COSTA MESA, Calif.—Retail executive Johnnie Hernandez thought Shen Yun provides inspiration at a time that normal life has been disrupted by the pandemic and shutdowns.
“[
Shen Yun] is about faith, it’s about inspiration, about coming together,” said Mr. Hernandez, who saw Shen Yun at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa on Jan. 1.
“It’s nice seeing people get out, and it shows you that people can go out, follow certain rules, and we can be safe and do social things again.”
New York-based
Shen Yun is a classical Chinese dance and music company that tours the globe each year, mesmerizing audiences with its exhilarating dance performances.
The company’s dance performances are accompanied by a unique orchestra that combines traditional Chinese instruments and classical Western instruments, as well as beautiful animated backdrops on the stage that interact with the dancers using patented technology.
Mr. Hernandez had high praise for
Shen Yun’s dancers and the colorful scenes on the stage.
“They’re so talented. The colors are so beautiful, they’re so bright. The men and women were so stunning,” he said. “The talent and all the things they have to remember, and all the moves, it’s just spectacular.”
You can't help but feel good and be inspired by every single dance that they're doing.
— Johnnie Hernandez
The business executive noted that there is positive energy in
Shen Yun, and said the performance leaves the audience with an uplifting feeling.
“You can’t help but feel good and be inspired by every single dance that they’re doing,” he said. “It’s such a positive energy.”
Shen Yun Brings Hope
Lily Francis, a lawyer, and her daughter have been coming to see
Shen Yun for the past four consecutive seasons, disrupting their routine only last year when no performances were staged due to the pandemic shutdowns.
“I love it, it’s wonderful,” said Ms. Francis, who thinks
Shen Yun brings hope amid the pandemic.
Ms. Francis noted that the performance is different each year, with
the company putting on a completely new program of dance and music each season. But, she said, each year, “we always have the same feeling: We love it.”
“We feel really lucky that we get to see something like this here in the United States,” Ms. Francis said. “We’re really excited that it came back this year, and I took my sister and her daughter for the first time.”
Shen Yun features classical Chinese dances, as well as folk and ethnic dances. Many of the dances feature storylines, which are like little excerpts from Chinese history, according to the
Shen Yun website.
Ms. Francis said she loved the
stories in the dances and praised the beauty of the dances and the colorful costumes.
“It is a phenomenal show. The colors, and the costumes, and just how beautiful they are—so well done.”
Reporting by Jack Bradley and Jana Li