Chris Duncan at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York on April 6, 2024. Frank Liang/The Epoch Times
NEW YORK—Artist and musician Chris Duncan enjoyed a performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York on April 6. Mr. Duncan studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater and enjoyed the drama of the Shen Yun performance.
“It’s just eye-opening learning about a culture that [Shen Yun] has tried so hard to bring back and that most Westerners would never know about. I think it’s also important for the Chinese community to understand their own heritage and their own culture that has been lost. Fortunately, there are people who are dedicated to making aware just how rich that heritage is, and also how badly people have tried to get rid of it,” Mr. Duncan said.
“As a Westerner, this is all new to me. I know nothing about this. So the whole show has just been very enlightening and also very entertaining and beautiful,” he said.
As an artist, Mr. Duncan was pleasantly aware of the overall artistry of the show. “It’s fantastic. I mean, the costumes, the movement, the music, the combination is incredible. It’s an artist’s dream.”
He elaborated how he saw everything put together in one production and how incredibly challenging it was.
“Well, you’ve got a story that you need to tell, and you need to be able to tell it without words. So it’s all in movement and expression, and costume and lighting and color. And then you’ve got a combination of Western musicians and music, and Eastern music and musicians, and to bring them together in harmony, it’s everything about the movement on stage,” he said.
As classical Chinese dance is very expressive, the dancers can tell a compelling story, the message is powerful and also enjoyable. “Well, if they were using words and using Chinese, you wouldn’t have much of an audience because most people wouldn’t be able to understand it,” he said.
“So they’re expressing everything that you need to know through their facial expressions, and through the movement itself, so you can understand exactly what they’re saying through their movement. You don’t need words, so it’s got a much bigger universal appeal.”
Mr. Duncan appreciated the dedication of the dancers. “It’s to be able to move that way, to be able to make costume changes, to be able to work with the music, to be completely on time, and to be able to do it with a smile. It’s hard,” he said.
As an artist, Mr. Duncan connected with artists of another medium. “It makes me very happy as an artist to be able to see other artists doing such an amazing job,” he said.
Shen Yun conveyed an important message to Mr. Duncan. “That there is a huge need to maintain our culture, our heritage, and to embrace goodness, and to want to be better people.
“It’s incredibly important because we are so involved in material things that we’re forgetting our own culture, our own heritage. Most of us don’t understand how many people in the world are struggling and being oppressed by very evil governments—there’s no good reason to be oppressing people,” he said.
Shen Yun Dances Are ‘Unique and Interesting’
Accountant Zack Smith said how much he enjoyed Shen Yun this year. “It’s beautiful. It’s colorful. My wife’s seen it a couple of times. It’s my first time. It’s just beautiful choreography and vibrant colors,” he said.
He noted how every dance tells a story, “and that’s unique and interesting. It’s great. I have not seen a lot of dance like this, but it’s really beautiful and graceful and nice.”
Zack Smith at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York on April 6, 2024. Frank Liang/The Epoch Times
One of the stories about forced organ harvesting was shocking but exposed the evil happening in China today. “I’ve heard of it, like in the Uyghurs and such. So yes, I’ve heard of it, like in the Uyghurs and such. So, yes, I’ve heard of it.”
“Actually, I think this is a good way to get people to know more about it. It’s important that people know what’s actually happening. So this is a good venue for more people who wouldn’t necessarily know about it or watch the news deeply enough to know what’s happening.”
If he would recommend Shen Yun, Mr. Smith said, “I highly recommend it. It’s beautiful, it’s vibrant, and it’s really a great experience.”
With shows scheduled in over 200 cities and across five continents, the 2024 touring season is shaping up to be the artists’ busiest yet.
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