SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun’s Dances Came From the Heart, Says Retired Ballerina

Dec 31, 2023

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Pamela Welte, a retired ballerina and former employee of the United Nations UNICEF, had learned a lot about China through her interaction with Chinese immigrants in New York.

However, only after attending Shen Yun Performing Arts with her husband Gary, did Mrs. Welte feel her eyes truly opened to the depth of Chinese culture.

Sitting in the Center for the Performing Arts on the evening of Dec. 30, Mrs. Welte said Shen Yun showcased a lot of Chinese culture that’s not usually presented.

“We don’t learn about this culture. We just learned that China is a communist country, something to be feared, rather than about the beauty that exists there in the people. These were things I never learned or heard about before,” she expressed.

Even as a ballerina, Mrs. Welte said she never knew gymnastics and many other dance forms were derived from classical Chinese dance.

New York-based Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by a group of leading Chinese artists who had fled the persecution of China’s ruling communist party. Following the regime’s violent takeover in 1949, Chinese traditional culture underwent a period of mass destruction.

The couple loved that Shen Yun is committed to bringing back China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture and showcasing to the world—beauty before communism.

“Shen Yun was phenomenal. It was great, and the dancers were amazing,” exclaimed Mr. Welte.

Mrs. Welte thought it was very unfortunate that the company is currently banned by the ruling communist regime from performing in China.

“I don’t see why there’s a conflict with the old traditions. Even if you’re a communist, [the culture] is still part of who you are—that’s inside of you, and that’s your tradition. I think a lot of people from China would love to see Shen Yun. They’d be very moved,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter what your political background is. This is in your heart and spirit.”

Referring to the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of innocents, Mr. Welte chimed in that “it’s not right” because “we should all be able to pursue what gives us joy and peace and love.”

Looking at the show from a dancer’s perspective, Mrs. Welte said Shen Yun’s dancers were very graceful yet very strong.

“Their movements were not just well-rehearsed. It came from the heart. It was really beautiful, and the flow was gorgeous. You could tell these people have trained,” she said.

“The extensions and the legs—you don’t just wake up one morning and do that. That took years of practice, dedication, and giving your life to the art. There’s nothing more beautiful than being able to show emotion through art—that’s what life’s about.”

Reporting by Nan Shu and Jennifer Tseng.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.