PHILADELPHIA—Music and dance were brought together during the Shen Yun performance at the Merriam Theater, April 27. James Hart, a professional solo musical performer, had the highest praise for the performance.

“I loved the colors. Everyone is very young and energetic. Extremely energetic. The costuming is lovely … I love the music. It’s excellent,” he said.

New York-based Shen Yun revives China’s rich 5,000-year-old civilization, displaying ancient legends, ethnic dances, and classical Chinese dance, as well as scenes from contemporary life in China. The performances are accompanied by a traditional Western orchestra including Chinese instruments.

He was taken with the dance Mongolian Chopsticks, a “vivid testament to free-spirited vitality and boundless, expansive expression,” according to the program book.

Chinese Woman Reminded of Her Hometown

Jun Lee, from Tianjin, China has been living in the United States for five years and was proud to see 5,000 years of her culture reenacted on stage, true to the traditional and classic sense.

“It’s really good. I’m from China. I miss my hometown, and it just reminds me to think about it,” she said.

For her, Mongolian Chopsticks, was an accurate depiction of the culture of her hometown, so accurate it moved her to tears, according to her boyfriend Phil Stein, who came to see the show with her.

“That’s my hometown, that’s like chopsticks dance,” Ms. Lee said. Overall, she was really impressed and recommended other Chinese people to come and see it.

“I like all that, like costumes, the music, all classic … this is my culture, over 5.000 years,” she said.

Reporting by Valentin Schmid and Li Jie

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.