SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.— Molly Mulvaney, a nurse, experienced Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time on April 29 at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo.
“It was magical. It was definitely otherworldly. It was just so lively, so colorful,” she exclaimed. “I could really feel the energy coming from the stage, and it was it was just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.”
Endowed with 5,000 years of history, China was once known as the “Land of the Divine.” For millennia, its people believed that by keeping their hearts pure and adhering to strict moral standards, they would be blessed by the divine.
However, after the communist takeover and the spread of atheism, all this traditional culture was systematically destroyed. Today, the New York-based Shen Yun’s mission is to bring back the beauty and goodness of pre-communist China.
Ms. Mulvaney deeply appreciated the performers’ efforts and said Shen Yun gave “a whole new look into where [Chinese] traditions came from and what they believe in.”
“That was what I needed to understand—the diversity and how important tradition is to them. It’s beautiful, and it definitely needs to be carried on to this day. It’s something to pass down for sure.”
Ms. Mulvaney was amazed by their beauty. She loved the dancers’ animated facial expressions and the gentle waves of their hands.
“Everything was very articulate, very energy-precise movements. It was fluid and seamless. They just made it look so easy, just very easy to admire as well. I used to sing in choir, and I used to dance in high school, so I definitely understand how much work goes into each of these performances. They just made it look so good.”
Ms. Mulvaney said she felt “almost inspired to go back” to dancing. “It’s very, very inspiring. Absolutely magical.”
“I could feel the sadness when the lovers were separated. I can feel their rejuvenation of their love when they were reunited. The exciting and jumping energy from whenever the Mongolians were dancing,” Ms. Mulvaney shared.
“The fog, the effects, the expressions on the dancers’ faces—There was a lot in just a short amount of time, but I felt like I was transformed into their world. It was amazing. Even without words, just through movements and expressions, I could feel it. It was great.”
“Coming from someone who did have a little bit of performing arts background, I thought it was amazing,” she added.
“It was very inspiring and made my entire evening. Whatever they did today was magical, and they did a service to everyone that came today. It was great.”
