SAN JOSE, Calif.—Author Manuel J. Costa attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ Saturday matinee performance in downtown San Jose and was delighted by the color, movement, and spirituality exuded during the performance.
“It was extremely colorful, with synchronistic movement, very flowing, beautiful,” said Mr. Costa. “I appreciated the spiritual content of it.”
The brilliant animated backdrop of Shen Yun Performing Arts provides color, depth, and surprise, Mr. Costa noted.
“And how they were able to have that backdrop ... and then at times have people fly into it, very synchronistically. They did it well,” Mr. Costa said, , speaking of how the Shen Yun performers are able to interact seamlessly with with the company’s signature digital backdrops.
The packed audience at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts was electric with applause, laughter, and cheers throughout the performance.
Mr. Costa’s guests, Mr. and Mrs. Petroni, were equally impressed by the performance.
“Their technique is very good, their dance technique, their performance, their working together, collaboration, the genuine effort to communicate a spiritual theme,” said Mr. Petroni.
The dancers’ attire was also memorable for Mr. Petroni.
“I liked the colorful costumes,” he said.
Mr. Costa recently published a book titled A Path to Life’s Fullness which explores the Bible from a modern perspective using both Mr. Costa’s experience with psychology and theology. Mr. Costa has also published a book titled Tackling Life Head On with Ronnie Lot, about the retired All Pro safety with the San Francisco 49ers. In addition, Mr. Costa has an M.A. in Religious Education and Counseling Psychology. He has also been a leader at the Guild for Psychological Studies since 1981.
The Shen Yun performance gave Mr. Costa a spiritual sense of something beyond.
“Just that sense of—it’s something greater than our bodies, than what we see, something beyond, in terms of soul,” said Mr. Costa in regards to how the show connected with him spiritually.
Shen Yun Performing Arts revives 5,000 years of civilization on stage through classical Chinese dance, according to its website.
Due to the destruction of traditional Chinese culture and values by the Chinese Communist Party’s multiple campaigns over the last 60 years, much of the world has never been exposed to authentic Chinese dance.
Mr. Costa mentioned that he appreciates Chinese dance “very much,” and said, “It was elegant and smooth and flowing.”
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world with a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. The Shen Yun Touring Company will perform at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts through Jan. 6. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
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