In the heart of the Sonoran Desert is the beautiful hub of history, culture, and natural beauty—Mesa, Arizona—which will soon welcome New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts.
Shen Yun will appear at the Ikeda Theater at the Mesa Arts Center on Feb. 11 through 13.
Audiences around the world have acclaimed Shen Yun for its artistry, message, and production quality. And in past years, Mesa audiences have wholeheartedly agreed.
Shen Yun’s message impressed Averroes Paracha, who works in insurance: “I thought the message was really positive. I liked the idea of truth, forbearance, and compassion. That was a good message. This is an amazing show by itself but it had a very strong spiritual and moral component. You could follow it without words.”
Life coach Sabrina Redmond was very moved by the performance. “I teared up because I felt the truth of what was being said. I think [Shen Yun] did a really effective job in relaying the divine through their movements and music,” Ms. Redmond said.
Shen Yun, founded in 2006, brings to the world 5,000 years of China’s civilization that once flourished under the belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Because of communist rule, Shen Yun is banned in China today.
“I loved it. It’s very nice. I appreciated the portions where they talked about faith and the religious components of what used to be China. That was nice to see. This made me want to learn more, particularly about [China’s] pre-communist past,” attorney David Barton said.
“I hope [the artists] keep doing this. More people need to understand what China is all about—it’s not about what we currently see and the conflict that we currently have,” Mr. Barton added.
Shen Yun features dances of ancient and modern times, as well as singers who perform in the bel canto style.
Peter Gloria, a company manager who attended with his wife, Felicity, was also affected by the baritone’s song. He felt it was enlightening to hear lyrics that demonstrate the Chinese culture holds beliefs similar to his own Catholic faith, such as a heavenly afterlife.
“It was very neat to see that everybody’s kind of on the same page in different parts of the world,” he said.
“I think it’s beautiful,” said Victoria Stuart, who attended the performance with her fiancé Brett Stuart, at a performance in 2023. “I love the way they portrayed femininity and masculinity. I really enjoy the articulate dances and the way that the colors are portrayed throughout the scenes. I love the stories and just the emotions throughout.”
Her fiancé agreed. “I'd highly recommend it if you’re interested in learning a bit more about the culture and Chinese dance. I think I’m learning a lot,” he said. “I think it’s really great and it’s been a really beautiful dance so far. Wonderful,” Mr. Stuart said.
McCloud Bastidas, a photographer, recognized beauty but said that “[Shen Yun] is beyond beauty. It’s unique. It’s so unique. It’s different. It brings culture back to this beautiful place.”
Mr. Bastidas also felt energized by the performance. “I was tired today but when I came in and just felt their energy, the way they can talk to you just by their movement, the way they can express their music and vibration just lifted my spirit up today,” he said.
Nino Daniel, dancer and creative director, was thoroughly inspired by the experience.
