NEW YORK—When Shen Yun Performing Arts showed in New York City’s Lincoln Center, theatergoers were stunned in amazement.
Frederick Frank described his Shen Yun experience as “a thoroughly enjoyable time” after seeing the performance at the David H. Koch Theater on Friday evening. Mr. Frank is the vice chairman at Peter J. Solomon Company, and is the former vice chairman at Lehman Brothers.
“It shows a dedication close to perfection,” he said of the performers, who use classical Chinese dance as their mode of expression. “The dedication these people have to make sure that it is synchronized perfectly is really astonishing,” he added
Classical Chinese dance has been passed down for thousands of years and has its own unique sets of movements, postures, and tumbling techniques.
“And they do it with a very engaging smile on all their faces—this is hard work—and they certainly give the impression they are enjoying it,” he said. “I am enjoying it as well, and its an incredible tour de force.”
Elaborating further, Mr. Frank said the choreography was “spectacular” while demonstrating “discipline [that] is unmatched.”
Mary Tanner, Mr. Frank’s wife, and who is also an investment banker as well as a fan of classical dance, described the performance as “wonderful” and “quite extraordinary.”
Based in New York state, Shen Yun says its mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture, which has been nearly destroyed by decades of Communist Party rule in China. The performance also places an emphasis on the spirituality of ancient China and touches on the country’s 5,000 years of legends and stories.
“It’s fast-paced and it’s very engaging. The music is engaging,” Mr. Frank concluded.
Shen Yun also includes an orchestra that joins together Western classical music and traditional Chinese instruments.
Reporting by Joshua Philipp and Jack Phillips
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Shen Yun Performing Arts is performing at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center through April 28.
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.