SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

‘It’s Medicine to the Soul,’ Says Shen Yun Audience

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‘It’s Medicine to the Soul,’ Says Shen Yun Audience
Duncan and Diane Struthers at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at Center for the Performing Arts, on Dec. 27, 2022. Lily Yu/The Epoch Times

SAN JOSE, Calif.—A performance that soothes the soul is no ordinary performance. Duncan Struthers, a service advisor, complimented Shen Yun Performing Arts on its ability to heal the spirit.

“It is medicine to the soul,” Mr. Struthers said. “The way that it’s done is perfection. From the colors to the music, to the dance, the headdress.”

He added that everything as a whole is “heaven-like.”

Shen Yun is based in New York and the company is dedicated to reviving the 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture that existed before communism through dance and music.

“I think by doing this, it shows that they have a lot of bravery,” Mr. Struthers said.

Each year, Shen Yun puts on an all-new production including new compositions and choreography. Shen Yun’s performances showcase the beauty of the divine, as well as China before communism. And because of this, Shen Yun is unfortunately not able to perform in China.

“I’m very impressed. They’re very athletic,” complimented Mr. Struthers. “I was wondering how they would tell the stories by just dancing, but you can really see they did a good job of choreographing it.”

Shen Yun artists are trained in classical Chinese dance—a versatile and expressive dance form that allows dancers to portray characters like the mighty Monkey King, playful monks, and mighty generals.
Mr. Struthers also stated his appreciation for the masters of ceremonies and how they give “an insight into ancient Chinese customs and beliefs.”
Mr. Struthers attended the performance with his wife, Diane Struthers, a nurse, and their daughters.

84th Birthday Celebrated With Shen Yun

Mark Kirk attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 27, 2022. (Steve Ispas/The Epoch Times)
Mark Kirk attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Center for the Performing Arts on Dec. 27, 2022. Steve Ispas/The Epoch Times
Mark Kirk, a magazine distributor, has seen Shen Yun at least five times. His family gifted Shen Yun tickets to him for his 84th birthday.

“I believe that it brings back the tradition in a way that we really want to expose,” Mr. Kirk said.

He added that Shen Yun reminded him of the importance of learning from history.

“It brings to mind that everything we have right now, we’re gonna lose all of this if we don’t keep an eye on what happened in the past,” he said. “If you ignore history, you are doomed to repeat it.”

He added that his nephew asked him about Shen Yun.

“He wanted to know if it was really worthwhile for him to go. I’m going to say yes, most definitely.”

Reporting by Lily Yu, Steve Ispas, and Maria Han
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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