When the show was over, the performers made two curtain calls, and many Chinese audience members felt very proud.
Among the Hawaiian audience members was Ms. Hu, who was a former Chinese gymnast, wearing colorful clothing dressed in a hand-embroidered red Chinese gown and a emerald green velvet shawl.
Ms. Hu was beaming and said, “It’s superb! It’s superb!”
Having been a gymnast, Ms. Hu said, “Gymnastics is my specialty and I know how it is to rehearse.”
Movements from classical Chinese dance have been the cause of many artforms in the world, such as acrobatics and gymnastics.
She added that the piece “Drummers of the Tang Dynasty Court” was “very good and filled with Chinese flavor.”
What impressed Ms. Hu most was how Shen Yun brought the essence of Chinese culture to the stage: “There are many Taos and Buddha lords featured in the programs and they make a deep impression on me. [I feel that] the characters [in the programs] are all searching for freedom.”
The classical Chinese dance reminded Hu of her own mother: “Those dances remind me of China and I think of my mother, who is also a dancer as well.”
Having been living in Hawaii for almost four years, Ms. Hu has often attended many artistic performances. Her first seeing Shen Yun, she said made her feel very proud of her cultural heritage.
She said, “I am very proud because I am Chinese. Also, I feel that many Westerners also enjoy this.”
Ms. Hu added that she will come again next year saying that she will “tell all my friends to come to see the show too.”
For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
