COSTA MESA, Calif—Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company attracted a full house of theatergoers in Segerstrom Hall on Mother’s Day, May 8, at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Among the audience members were Lauren Kelley, a former professional dancer, and her friend Annika Roman.
Ms. Roman said about Shen Yun, “It’s glorious. It’s an infusion of beauty for our souls.” She added, “It just enlivens your senses, [is] beautiful, heavenly, [and] graceful!”
Ms. Kelley was in a professional dance company and began learning dance at age three.
She said, “I did do ballet, but I did more contemporary and jazz, but I’ve taken ballet forever.”
With her extensive dance background, she recognized the similarities with her Western ballet training: “I thought, ‘Oh they must practice ballet.’ That was my initial reaction, and then when the host started describing more, that this was actually the classic Chinese way of dance.”
Though she stopped performing, she emphasized that seeing Shen Yun made her miss performing and that it “pulled” at her and made her miss it even more.
Both Ms. Roman and Ms. Kelley also thoroughly enjoyed the unique sounds of the Shen Yun New York Orchestra, which combines traditional Chinese and classical Western instruments.
Ms. Kelley pointed out that “It was a neat combination of instruments, too. You know how they used different instruments from different cultural backgrounds.”
Ms. Roman described the orchestra as “powerful” and added that she enjoyed “the balance of the sounds between east and west. It represented the movements and the colors.” They also praised the singers, whose lyrics were “so poetic.”
Ms. Kelley described the digital backdrop as “Stunning!” as Ms. Roman agreed that the backdrop enhanced the experience as “it just enlivens your senses” and is “beautiful, heavenly, graceful—all those words—magical, whimsical.”
Ms. Roman said, “we wish everyone could experience [Shen Yun], especially in China.”
Shen Yun is currently banned in China due largely to its dedication to preserving genuine, traditional Chinese culture, the very thing the communist regime has tried for decades to destroy.
With reporting by Lu Rusong and James White.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
Among the audience members were Lauren Kelley, a former professional dancer, and her friend Annika Roman.
Ms. Roman said about Shen Yun, “It’s glorious. It’s an infusion of beauty for our souls.” She added, “It just enlivens your senses, [is] beautiful, heavenly, [and] graceful!”
Ms. Kelley was in a professional dance company and began learning dance at age three.
She said, “I did do ballet, but I did more contemporary and jazz, but I’ve taken ballet forever.”
With her extensive dance background, she recognized the similarities with her Western ballet training: “I thought, ‘Oh they must practice ballet.’ That was my initial reaction, and then when the host started describing more, that this was actually the classic Chinese way of dance.”
Though she stopped performing, she emphasized that seeing Shen Yun made her miss performing and that it “pulled” at her and made her miss it even more.
Both Ms. Roman and Ms. Kelley also thoroughly enjoyed the unique sounds of the Shen Yun New York Orchestra, which combines traditional Chinese and classical Western instruments.
Ms. Kelley pointed out that “It was a neat combination of instruments, too. You know how they used different instruments from different cultural backgrounds.”
Ms. Roman described the orchestra as “powerful” and added that she enjoyed “the balance of the sounds between east and west. It represented the movements and the colors.” They also praised the singers, whose lyrics were “so poetic.”
Ms. Kelley described the digital backdrop as “Stunning!” as Ms. Roman agreed that the backdrop enhanced the experience as “it just enlivens your senses” and is “beautiful, heavenly, graceful—all those words—magical, whimsical.”
Ms. Roman said, “we wish everyone could experience [Shen Yun], especially in China.”
Shen Yun is currently banned in China due largely to its dedication to preserving genuine, traditional Chinese culture, the very thing the communist regime has tried for decades to destroy.
With reporting by Lu Rusong and James White.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
