BERKELEY—The audience at Zellerback Hall in Berkeley left Shen Yun’s performances on Jan. 10 through 12 deeply satisfied.
Creator’s Compassion
The production this year began with what some know as the founding legend of China, the land of the divine: The Creator descends from heaven, together with heavenly beings from vast and varied planes, in order to establish 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.“[The performers] were capable of such expression,” Mr. Naeim said. He said he felt the artists were able to perfectly convey the profound meanings and artistic intention behind every music note or movement. “I even cried during the performance a little.”
Art dealers William and Sharon Benet were drawn to Shen Yun’s visual effects.
Deeper Mission
Many saw layers of meaning in Shen Yun’s performance as they sat in the theater. David Newton, a vice president of technology, said, “It’s a little bit more than just entertainment.”“You need to at least see it to experience the real meaning of it,” said Debbie Woodbury, a local newspaper publisher.
Edgar Collins, retired from the Department of Labor, resonated with the need to endure. “The message I received is that there’s always an opportunity for correction of evil problems, and there’s always an opportunity for good people to have an impact on the world. And what we have to do is have stamina and endurance,” he said. “Stamina, energy, hope, trust, faith—and good will win out.”
The message that stuck with Randy Reffner, a vice president of operations, was “to not be caught up in worldly things, but think beyond that.”
Younger Generation
Richard McNeely, a vicar, said that Shen Yun’s mission was not an easy one, but it was “a very important one.”He noted the moral values and principles in each dance. “They really resonate,” Mr. McNeely said of the values. “They’re part of the human soul. And the performance just really demonstrates that and reaches out and grabs you by the heart. It was wonderful.”
Mr. McNeely noted how much the younger generation would benefit from seeing Shen Yun.
“I think it’s very important for young people to see. They cannot appreciate this anywhere else, and they need to understand their heritage and where all of this comes from,” he said.
“It draws everybody in,” said Jane Milan, a dyslexia specialist. “This is something that I would hope we could get more young people to see, because when you watch the internet you don’t get this beauty, you don’t get the feeling and the connection. I would love to see younger children get to experience this.”
