“Art is a very universal medium. I feel like it doesn’t matter where you are from, dance, song, it can get to you. Even if you don’t understand the words, you can portray meaning and feeling just through your motions, your costumes,” Mrs. Wright said.
“They should have freedom of religion. Everyone should be able to express themselves. ... You lose so much of who a person is, or a people, who they are, if you just try to erase their entire history,” Mrs. Wright said.
Seven decades ago, China was still immersed in its 5,000 years of traditional culture. After the communist party took over, it tried to eradicate China’s history. Shen Yun has been reviving this history since the company’s inception in 2006.
“It’s heartbreaking, so I can understand why someone would feel so passionate and put together this show to explain to the world—it hurts my heart that people can’t live their lives the way they feel they should be able to live them,” Mrs. Wright said.
“The emotion that you feel, it’s not something that just somebody who is Chinese would feel. It’s something, anybody, any parent, would feel. And it makes you angry, and makes me say, ‘Why?’”
“It’s absolutely stunning. I remember seeing the first advertisements for it back when we lived in San Diego. I’ve been waiting several years for it—just the movement, the color, the costumes, I am getting goosebumps from just thinking about it right now. It’s absolutely remarkable,” Mrs. Wright said.