COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Stepping out of what we are familiar with and experiencing an entirely different culture can be life-changing. This is what Adam Siemiller felt after seeing
Shen Yun Performing Arts.
“It was life-changing to get exposed to a different cultural element, something that I’ve never seen. The colors, the vivid imagery, and the timing, precision—outstanding in every way. Really grateful for the opportunity,” said Mr. Siemiller, a landscaper and business owner.
Shen Yun is based in New York, and its
mission is to reintroduce traditional Chinese culture to the world. Since modern China has been defined by its
communist regime, Shen Yun is dedicated to presenting China before communism.
“This is a culture that I’ve never seen or experienced. And it was very thought-provoking because it was showing things that are happening in modern-day China. And it was very culturally relevant. Yet it still somehow took you back thousands of years through historical
dance,” remarked Mr. Siemiller.
Classical Chinese dance is the main vessel that Shen Yun uses for
storytelling. This dance form has a history of thousands of years, and Mr. Siemiller commented that seeing classical Chinese dance is like glimpsing into ancient history.
“Something like this is actually timeless, and people might have experienced a very similar dance a thousand years ago. We were sharing something throughout time, a thread throughout time,” he shared.
Aside from classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun also showcases dances from different ethnic minorities throughout China. Whether it’s the Mongolians in the north or the Miao of the south,
the costumes, music, and choreography are all tailored to give an accurate presentation of these ethnic groups.
“Extremely beautiful. Far more complex and interesting than I ever realized. The dress, the clothes, everything stood out to me as its own unique piece of art that could not be recreated in another culture,” praised Mr. Siemiller.
Mr. Siemiller believes that traveling is a way to gain an understanding of cultures and people that were once foreign to us. He equated seeing
Shen Yun to traveling.
“[Shen Yun] was kind of like traveling in a way, and it was eye-opening in the sense of the Chinese culture and everything that it might have to offer to the world that I wasn’t even aware of,” shared Mr. Siemiller.
He expressed that everyone should see Shen Yun and experience the life-changing performance while learning about traditional Chinese culture.
“Absolutely see it. This is going to be something that changes your life. If you haven’t been exposed to Chinese culture or been able to see anything like this, it will be eye-opening. The clothes, everything, it takes you back in time. That’s an experience that you can’t get anywhere else,” said Mr. Siemiller.
Reporting by Lily Yu and Maria Han.
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