“It’s great. What a wonderful show. Certainly there’s the dancing, certainly there’s the show and the storyline—but just the professionalism, the athleticism—you can tell these people have been dancing their entire life,” he exclaimed.
Mr. Leon was especially impressed by the dancers’ synchronicity, noting: “There’s not a motion that isn’t duplicated amongst them all to perfection. It’s beautiful, just beautiful.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun artists are highly trained in classical Chinese dance. Dating back thousands of years, it is one of the most athletic and expressive art forms in the world.
According to the company’s website, the classical Chinese dance we see in China today is heavily mixed with military and modern dance styles. Only at Shen Yun can you find it performed in its purest form—the way it was originally passed down through the generations.
Mr. Leon also enjoyed the company’s innovative 3D backdrop that beautifully combined live action on stage with digital animation. This new technology holds its own patent.
“The way [the dancers] jump on and off screen—I don’t think people realize how well that is done here. It’s just great. A great show in every way, beautiful. You feel something spectacular as you’re watching.”
Reflecting on the artists’ story-based dance aimed to raise awareness about the ongoing human rights issue in present-day China and revive the country’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture, Mr. Leon said he has been to China and is aware of the situation there.
Shen Yun’s “depiction is certainly clear. This is just a great show to depict what is happening and what could happen here, if we’re not careful,” he shared.
For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Tragically, within just a few decades of the communist party’s violent takeover, these beliefs were erased and replaced with atheism.
Many of Shen Yun’s founding members had fled to America to escape persecution by the communist party.
Mr. Leon would like to thank the artists for “taking the time to learn [their] craft so well that it brings joy to my heart and my wife’s heart. To be here to experience Shen Yun live, it’s the best.”
He believes this performance will benefit not just California, but “the entire world.”
“If we can find a way to operate out of love and concern and care, and to help other people first—that’s really what faith is all about,” Mr. Leon added. “I sure have seen the love [in Shen Yun.] You can see the love in the people of what they’re doing. They mean very well.”
