SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Is ‘Very Graceful,’ Says Company CEO

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Shen Yun Is ‘Very Graceful,’ Says Company CEO
Michael Kallelis at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, on Dec. 30, 2023. Weiyong Zhu/The Epoch Times
BOSTON—Michael Kallelis, CEO of a pharmaceutical company, was highly impressed by Shen Yun Performing Arts’ artistry after seeing the company perform at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston on Dec. 30.

“Fantastic, very graceful, beautiful. The dancers are very skilled. It’s a great show,” Mr. Kallelis said.

Based in New York, Shen Yun travels the globe each year, staging exhilarating performances of classical Chinese dance and music.  The company, which aims to show a China before communism, features story-based dances performed with classical Chinese dance, as well as folk and ethnic dances from China’s many different areas.

The dance performances are accompanied by an orchestra that combines traditional Chinese and classical Western instruments. As well, the company features a patented animated backdrop setup that interacts with the dancers on the stage, and beautifully designed costumes and props that enhance the performance.

Mr. Kallelis said he enjoyed seeing the different storylines in the performance and had high praise for the pace of the pieces as well.

“I like that the [pieces are] short stories, and each one is different from the other. You go to some shows, and they run for two hours, and it’s the same story. It gets kind of old—a little boring. This one’s more interesting,” he said.

“For me it was, it’s the artistry, the dancing, the precision of the dancing and the production, it’s fantastic.”

Shen Yun, Mr. Kallelis added, is “an uplifting show.”

‘There’s So Much Beauty and Divinity’

Bob and Carol Monahan at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston on Dec. 30, 2023. (Frank Liang/The Epoch Times)
Bob and Carol Monahan at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston on Dec. 30, 2023. Frank Liang/The Epoch Times
Bob Monahan, chief graphic designer at Boston College, and his wife Carol, a teacher and former reporter, admired Shen Yun for exposing the atrocities of communism in today’s China.

“It’s good to see it in a show like this,” said Mr. Monahan.

“I think it’s an important message for us all to see as Americans—not just Americans, but throughout the world. I think people need to see this, and people need to remember this,” added Ms. Monahan.

Mr. Monahan added that through the performance, he saw many “crossovers” with his own faith in Christianity, including “creation and original sin and salvation.”

“I think it’s really significant,” said Mr. Monahan. “Belief in God ... [and the fact that] it’s not just about you and that you can’t be selfish, and it’s not always you first.”

Mr. Monahan added that the lyrics sung by the solo vocalist really touched him.

According to Shen Yun’s website, the company’s vocalists use the bel canto technique to sing Chinese text, which is a very challenging skill to master. The website also explains that the lyrics sung by the vocalists are rich with meaning.

“Brimming with philosophical reflection about human life and containing deep layers of meaning, the texts go beyond the boundaries of nation, race, and culture, and have been fondly received and appreciated the world over,” the website says.

Mr. Monahan said from the song, he interpreted that “atheism and evolution” are leading the world’s people astray.

“It hits home,” he said.

“I don’t think people thought that—well, I didn’t think—that Chinese were so spiritual before communism. So it was good to see.”

Ms. Monahan also said she found this aspect of the performance powerful.
“This is really beautiful, and this is a really powerful message. I’ve wanted to come for a long time,“ she said. ”There’s so much beauty and divinity.”

Ms. Monahan added that she loved the colors, the history, and the storylines in the performance, while her husband praised the skills of the dancers as well as the “stories behind all the dances.”

“It was interesting and educational,” Mr. Monahan said.

Reporting by Weiyong Zhu and Frank Liang.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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