SAN DIEGO—Adam and Carey Devor attended Shen Yun Performing Arts together for the third time at San Diego Civic Theatre on Saturday evening.
“It’s just such a beautiful show. And that’s why we’ve come every year,” said Ms. Devor, a homemaker and business owner in resale and upcycled fashion. “I love it.”
Shen Yun, the world’s premier
classical Chinese dance company, is based in New York, and features colorful costumes, ethnic and story-based dances, musical soloists, a live orchestra with both Western and Chinese instruments, and a patented interactive digital projected backdrop behind the stage.
Mr. Devor, a police officer, said he particularly enjoyed a women’s classical Chinese dance vignette where the dancers wore long, flowing sleeves that they rhythmically tossed into the air, called “Water Sleeves.”
“It’s just fun to watch the movements and how coordinated they are all together,” he said.
Ms. Devor, meanwhile, was taken with a story-based dance from the 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” starring the infamous Monkey King and another humorous character called
Pigsy.
Shen Yun’s
mission is to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, highlighting its civilization before communism, when it was known as “The Land of the Divine.” The performance includes Buddhist and Taoist traditions, as well as other spiritual principles and universal values.
“I love the spiritual messages that are given,” said Ms. Devor. “I see a lot of love. I see a lot of fighting for their rights, and hope.”
She said she appreciated the two bilingual
emcees who came out to introduce each dance piece or musical soloist, and said she has learned to pay close attention to what they say about each upcoming vignette, so she can fully understand the storyline.
“It’s like a series of stories,” she said.
The couple said they have already recommended
Shen Yun to others, and they praised the dancers for their artistic beauty and technical skills.
“The dancers obviously put in a lot of time and effort working together as a team, and to make all the movements coordinated, and it puts on a really good show,” Mr. Devor said.
“They’re beautiful. They’re elegant,” Ms. Devor said. “It’s magnificent.”
Reporting by Tina Deng and Sarah Le.
