TUCSON, Ariz.—Retired military Colonel Harold Maxwell felt the spirit of freedom in Shen Yun Performing Arts and was touched by the artists’ portrayal of China’s past, present, and perhaps future.
“It’s beautiful. It’s just breathtaking,” said Mrs. Maxwell. “It’s absolutely precise, beauty, the costumes, the colors, the storylines, everything’s beautiful.”
Mr. Maxwell said he had the same impression.
“I love the emotions that it brings up, you know, the joy, and then the despair, and then basically the comeback of joy again. So it’s a story of life, basically, where all the emotions are incorporated, and you go through them as the storyline continues,” Mr. Maxwell said.
The Maxwells said it was sad and unfortunate that Shen Yun could not perform in China, where the communist regime has sought to wipe out traditional culture, but hopeful to see what the artists have managed to revive the ancient culture.
As a former military man, Mr. Maxwell noted a humorous story-based dance vignette in which a rowdy class of boys discovers their seemingly feeble and elderly teacher as a formidable retired general. Mr. Maxwell pointed out that the story also conveyed the value of respect, and “so that was a touching story for me.”
“So freedom to me means a lot, and this story exudes that as well,” he said.
“Hopefully, you know, things will reverse again,” he said. “Very important, very important to tell this story, for sure. Important to see it.”
Also in the audience was William Cussins, another military man, who retired as a Major in the U.S. Army. During those 25 years, he said, every time he was promoted, he swore an oath to defend the Constitution. In Shen Yun, Mr. Cussins said he saw universal and traditional values like truth, compassion, and tolerance, values like those he swore to protect, and thought “we need more of it.”
“I believe in things like this and the Constitution and things like that, we’re going to be okay,” he said. Mr. Cussins said the situation in the country right now was troubling, but something like Shen Yun shows how hope springs eternal.
“Just seeing things like this adds to it even more. The dedication that these people have to this show and the joy, just utter joy, you know? I mean, you see it. You’re smiling, you know? It’s true,” he said.
“It’s beautiful. It’s just beautiful because it tells a different story that we’re not used to,” he said. “It means that there’s hope ... there’s hope because there’s people out here who still, you know, believe in the right things.”
