“It’s just incredible. It’s beautiful. The way the dancers work the floor is natural and effortless. The use of choreography and the color and the arms and the flowing is just beautiful. It’s amazing,” Mr. Donatelli said.
‘Message Transcends All Cultures’
Shen Yun’s dancers are trained at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Fei Tian College in New York. Although the dancers are mostly ethnically Chinese, they are actually artists from around the world who have a common goal of reviving China’s 5,000 years of civilization.“The dancers are from all over the world. I looked through the [program book], and they’re from everywhere, from China, from New York, even someone I think from Japan in there. They’re all over. Amazing,” said Bon Hall, who was in attendance with Mr. Donatelli.
“I was surprised that these dancers are not trained in China and that they’re trained in New York. I was very surprised about that. Because this is a beautiful art form, and I’m really surprised that it would be suppressed,” added Mr. Donatelli.
“This is multicultural, even though it’s a China story. I think this is multicultural because it is about beauty and dance, and regardless of what a person’s ethnicity is, I think that this message just transcends all cultures,” said Mr. Donatelli.
“The backdrop, it’s interesting. Again, there’s wonderful creativity, as part of this, using the stage but also the electronics to enhance the viewers’ experience,” said Mr. Donatelli.
“The way they sort of appear, and then immediately jump, and then immediately appear on stage from the earth,” Ms. Hall described.
“It makes you believable, pulls you into the story,” Mr. Donatelli added.
“I think the costumes are spectacular. I love the way that they flow. And every time they move, it’s not just the dance, it’s the costume [that] sort of carries on the movement. And I love that. I think it’s beautiful,” said Ms. Hall.