DALLAS—An Italian professor characterized his return to see Shen Yun Performing Arts as a beautiful “spiritual escape” that he so much needed.
Francesco Platania, who teaches at Wilson University in California, said the performance by
Shen Yun at the Eisemann Center on Dec. 4 expanded his mind spiritually and physically.
“There’s a vibrancy. There’s an energy,” Mr. Platania said. “It’s just like a wave of continuous spiritual well-being, so your mind calms down.”
“It’s a spiritual escape which we all much need. We really do. So it’s beautiful. The whole [performance,] I don’t have anything negative to say. That’s for sure.”
New York-based Shen Yun, which has grown from one to eight touring groups since its inception in 2006, showcases
classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and story-based dance. The on-stage performance is accompanied by a unique live
orchestra, which combines Western symphonic instruments with traditional Chinese instruments.
Mr. Platania said the messages he picked up during the performance were about calmness, peacefulness, and
spirituality, things that were beyond the terrestrial world that people now live in.
“So it’s an escape, and it’s a beautiful escape. Then you’ve got to return to Earth again, right? So, here we are, but it’s great. It’s beautiful, well-done, awesome.”
Shen Yun’s mission is to showcase what China was like for 5,000 years before communism took power in 1949. The
Chinese Communist Party has forced atheism upon Chinese society, getting rid of spirituality and traditional values that were once at the heart of ancient China.
The
performance also conveyed to him a spiritual message that life on Earth is temporary, Mr. Platania said, and what awaits people is “lasting true life.” To get there, however, there is a “moral fight” that people need to undergo, he added.
As for how to win the fight, Mr. Platania said that people need to be able to show kindness, love, and respect. In essence, people should be good, treat others well, and do all things well, he added.
“It’s a very spiritual message, which we need. We’re so mind-earthly-rooted here. And there is nothing beyond this that we understand, but we need to be transported,” Mr. Platania said.
“It’s a beautiful journey. Love it, love it. ... As I said, it’s an escape, but it’s a transporting into a world that is better.”
Mr. Platania also enjoyed the dancing, which he said was beautiful and very synchronized.
“The dancing is just majestic,” he said.
Knowing
Shen Yun offers an all-new production every year, Mr. Platania said Saturday’s performance was his second encounter with Shen Yun.
“I’ll be back next year again.”
Reporting by Yeawen Hung and Frank Fang.
