COSTA MESA, Calif.—“Oh my gosh,” said Laura Hoffman, after watching the premier Chinese classical dance and music performance, Shen Yun Performing Arts.
“I found [Shen Yun] very energetic, uplifting, and absolutely entertaining,” she said.
“I felt the colors were very thoughtful. And they use the same color harmonies on the stage, as in the costumes. But they also told a story with color … where they would have the brilliant peach tones and pinks of brightness with the muted colors. I thought that was really thoughtful,” said Ms. Hoffman.
“And then the [dance] ‘Blue Heaven’ was probably the most spectacular of them … where they opened up with clouds, and you felt like you’re transported. So I found it a very transformative experience to be there.”
The “visually stunning” dance “Plum Blossom in Spring,” with its shapes and colors was also impressive, she said.
Another dance that touched Ms. Hoffman was “Three Hundred Years in One Day,” the story of a couple with a predestined relationship.
“You go into this fantastic world, you get transported into their world and it’s very riveting,” she said.
Ms. Hoffman appreciated the emcee’s helpful introduction to each piece.
Ms. Hoffman said Shen Yun’s depiction of China’s spirituality came forward strongly.
‘Beyond What I Could Imagine’
Richard Bourke declared that Shen Yun was fantastic. Mr. Bourke worked for Boeing McDonald Douglas where he was the program manager for the international space station before he retired 10 years ago. He also owned a tax business for over four decades.“It’s beyond what I could imagine,” said Mr. Bourke.
After the curtains went up he felt that he was in another world.
“It just makes my heartbeat and to see this beauty and time and effort to produce what they’re doing on the stage—[a] beautiful performance. I’ll recommend it to everyone I know,” he said.
Shen Yun has, in fact, been banned from performing in China.
He encouraged Shen Yun to expand and continue to show the global community the meaning of the beauty of freedom.
“[Shen Yun] is very impactful to me, to my life. I look at things differently,” he said.
“I think every race, creed, religion, and country should be able to view this and enjoy the beauty,” he said.
As a religious person himself, Mr. Bourke could connect with the expressions of faith in Shen Yun.
![Connecticut Mayor: ‘People in China Need [Shen Yun] to Remind Them of Who They Are’](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.theepochtimes.com%2Fassets%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2F11%2Fid5648198-1.jpg&w=1200&q=75)
