SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Dallas Professor Says Shen Yun Is the Door to a Better World

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Dallas Professor Says Shen Yun Is the Door to a Better World
Professor Francesco Plantania and his son at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas on April 15, 2022. Yawen Hung/The Epoch Times
DALLAS—Professor Francesco Plantania and his son were dazzled with the beauty and purity of Shen Yun Performing Arts after attending a performance at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas on April 15.

“It’s colorful … not just in the dresses, but colorful culture, colorful dancing, and colorful atmosphere,” he said.

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company. Along with folk dances and solo performances, the production depicts story-based pieces that tell tales from ancient times to the modern-day.

“It brings this sense of the peace and also escape to a better world … [a] sense of … calm and peace in a world of turmoil. ... We want to just go to a place where there’s nothing but joy and peace: no war, no fights. … and I think this is a good avenue—the door to it!”

“It takes you away, you know, [to] a world that we can’t see or can’t touch, but it’s so real beyond our flesh and beyond our eyes, you know, there is a better world. We just can’t see it. And [Shen Yun] brings it over with this.”

Shen Yun Performing Arts aims to revive China’s 5,000-year-old traditional culture. The company’s website says its performance this year demonstrates “China before communism.”
Plantania commented that Shen Yun was a lively expression of China’s ancient culture.

“It’s not only lively, it is pure, it’s clean. It’s almost magic, you know, but it’s heavenly, that’s what it is.”

He believes that the performance was a great expression of bringing back the beautiful Chinese culture that has been overpowered by communist ideology. “Communism in general does not allow people to express themselves, especially in their religions … in spiritual ways. So, thank [Shen Yun] for bringing this over. You know, make us see the other side of China, the other side of people, … their culture of beauty. So deep, so beautiful.”
This was Francesco’s second time attending a performance by Shen Yun.

‘It’s very beautiful. I’m very impressed. … I’m going to see it again. Love it!”

Artist Miriam Odethguerrero and violinist Gerardo Herndez at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas, on April 15. (Yawen Hung/The Epoch Times)
Artist Miriam Odethguerrero and violinist Gerardo Herndez at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas, on April 15. Yawen Hung/The Epoch Times

Artist Miriam Odethguerrero and violinist Gerardo Herndez also attended the April 15 performance at the Winspear Opera House.

“We love everything. I mean, everything. I highly recommend it,” Miriam said.

This was the first time Miriam and Gerardo attended Shen Yun.

“I’ve been expecting to come and see it for so many years. … Two days ago, when I saw the ad on my phone, I started having goosebumps and I told him that no matter how busy I was, I have to cancel things,” she said. “And I said, let’s go!”

Besides talented dancers, Shen Yun features a one-of-a-kind orchestra that blends traditional Chinese instruments into a classical Western orchestra.
Commenting on Shen Yun’s live symphony orchestra, Gerardo said: “That’s the best of it. My favorite!”

“To hear different kinds of music, and the Chinese, I liked very much.”

Reported by Yawen Hung and Jennifer Schneider.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.