“It’s so amazing when the screen turns into real life,” Mayra Energy, a media personality, said. “Then, the real life turns back into the screen.
Sherry Westland, Miss Minnesota Senior America 2013, said Shen Yun was “inspirational.”
“The costumes, the colorful stories, and I like the heavenly beings. I just think it all goes together really well,” she said.
Kent McClure, owner of Beehive Ceilings, said he read about the classical Chinese dance and music company before attending the theater.
“I know that it was spectacular but I didn’t know it’d be this spectacular,” Mr. McClure said. “And I liked the fact that there was a live orchestra as well.”
New York-based Shen Yun tells the stories of China’s myths and legends all the way through to modern day stories of current persecution in China, where Shen Yun isn’t allowed to perform.
“It’s sad because I’ve been all over the world, and so I’m always happy to return to the United States because it’s my home,” Harry Rodriguez, founder of VetLink, said.
“And to picture someone that can’t go back to their home for whatever reason—I think it’s pretty sad,” he said.
Chris Tobin, fire engineer at the Phoenix Fire Department, was also emotional seeing the portrayal of Chinese people’s resilience in the face of oppression.
“It really touched me,” he said. “It brought a tear to my eye, and I can’t say that I cry very often but that was something that will stick with me for a long time because I know that stuff happens.”
Shen Yun aims to revive China’s semi-divine culture of 5,000 years.
“I love it,” Laurel Roach, who owns Alloy Personal Training, said.
“It was like heaven was being brought to the stage,” she said.
“I don’t know how to explain that other than these incredible colors, and beautiful dresses, and this tradition that we don’t see as much outside, but it was brought into this dance, and it was incredible to see,” she said.
Jeffrey Sharp, a retired medical doctor, said Shen Yun is something he will introduce to his loved ones.
“I’m going to share this with many members of my family—those that are experienced in dance, in music, in martial arts, in gymnastics. I’m just going to share it with a lot of my family,” Mr. Sharp said.
