‘I Am Speechless,’ Says Lynnwood City Councillor, After Watching Shen Yun
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Julieta Altamirano-Crosby attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle, Wash., on Apr. 10, 2022. Echo Liu/The Epoch Times
SEATTLE—Shen Yun Performing Arts’ mission is to educate its audiences about authentic traditional Chinese culture and the importance of traditions in maintaining a life rooted in values that have survived for thousands of years.
The company does this through a display of story-based classical Chinese dance and music.
Julieta Altamirano-Crosby was delighted to learn about Shen Yun and its mission when she attended the performance at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall in Seattle.
“I’m very grateful [that Shen Yun] brings all this culture and how it connects with our roots. This is really important for finally connecting with our identities,” Julieta said.
“As an immigrant, and I’m from Mexico, we always try to do different programs of culture and art to connect with our roots as well. So, I’m really impressed with [Shen Yun]—I am speechless honestly,” she said.
Julieta is a Lynnwood City councilor. She was born in Guerrero, Mexico, and came to the United States 13 years ago.
“The quality I think is 100 percent. I didn’t see any mistakes—everything was perfect,” she said.
Julieta was impressed by the company’s 3D technology, which enabled actors to seemingly disappear off the stage and then magically reappear.
The colors of the costumes were meaningful to their culture, she said. It was a very professional performance with attention to every detail.
“I think what [Shen Yun] brings is history from centuries [ago] and I really appreciate it because I believe in it all,” Julieta said.
All cultures are admired, she said, and although there will always be divisions in the world, she said Shen Yun was not, in her opinion, about politics.
“There are episodes in history that we don’t like but we can use in an educational matter,” she said.
“I think in the last presentation [“The Display of Great Compassion”], we see this modern [life,] and tradition mixed together—where we see everybody looking at cell phones and disconnected with the real world,” she said.
Humanity needs to return to those traditions because they represent who we are, said Altimarino-Crosby. Otherwise, people will lose their identity “and culture and sense of belonging.”
Julieta felt that Shen Yun was a wonderful opportunity to dissolve the stress accumulated during the pandemic and to return to a normal life again.
She said how ‘beautiful’ it was to see families and, particularly their children, out and about again.
Sean Wehmeyer, is a market director, and his wife, Tracy, is a paraeducator. They were attending Shen Yun with their daughter, Holly, a high-school student.
The Wehmeyer family attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, Seattle, Wash., on Apr. 10, 2022. Frank Zhang/The Epoch Times
“It was outstanding. I like the costumes, I like the dance, I like the [Jurchen horse riders,]” said Sean. The Jurchen horse riders, from the dance, “Men of the Jurchen,” were famous for their equestrian and archery skills.
“[Shen Yun] is amazing, incredibly beautiful,” said Tracy.
Holly Wehmeyer was enchanted with the colorful “Plum Blossom in Spring” dance. “Their costumes, and the way they move, is so pretty,” she said.
“The Water Sleeves“ dance was another piece that impressed the Wehmeyer family. This dance portrays the elegant movements of the ladies of the imperial court.
There was educational value in watching Shen Yun and it was important to be exposed to it, said Sean. He was disappointed to hear that people living in China were unable to see the performance as it had been banned by the Chinese communist regime.
“It’s definitely heartbreaking because it’s incredible,” said Tracey.
With pandemic measures waning, many audience members have found Shen Yun a fresh breath of air.
“It’s wonderful to be able to sit in an auditorium and watch this wonderful performance with people from all over,” said Sean.
Shen Yun brings hope to everyone, said Tracey. She hoped that in the future it would also bring hope to the Chinese people.
