NEW YORK CITY—Jorge and Sharon Reiley had long wanted to see Shen Yun Performing Arts, and brought the whole family on March 28 to Lincoln Center to attend the long-awaited performance.
“It was a cultural experience for us,” said Mrs. Reiley, who said she loved everything from the music and dance to the tumbling techniques and the
emcees.
While all the performances had been beautiful, even dazzling, Mrs. Reiley said a highlight of the evening was a vignette titled “Classical Chinese Dance,” in which the dancers showcased the art in its purest form.
“I was telling my husband, as much as I loved everything,” she said. “It showed all the gestures and the motions that we associate with China, ways that we don’t have it in our
ballet. That appealed to me the most.”
“But everything, the beautiful costumes, the way that they did the video, and the people jumping in and out of the movie. That was very, very impressive,” she said. “I loved everything. The music was beautiful.”
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s top classical Chinese dance company. Through
music and
dance, Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization—China before communism.
Mr. Reiley, a physician, said he had an interest in traditional Chinese culture, even studying traditional Chinese medicine.
“I loved the whole show. The thing that touched me the most was the philosophical, the religious experience. Learning about balance,” he said. “All the ancient history of China has always fascinated me.”
Traditional Chinese culture is a
divinely inspired culture, and China before communism was a spiritual one. Civilization centered on the concept of harmony between heaven, earth, and humankind, as Shen Yun explains on its website, and society was led by virtues and values that stemmed from Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
“It was very unique,” Mr. Reiley said of the experience, finding value in this balance and harmony he felt the culture emphasized. He said he saw the tradition and ancient culture, but also “something refreshing” in the way that Shen Yun presented things anew, such as blending ancient
Chinese instruments into a classical orchestra, or the innovative digital backdrop interplay with the classical Chinese dance.
Mrs. Reiley said the performance also gave her a better understanding of the spirituality of traditional Chinese culture, which is also seen in the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, which she knew is still being persecuted by the Chinese communist regime.
Shen Yun artists also practice Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, which teaches the three principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance.
“The interpretation of the dances gave us a better perception of how the ones that practice this beautiful practice are being persecuted in China, how they have much more spiritual liberty here in this country,” Mrs. Reiley said, adding she had seen people practicing the meditative exercises of
Falun Gong in parks in the city. “That was very, very interesting.”
Mrs. Reiley said she had also seen a documentary about one of the artists in
Shen Yun, and admired their dedication to their craft and mission.
“So, wow, that’s a life’s work, dancing like that. We loved it,” she said.
Reporting by Yeawen Hung and Catherine Yang.
