SAN JOSE, Calif.—Psychologist Rocio Sullivan, who attended Shen Yun’s Dec. 31 matinee at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose, felt a deep connection with the dancers on stage.
“The energy they bring to the stage is powerful,” she said, “[
Shen Yun] is not just art. It is the display of human values, passion, love, and kindness.”
The dancers of Shen Yun Performing Arts are highly trained in classical Chinese
dance. Between its multitude of tumbling techniques and its display of gentle grace, it is considered one of the most athletic and expressive art forms in the world.
“There is a lot of discipline. Their expressions, emotions, and elegant moves [all help us to] understand a little bit more about China and its history,” said Mrs. Sullivan.
According to the Shen Yun website, much of China’s divinely inspired
culture was destroyed after the Chinese Communist Party took power. Since Shen Yun’s founding in 2006, its New York-based artists have made it their mission to bring China’s rich cultural heritage back to life with dance and music.
This is very important because “it is knowledge. If we don’t keep it, we’re going to lose it. It gives us identity as people, but also the opportunity to learn from other cultures,” said Mrs. Sullivan. “For me, [the show] is an opportunity to bring back values, and to connect humans through faith and love.”
If we’re not compassionate, we cannot feel others. If we’re not tolerant, we cannot accept others, and if we are not true to ourselves, then we cannot see the other person.
— Rocio Sullivan
Mrs. Sullivan was also inspired by Shen Yun’s present-day dance piece depicting the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of
Falun Gong, a spiritual practice whose followers uphold the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.
“If we’re not compassionate, we cannot feel others. If we’re not tolerant, we cannot accept others, and if we are not true to ourselves, then we cannot see the other person,” she said.
“By showing our true selves and looking for the truth, that’s [how] we connect with each other. These three values are interconnected, and I think that is a core message for humans. To connect, to relate, to love each other, and to accept.”
Reporting by Gary Wang and Jennifer Tseng.
![Connecticut Mayor: ‘People in China Need [Shen Yun] to Remind Them of Who They Are’](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2F11%2Fid5648198-1.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
