Shen Yun Presents Chinese Culture ‘In a Very Beautiful, Professional Way,’ Says Former Ballerina
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Professional ballerina Dawn Hereth attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Atlanta Symphony Hall, on Jan. 8, 2023. Frank Xie/The Epoch Times
ATLANTA—Shen Yun translates as “the beauty of divine beings dancing,” and former ballerina Dawn Hereth experienced that beauty when she watched Shen Yun Performing Arts on Jan. 8 at the Atlanta Symphony Hall.
Ms. Hereth said that she had seen the performance before. As a former professional ballet dancer, she looked for very specific signs of professionalism among Shen Yun’s dancers and was pleased by what she saw.
“I love the performance,” she said. “I think their technique is great! You look for things like, are their arms altogether, are their legs the same height? Are their faces going the same way and things like that—their connection between each other? Those are the things you look for and I find that it’s very professional. Love it!”
Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists and quickly became the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Shen Yun’s mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture, which is intricately tied to spiritual teachings from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. However, these beliefs were abolished when the atheist communist regime took power.
I think that we're definitely created as spiritual beings, so when we see something that speaks to our soul, we can relate to that.
— Dawn Hereth
Ms. Hereth found some resonance with the spiritual side of Chinese culture. “I do love the spiritual side of it,” she said. “I think that we’re definitely created as spiritual beings, so when we see something that speaks to our soul, we can relate to that.”
“The dancers are inspiring and have the gift to present your culture in a very beautiful, professional way.”
Beau and Kristin Foister at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Atlanta Symphony Hall, on Jan. 8, 2023. Roland Ree/The Epoch Times
Also in the audience were dancers and studio owners Beau and Kristin Foister. They brought a group of about 20 of their students to see Shen Yun, which they had been wanting to see for a long time. The Foisters were not disappointed.
“The synchronicity was amazing,” said Mrs. Foister. “The passion of the dancers—their movement, their quality of movement … It was like they all emotionally connected to the music together, and that’s hard to achieve.”
The Foisters also showed appreciation for Shen Yun’s live orchestra, which combines Eastern and Western instruments.
The music was beautiful, and the choreography went with the music, and it was great.
— Kristin Foister
“I love when there is a live orchestra,” said Mrs. Foister. “That’s very special because you don’t see that all the time. The music was beautiful, and the choreography went with the music, and it was great.”
Mr. Foister enjoyed the way Shen Yun connected culture and spirituality. “I totally agreed with the spirituality of the show,” he said. “I am so glad that people can still incorporate that for a mass audience.”
Reporting by Frank Xie, Roland Ree, and Wandi Zhu.
