“It’s wonderful,” he said. “Just the colors and the movements, it ranks up there with the best ballet or other dance performance I’ve ever seen.”
Its mission is to revive Chinese culture’s 5,000 years of heritage. Ironically, Shen Yun is not allowed in mainland China because its performers practice Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice originating in China centered on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. The practice has been brutally attacked by the communist party over the last two decades. In its performance, Shen Yun raises awareness about this reality.
In Shen Yun, Calvey saw “a very touching story about the beautiful culture of China and how, unfortunately, many of those who want to practice that traditional culture, including those who practice Falun Dafa, are so horribly persecuted by the communist Chinese government,” Calvey said.
As a Roman Catholic, Calvey says the performance inspires him to “seek solidarity with those who practice Falun Dafa and Falun Gong, because united, we can stand up to communist persecution.”
“We’re here to see the beautiful dance of Shen Yun but also to understand exactly what has happened to the Chinese people and to actually see the true culture of China, unsuppressed, and in the free world,“ Gates said. ”And so we also hope to see that in China again.”
He said there needs to be more cultural revival like this, to bring back what the communists destroyed.
“The more performances that [Shen Yun] can have and maybe the more outreach that you can have ... maybe even true Chinese museums that would bring the Chinese culture back to the Western world so that they can understand what has happened and what needs to be restored.”
The program shows several examples of extraordinary courage in the face of persecution. Gates encourages more people to get out and see Shen Yun, especially those who have been withdrawing from public activity since the pandemic.“There are many people who are afraid,” he said. “But I think that perhaps this would be something to get people to understand what fear truly is, and that we do not need to be afraid.”
“I think if you’re ever thinking about it, that’s your clue you need to go now. And you need to go as soon as you can and get other people to go, so that they too can understand the true China, and understand what it is we need to stop,” he concluded.
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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