievably acrobatic. The dancing is so precise, the costuming is outstanding, just remarkable.”
“It’s really shocking to see what is being conveyed through these stories about what’s going on there, and in today’s environment here in the United States, it’s even more relatable to see when a religious belief is suppressed, and freedom of speech is suppressed. So it’s very sad to see that, but it’s heartening to see people express that, and to see the audience relate to that,” said Mr. Slomowitz.
“It’s really complex, it’s not just what we see in the media, necessarily, but there’s such a rich cultural history behind it. And I’ve so enjoyed seeing all the different facets, from the Monkey King to more contemporary stories and even within the plains of towards Mongolia as well. I think there are so many facets to Chinese culture that I would have been enjoying to see,” said Laikana Ly, a pharmacist.
Based in New York, Shen Yun has been touring the world since 2006, and presents themes of spirituality and compassion in each performance, values found at the core of traditional Chinese culture.
Ms. Stott said, “I think we’re all by creation, spiritual beings, so to leave that out, I think, is a mistake. I think it’s great that it’s being addressed. I also think that it is still entertaining. It’s still incredible, the artistry. So I don’t think you have to have one without the other.”
“It’s a message of hope, and that eternity is something we can all hope for. So I just thought that was such a beautiful message. I didn’t expect that,” said Pam Pencola, a retired educator. “When you are willing to commit to something, it can lead to just such beautiful gifts and influence other people for good.”
“I think that that’s what people would need to know, is that it’s not just all the color and the dance. There is a message there that builds from the beginning to the end. So I would definitely encourage people to see it,” said Mr. Bocina. “And I’ll probably come back next year. I’d like to see that it’s going to be different. So I think that’ll be exciting to see.”
