SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Former Broadway Dancer Left in Awe by Shen Yun

Mar 25, 2024

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Shen Yun Performing Arts enchanted the audience at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre in Buffalo, New York, on March 24. Ronald Steiman, a former Broadway dancer, enjoyed the show in many ways.

“It was very, very nice. The information that the emcees gave on stage was very clear. They told about the famous Chinese stories that we all love, like ‘Turandot,’ the opera. It’s all based on Chinese lore. Too beautiful, just beautiful,” Mr. Steiman said.

He expressed his love for the theater from a young age.

“When I was a kid, when I was in high school, I used to be an usher for this theater, for shows coming through Buffalo,” he said. “I studied here, then I moved to New York City. I was in a lot of [Broadway] shows.”

Mr. Steiman appreciated the meaningful stories presented in Shen Yun. “It’s very positive. It educates you on what’s going on in China today and how their beliefs are still old beliefs,” he said.

For the overall production of the show, Mr. Steiman said, “Beautiful, colorful, energetic.”

“The dancers are very well trained, and the story is conveyed very well. [As for] the music, the orchestra, I didn’t think it was an orchestra. I thought it was traditional Chinese music, beautiful, just beautiful. We love the Chinese culture very much.”

About the spiritual aspect of the show, he said, “It’s very predominant. What they’re trying to convey to you, the dancers, the explanations are beautiful—excellent.”

Mr. Steinman said he would encourage others to see Shen Yun. “Definitely come. Definitely go. It’s a nice experience, and you'll leave loving it.”

Dancer Says, ‘The Artistic Expression of the Chinese People Makes Me Emotional’

Retired Police Officer Mike Brown attended Shen Yun with Willa Carpenter, a retired dancer.

Ms. Carpenter said, “I love the dancing. I’m a dancer and so I truly appreciate the athleticism and the creative expression.”

With her dancer’s eye for detail, she said, “I thought (Shen Yun) was fantastic. The acrobatics are phenomenal. It’s really just a joy to watch.”

She enjoyed the dancers’ skills. “Phenomenal, phenomenal. And you know, when everyone does everything so perfectly in sync, and the costumes, the flow of it, it’s perfect,” she said.

Willa Carpenter and Mike Brown attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre in Buffalo, New York, on March 24, 2024. (Frank Liang/The Epoch Times) — Willa Carpenter and Mike Brown attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre in Buffalo, New York, on March 24, 2024. Frank Liang/The Epoch Times

Ms. Carpenter explained the difficulty of the dancers’ synchronization. “It takes a lot of practice and doing it with each other constantly. I can appreciate this.”

Shen Yun’s patented interaction between dancers and an animated 3D backdrop amazes many theatergoers, including Ms. Carpenter. “I love the background and how they come down onto the stage and pop up. That is such a nice surprise. I love that expression.”

She spoke of the expressiveness of Chinese dance and how it tells stories through movement. “My dance didn’t tell stories, so this is very different. I love how [the emcees] come out and share with us the story of what to expect before it happens. I think it’s lovely.”

Through classical Chinese dance and music, Shen Yun is sharing with the world the beauty of China’s authentic 5,000 years of history. Since its founding in 2006, the company has received worldwide accolades for its mission to revive traditional Chinese culture.

Ms. Carpenter said she was very moved by what the show conveyed to her. “The history, the beauty, and the artistic expression of the Chinese people makes me emotional. It’s beautiful. I don’t want to, but I could cry.”

Shen Yun’s performers seem “very expressive and free—that’s what I see.”

Mr. Brown expressed his opinion about one story which told of a Chinese policeman hurting people. He was aware of the persecution of Chinese people of faith before he came to Shen Yun. “We couldn’t do what they did,” he said of the police he knew.

Ms. Carpenter added, “That’s why we didn’t come for so many years, because we thought it was part of the CCP thing. And when we learned it wasn’t, we came. When we read it in the program, I was like, Oh my gosh, here it is. It’s true.”

Mr. Brown agreed. “It’s sad that it’s repressed like it is. In this country, I don’t know if we appreciate it enough, but we have the freedom to do what we want to do. But I thought it was always a beautiful culture,” he said of China.

Ms. Carpenter said she would encourage people to see Shen Yun. “I’m going to go tell everyone they better come and see it the next time it’s available. It just warmed my heart. I loved it. I don’t know what else to say.”

“I would say how impressed I am and happy for them that they have this opportunity. And I’m thankful they’re here to share it,” she said.

With shows scheduled in over 200 cities and across five continents, the 2024 touring season is shaping up to be the artists’ busiest yet.

Reporting by Weiyong Zhu, Frank Liang, and Yvonne Marcotte.

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