NEW YORK CITY—Matthew Cross sensed the idea of freedom in Shen Yun Performing Arts, an experience he described as “very ethereal and inspiring, uplifting, and sweet.”
“I would say that you can feel some of the philosophy being transmitted through the movement, and through the freedom,” said Mr. Cross, writer, speaker, and founder of the Leadership Alliance.
Founded in New York in 2006, Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company. Through music and dance, Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, sharing with audiences “China before communism.”
“There is a certain freedom,” Mr. Cross said. “It’s the freedom of movement, freedom of thinking. And you can feel that, that comes through strongly ... the conception of movement, the freedom of movement, is communicating a freedom of thinking.”
“I think that’s probably woven into the spirit,” he said.
The name “Shen Yun” translates into “the beauty of divine beings dancing,” and Mr. Cross said he enjoyed the ever-present idea of the divine he saw in the traditional culture and performance.
“The repeating of the word divine, and the message of the divine, that we are divine, is a lovely, lovely message that we don’t see too often in the media,” he added.
Shen Yun’s programs typically include more than a dozen vignettes of classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dances, story-based dances telling tales spanning thousands of years, and musical solos. Mr. Cross said it was an enjoyable performance, with many fun moments that made use of the performing arts company’s patented digital backdrop.
“I have to say, it’s quite original,” he said of the performance.
Reporting by Weiyong Zhu and Catherine Yang.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
