SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Comes ‘With a Great Message,’ Says Pastor

Apr 30, 2023

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas—Steven Moody, a pastor, watched Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Robinson Performance Hall in Central Arkansas on April 29.

“I love it,” Mr. Moody said. “[There] is so much work but it’s all just so seamless. It’s beautiful and I love the message.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 and is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Now with eight equally-sized companies touring the world simultaneously, Shen Yun’s mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture and to give its audiences a glimpse of “China before communism.”

Mr. Moody expressed his support for Shen Yun’s mission.

“I think it’s quite bold that they’re speaking so openly about Communist China,” he said. “I think it speaks of innocence, peace, an inner strength, and a lot of courage. It was impressive for me, gave me goosebumps.”

According to Shen Yun’s website, China was once known as the “Land of the Divine,” and the Chinese people once believed that their culture was a gift from the heavens. Shen Yun’s opening piece reflects this belief in its depiction of divine beings following the Creator down to earth to establish civilization.

“I love the concept of everything coming down from the heavens, [that] we were heavenly, beautiful creatures before original sin,” said Mr. Moody, who felt that he could relate to the belief and found it to be beautiful, despite not being familiar with it prior to seeing the performance.

“It’s probably a new concept for me, but I think that I could certainly embrace that because I think all of us are children of light. We are beautiful beings before the world messes us all up.”

Mr. Moody praised Shen Yun’s live orchestra, and said that he liked the combination of traditional Chinese and western instruments that makes Shen Yun’s orchestra unique.

He also said he loved Shen Yun’s costumes, and that his favorite was the long water sleeves that could be thrown out and pulled back in.

“Everything about it for me has been very sweet, lovely,” Mr. Moody said.

“It’s a must see. I won’t miss it when it comes back next year. It’s just beautiful. I think the music, the color, the dance, everything is [done] to such perfection. It’s just a great show with a great message.”

Reporting by NTD and Wandi Zhu.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.