LAS VEGAS, Nev.—An enthusiastic audience praised Shen Yun Performing Arts during their acclaimed run at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 27 and 28, and March 1 and 2.
“The performances are beautiful. And they do combine different dance forms from different cultures and it’s been very impressive. The expressiveness of the dancing is very good. It doesn’t need words,” John Forry, who works in finance, said.
“It gives a person like me faith in the younger generations. They’re so strong, so creative, and so talented and skilled, and obviously very dedicated to what they do. So yes, overall, it’s extremely inspiring,” Mr. Bruno said.
Terry Coyle, a doctor, was moved when learning about the true story of the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of followers of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that teaches the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.
“We always have this stereotype of the Chinese people being the Communist Party, but it’s different. The Communist Party is, unfortunately, the hammer and the sickle that keeps the people oppressed. It was nice to see that the oppressed people are still looking for the divine power, looking for the divine leader. It was just beautiful.”
“It was nice to hear as well how spiritual it was, and how it’s not just about man, it’s about the higher power, and how, if you believe in evolution, you’re even further from the truth. I loved hearing that.”
Jocelyn Tan, an administrator, said what she enjoyed the most was learning about the culture behind each dance and the songs performed in the traditional bel canto style. The song lyrics, which urged a reconnection with the divine, resonated with her Christian faith.
The name “Shen Yun” translated from Chinese means “the beauty of divine beings dancing,” and Doug Bean couldn’t agree more with this description. Mr. Bean came with his daughter, a professional dancer, who said, “I could tell that they’re classically trained; they were on point with the musicality.”
“It was really interesting to know the meaning of Shen Yun, and how everything that they did really embodies that theme,” Mr. Bean said. “It’s such a wholesome show.”
Nevada Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony expressed his appreciation to the dancers for their hard work.
“They put in countless hours to make sure they did this, and I very much appreciate that they would do this for us and come out and let us see the things that they’ve learned during their years,” he said.
CEO and business consultant Michelle Prince-Glenn said she learned the importance of “being one with nature” and practicing kindness.
“That [message] came through in each of the dances and [in] each of the areas that they showed—just humankind, being there for your fellow man—and there’s the beauty between that and nature, the symbiotic nature was beautiful to see,” she said.
Ms. Prince-Glenn said she “would come see [Shen Yun] again, over and over.”
“Tonight, to me, was a little bit of an eye opener for seeing a beautiful side of China versus what we’ve been told,” Angelo Guinasso, a retired aerospace engineer, said. “It was the colors and the dance, and relating those specific dances to history and regions, that makes me kind of want to see and learn more.”
“[The compositions] were great. Obviously, whoever did it knew what they were doing because it supported the story. The key with music in any kind of [show] is that it should support the story, but it shouldn’t be so up front that it takes away from the story. This supported the story; it enhanced the story—so that’s why that music was very, very good,” he said.
Executive Vice President Lynn Murrow was full of praise for the performance.
“I loved it. It is an amazing journey and an amazing cause,” she said. “I can’t imagine being separated from such a rich culture. So, I absolutely loved it. I learned a lot.”
