OGDEN, Utah—“It was the costumes; the grace, and the beauty—it was amazing,” said Joleen Lasson after attending Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company with her husband, Allen. The Lassons enjoyed the matinee performance at the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts on March 13.
The couple, who own a sign company, had traveled to China in 2009 and saw Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The attended Shen Yun because they wanted to see Chinese performing arts.
Despite the fact that Shen Yun is the premier music and dance company in the world, it originates out of New York, not China. In fact, Shen Yun cannot be seen in mainland China due to the communist agenda of eliminating traditional cultural values.
Comprised of short dances, Shen Yun allowed the couple to learn about those values, but also to sample different ethnic dances from all over China.
“I know [Chinese cultures are] so diversified, and you can tell in the different programs,” Mrs. Lasson said, who loved seeing the culture.
Mr. Lasson was impressed with the beauty of what he saw: “I mean, it’s just a good example of talent and the beauty.”
Both were struck with a dance called An Early Spring in which dancers’ twirl handkerchiefs to evoke the annual change of seasons, from winter to spring.
Mr. Lasson also mentioned the beginning of the entire show: “The effects of the fog and just the beautiful costumes and very beautiful women—and colorful.
“The bright colors I think it enhances it,” he said referring to both the colorful costumes and backdrops behind the dancers.
“Amazing,” Mrs. Lasson said. “A beautiful taste of China.”
Reporting by Youzhi Ma and Sharon Kilarski.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company is scheduled to perform at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas, March 15–17. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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