WASHINGTON—Sophia Bonde was stunned when Shen Yun began. When the curtain lifted, “it was so beautiful I felt like I was almost going to cry. I felt like I couldn’t speak, like the wind was knocked out of my chest. They move with such grace.”

Ms. Bonde was speaking of the artists who perform classical Chinese dance. She saw Shen Yun Jan. 22 at the Kennedy Center Opera House.

According to the Shen Yun website, “Classical Chinese dance is a culture left to us by the ancients who came before us, its beauty should be riches shared by all of humanity, its purity should not be contaminated.”

“The movement was really impressive,” said Ms. Bonde who is an artist and photographer. Her mother, Clarissa Bonde, also an artist, is married to a Swedish count.

Ms. Bonde said the performance was fascinating and she wished for more art like it. “It is interesting and really beautiful and I wish I could find more of it. I wish there were more dance companies that did a similar thing.”

Shen Yun is reviving 5,000 years of civilization, it states. “Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired.”

“It affected me in a way I did not expect. I have a thirst in myself for more,” said Ms. Bonde.

The Shen Yun dancers are accompanied by a full Western orchestra that incorporates Chinese instruments. In addition, Shen Yun includes songs in bel canto style.

Ms. Bonde also responded intensely to the music. “Especially the second soprano, you get the little bumps on your skin,
you get shivers. It was wonderful,” she said.

Speaking of the final dance, set in contemporary China, “Buddha’s Compassion Shines Forth,” Ms. Bonde said she wanted to learn more about what is happening in China today. “It was very moving,” she said.

Reporting by Sherry Dong and Nicholas Zifcak

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

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.