WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—Shen Yun Performing Arts opened to a full house for its first-ever performance in West Palm Beach, April 29, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. The audience responded with frequent applause and a standing ovation.
Shen Yun, based in New York, has achieved worldwide recognition among celebrities, government officials, fashion leaders, and artists of all kinds for its extraordinary performances and for bringing back China’s divinely inspired cultural heritage.
Carol Davis Waitzkin, a designer with the World of Interiors, attended along with Tim Caffyn, a lawyer. “The first thing I said to Tim was it was exhilarating,” she said.
“I thought the colors, especially, were extremely cohesive.” She said the production looked very natural, “sort of coming to life, moving across the stage.” The combined effect of the costumes and the background, the animated digital backdrops, “almost made it ethereal,” Ms. Waitzkin said.
Shen Yun’s costumes consistently win the admiration of theatergoers, especially those in design. And the digital backdrops are designed to “complement and synchronize all aspects of the performance: the characters, color of the costumes, specific dance movements, props, lighting, the story being told, particular notes played by the orchestra, and special audio effects,” according to the Shen Yun website.
“I work with fabrics—antique fabrics, new fabrics. I make pillows, window treatments. I work in the world of interior design, so I work with colors and fabrics,” Ms. Waitzkin said.
‘I was thrilled’
She said she is also interested in dancing, in movement. “It was interesting to see the different kinds of steps and twists and turns that the dancers made.”
“Shen Yun Performing Arts’ dance style is built upon classical Chinese dance as a foundation, while also maintaining a number of ethnic and folk dances. This combination embodies Chinese people’s estheticism and ethnic character,” the website states.
“Wonderful, absolutely wonderful,” Ms. Waitzkin said. “I was thrilled. I’m sure I'll be thinking about it for many days.”
Prior to the performance, West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio issued a proclamation declaring April 29–30 as Shen Yun Performing Arts Days.
In a greeting letter, Mayor Muoio wrote, “I would also like to commend the performers for sharing their talent with audiences throughout the country and around the world, and for advancing Chinese performing arts in the United States.”
Reporting by Sally Sun and Louise Rothman
The final Florida performance of Shen Yun’s 2012–2013 world tour will be in Melbourne, May 2, at the King Center for the Performing Arts.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
