COSTA MESA, Calif.—Shen Yun Performing Arts opened at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts on Friday, Jan. 18. Wendy Ruple, a nurse nutritionist, and John Ruple, massage therapist, attended the show and thought it was beautiful.
Shen Yun is primarily a classical Chinese dance and music performance that includes solo singers and musicians, ethnic and folk dances, and a live orchestra.
The company’s website says Shen Yun presents traditional Chinese culture as it once was, with all the grace, wisdom, and virtues that have been passed down from the five millennia of Chinese civilization.
“There was so much grace and beauty, and it flowed, like they were flying,” Wendy Ruple said.
Ms. Ruple said it was very interesting how the dancers interacted with the digital backdrop. She had not seen that done before, and thought it was well done.
One impression she got of traditional Chinese culture, after seeing the performance, was that they integrated their spiritual beliefs and values into their stories.
In many of the dance numbers of Shen Yun, the audience is introduced to stories and legends from Chinese culture, from when it began 5,000 years ago through to modern-day China.
John Ruple was also surprised at “how diverse Chinese culture was, from one region to another. I didn’t know it had that much diversity in one country.”
Mr. Ruple taught gymnastics when he was younger, and he was delighted to see the flips and turns that are a technical part of classical Chinese dance.
He said the show “gave me much more appreciation for the Chinese culture.”
Reporting by Mandy Huang and Sarah Le.
Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will be at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa for performances January 18th-20th. New York-based Shen Yun has three companies that tour the world each year on a mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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