SAN JOSE, Calif.—For Kim Williams and Jeff Kisling seeing Shen Yun perform at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 6 was a wonderful experience.
“It’s a spectacular show and it’s unique. I haven’t seen anything like it,” said Ms. Williams who is a psychotherapist.
“I love the dance,” she added.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts was founded in 2006 with the mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese culture.
Both Ms. Williams and Mr. Kisling, who also is a psychotherapist, said they enjoyed the story-based elements of the performance. Shen Yun draws inspiration for its performances from China’s rich and vast history. The dances “recount ancient myths, bygone heroes, or celestial paradises,” according to the Shen Yun website.
Ms. Williams says she thinks the story telling was “just amazing.”
“It’s fascinating. It makes me want to come again to get a really deeper experience of it because this time it is all new,” she said.
At the core of Shen Yun performances is classical Chinese dance—one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world, with a history of thousands of years.
“I think the way it’s presented is very poignant with the humanity,” Mr. Kisling said.
Ms. Williams says she learned a lot about Chinese culture by watching the performance. She said, “I love the English and Chinese presentation,” which gives a short introduction ahead of each piece in the performance.
Shen Yun now travels around the world with three performance companies, each with an accompanying orchestra. Mr. Kisling said he enjoyed the music played by the orchestra, which is unique in that it combines both Western and classical Chinese instruments.
“I was so caught up in it,” Mr. Kisling said.
Reporting by Christian Watjen and Jasper Fakkert.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s Touring Company will be in Vancouver until Jan. 13, while the New York Company will complete its tour of eastern Canada with five shows in Toronto from Jan. 17–20. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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