MESA, Ariz.—Amy and Mark Warren saw Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center on Feb. 12, and were moved by the beauty and
power of the performance.
“The beauty, it’s powerful and graceful. And I love that it tells a story, different stories of pre-communist China,” said Mrs. Warren.
“And it made me sad, made me get teary-eyed, but I love the story of the communist
oppression of religion because that’s reality, that’s what’s going on. And it’s just, it’s beautiful. I mean it’s powerful and beautiful.”
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, with a
mission to share with audiences “China before communism” through the arts.
Mrs. Warren was referring to a story-based dance set in the modern day, based on true events of the ongoing religious persecution of Chinese people under the communist regime, and the courageous people who hold onto faith and tradition despite oppression.
This moved her deeply, and she felt Shen Yun said something about humanity.
“It’s the human spirit. You know, it shows that even in oppression, the human spirit goes on.,” she said. “The human spirit is to keep going on.”
“I love that people still rejoice in the beauty of the traditional Chinese dances. And that there are people throughout the world that are still learning it and performing despite the fact that they can’t do it in China. And I love that they’re
sharing it with the world,” she said.
Mr. Warren, a business owner, was impressed with the
digital backdrop, which included what he discovered was patented technology that allowed characters to appear to seamlessly transition from stage to screen.
“It’s fascinating, and it adds to the story,” he said. “I want to know how it’s done.”
“I appreciate the technology aspect of this show extremely much,” he said. “I appreciate how each of them are so choreographed ... how motion seems so effortless. But I know it’s taken thousands of hours to be able to do that, so I appreciate that.”
Reporting by Lily Yu and Catherine Yang.
