ATHENS, Ga.—Former ballerina Amara Duckett and her husband Thomas attended Shen Yun’s evening performance at The Classic Center on the evening of April 11.
“It’s absolutely stunning. Everything about it is entertaining,” she exclaimed. “I think it’s an amazing mixture of culture and history. The technique and everyone performing was amazing.”
In their spare time, the couple frequently traveled to learn about different cultures.
“To get to have that culture brought to us and to see things that we might not ever get to see otherwise is just beautiful. The choreography, the dancing, the technique—everything is just absolutely amazing,” Mr. Duckett stated.
“It’s a big mixture of miracles and sadness—a big conglomeration of emotions all at one time. It’s very comprehensive. I like it,” Mr. Duckett said.Mrs. Duckett added that she noticed a recurring theme of sacrifice and honor in the show.
“There’s a lot of sacrifice in [Chinese culture]—fighting for what they believe in, their culture, and their history.”
“How much they have fought for it and how they are still fighting to keep the culture and the stories going—to let [everyone] know the history behind it all—that speaks volumes,” she added.
Mr. Duckett, too, thought Shen Yun is much more than just art.
“It comes off as entertainment, but it’s also educational. [Shen Yun] is mixing in the lighthearted pieces with the more emotional and heavy pieces to get you to connect on a personal level and understand more about what different people are going through,” he expressed.
“It’s beautiful. I’ll definitely [want to] learn more about it. It speaks to you and makes you want to know more and see more.”