LAS VEGAS—Michael Smith, a veteran backstage theater producer, said “I would support this show in the future,” after seeing the Shen Yun performance at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas on March 16.
Mr. Smith has 41 years of backstage production experience. His last grand production in Las Vegas before retirement was Phantom of the Opera.
Applauding every aspect of the Shen Yun Performance, Mr. Smith was impressed by the originality of Shen Yun’s backdrop.
“The rear projection screen was wonderful. I thought the way they utilized the in and out, as far as the characters jumping down and appearing on the screen, was very original. I think that was a great part of the show.”
Mr. Smith was referring to how Shen Yun’s backdrop connects the stage with the world digitally projected on the screen, making the dancers seem to traverse through different realms and spaces.
According to Shen Yun’s website, “Shen Yun’s digital-backdrop team creates vividly animated settings, extending the stage and transporting the audience to a world where heaven and earth are one.”
Regarding the dances, Mr. Smith especially noticed the discipline behind the dancers’ training.
“All their movements were in unison, which is tremendous to see. You can tell a lot of hard work took place to get this show where it is.”
He said he particularly enjoyed the dances involving the use of scarves.
“The Tibetan dance was extremely nice—where they spun the little scarves. I like anything where they are spinning scarves or things like that because I like that, good artistic dance.”
The use of stage props is a special feature of Shen Yun performances. Over the years, the stage props have featured water sleeves, Tibetan kata scarves, Taoist whisks, and imperial court tablets, according to Shen Yun’s website.
Mr. Smith was also enthusiastic about the music of the performance.
“Oh, the musicians were fantastic. The conductor. Because I understand how orchestras work, the conductor was excellent. The music was fantastic.”
Even though he has seen numerous shows, Mr. Smith said Shen Yun’s performance is unique.
“This show is different than any other because it’s a teaching show too, not just a musical or dance show. It was teaching you about the culture of China. China is a very big culture and we need to understand the culture of China, just like China needs to understand the cultures of the world.”
Being familiar with the current regime in China, Mr. Smith said he understood that “Chinese cannot see their culture the way it was.”
“It’s kind of sad in a way to see dancing that Chinese cannot see themselves in China. That saddens me because what a rich history, that they cannot enjoy. They can only enjoy the history of the last 60, 70 years maybe.”
“After more than 60 years of Communist rule in China, and especially after the Cultural Revolution, Chinese traditional culture has been all but completely demolished,” says the Shen Yun website.
It pleased Mr. Smith that the Shen Yun Performing Arts is a New York-based company comprising artists and musicians of different nationalities
“It’s nice to see that the people involved in the show are from all around the world. I didn’t know it was a USA show, a kind of ’made in America' show. That’s kind of nice.”
Mr. Smith recommended that everyone, especially Chinese people, should see Shen Yun.
“Anybody should see it, especially people who don’t know a lot about China. I think a lot of Chinese should see it if they haven’t been able to see their culture in a long time.”
With reporting by NTD Television.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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