Kathleen Flarity, executive director of the Marcus Institute for Brain Health, said, “I’ve been wanting to see them forever, and I am over the top amazed, spectacular, the colors, the meaning, it’s emotional. It just pulls at your heartstrings and then fills you with joy from one minute to the next. It’s beautiful.”
“I thought it was amazing. The color, the choreography, I was very impressed. I loved it. It was an amazing show,” said Jose Sepulveda, a retail store vice president.
Ms. Flarity said, “The passion comes across. The passion and what they’re doing, what they’re portraying, what they’re sharing, really comes across.”
Amy McOmber, the musical director for Small Hands on Art, said, “I loved the beautiful way in which they were doing that and showing them that you can overcome the oppressive, evil things of this world and strive to be better and help others to have a better life.”
“I think it’s great, and it’s also teaching me a lot about the history of China and the traditions, and I love that,” said Maria Dumas, a former engineer with IBM.
Debbie Weber, a professor at Elmhurst College, said, “I would encourage everyone to take the time to go see this. They would have a totally different idea as far as what China is really, what the people of China are like, not the Communist Party. And I think that’s the message that the American people would get from this show today.”
Shen Yun’s music is performed by a live orchestra featuring a unique combination of classical Western and Eastern instruments. Theatergoers were impressed by the performers' talent and skill.
Ms. McOmber said, “I loved the precision of the orchestra and the depth of the orchestra. I like that they use the Chinese instruments, the erhu and the other instruments that are native to China, and then putting it together and choreographing it and accentuating all of the movements and the stories that they were telling. It was very poetic and very creative, very beautiful.”
“It was fabulous. The precision was amazing. And just all their extensions and the height that they got was incredible. And I love the imaginative way that they jumped into the screen and jumped back out, and all of the visual effects were really beautiful,” said Howard McOmber, the program director at Small Hands on Art.
“I think what is displayed with the show tonight is that people don’t realize what’s going on with China today, and what the past cultures were, and what we should really enjoy and appreciate what the cultures were, and hopefully we’ll get back to,” said Bob Weber, an orthodontist.
