SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Dancer Appreciates Shen Yun’s Depth of Talent and Training

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Dancer Appreciates Shen Yun’s Depth of Talent and Training
Sarah Lebengood attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts on March 3, 2024. Lily Yu/The Epoch Times

BOISE, Idaho—Shen Yun Performing Arts performed at the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts on March 3. Sarah Lebengood said that it was “really mind-boggling to watch. It’s just beautiful.”

Ms. Libengood, a former ballet dancer, appreciated the talent and hard work that goes into the performance. “They all have exceptional talent and strength and agility,” she said. “I watched them, and I remember just the amazing technical ability that these athletes have.”

She noted the talent and training required for a Shen Yun dancer. “Their skill is unparalleled. It’s beautiful. It really, really is,” she said, especially about Shen Yun’s mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture. “I think whenever you’re able to convey a part of your culture to an area that has no idea, that they don’t know the history, they don’t know the culture, and they’re able to convey it in such a beautiful fashion, it really speaks not only to the skill but also to the artistry of the of the dancers. It’s great.”

Through classical Chinese dance and music, Shen Yun is sharing with the world the beauty of China’s authentic 5,000 years of history before communism. Since its founding in 2006, the company has received worldwide accolades for its mission to revive traditional Chinese culture.

Shen Yun’s stories conveyed a rich and spiritual message to the audience. “I get a great sense of spirituality behind the culture and the faith in the gods, I think it’s Buddha,” Ms. Lebengood said.

The opening scene of the Creator coming to save humanity left a deep impression on Ms. Lebengood. “I think it’s fascinating. I really do think it’s fascinating. Anytime somebody has faith, that’s a great thing. To have faith and to realize that you’re not alone on this planet is such a beautiful thing.”

All aspects of the production impacted Ms. Lebengood. “Everything stands out. It leaps right off the stage at you. It’s very beautifully done. And [the performers] have so much talent and skill. I will say my favorite is watching the acrobatics, where they do their back flips, and they just kind of hang in the air for a while. And then they finally come down. It’s like it’s in slow motion. It’s beautiful,” she said.

Ms. Lebengood would encourage friends to come to Shen Yun, she said. “They would just need to come see it for themselves. It’s just visually stunning. I think that’s the best way to put it. It’s visually stunning. Both my mom and my friend are visually impaired, and they both can see all the colors and all of the beauty, and so it’s really, really spectacular.”

Drew Drewry attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts on March 3, 2024. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)
Drew Drewry attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts on March 3, 2024. Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times

Shen Yun Gives Hope for Positive Change

Drew Drewry, a general contractor, said, “It was amazing to see the talent, [and] the actual sharing of bits and pieces of that culture is really remarkable. It’s so beautiful. I was just amazed at how all of the people were just so in tune with what was going on. The whole program was orchestrated in such a way that it made you want to continue to see what was coming next. It was absolutely breathtaking.”

With shows scheduled in over 200 cities and across five continents, the 2024 touring season is shaping up to be the artists’ busiest yet.

One dance touched Mr. Drewry. “What I really resonated with was the magic fish and that scenario that took place there. I thought that was really remarkable. That young man, he was kind of rebellious. And then the magic fish came and gave him another path. [It turned out] it wasn’t really a fish, then kind of set him straight—so that really kind of resonated with me,” he said.

Mr. Drewry said he took an important message from the story. “It was very inspiring because you could see hope, you could see change, ... the fish came back to reward him for his generosity and absolutely wonderful kindness. So it was just a nice coming full circle in turn of the actions that took place leading up to that very resonating that I really enjoyed.”
The spiritual message of Shen Yun’s performance also impressed Mr. Drewry. “I really like how some of the places weren’t quite as good—because they had lost their faith. Atheism and some of the other things that have taken hold, even in today’s society, have really kind of steered things in a different direction. If we would just embrace [faith] back into our lives, I believe it would make it the world a much better place across the board,” he said.

A lifelong resident of Idaho, Mr. Drewry had good feelings after seeing Shen Yun’s performance. He said: “I feel very at peace, very peaceful, with great hope. I hope for positive change.”

The dances carried very positive feelings for Mr. Drewry. “It was amazing because you could still see a lot of different kindness routines—educational, learning moments. Pieces like that that shows that, even though my culture here in the United States and the culture over there in China is significantly different, we still have similar values that we value life; we value those simple things of kindness, pleasantries, and beauty.”
Reporting by Sherry Dong, Lily Yu, and Yvonne Marcotte.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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