NEW YORK CITY—Melissa Sarno, biology professor, had just turned 60 and was joyous in her discovery of the authentic Chinese culture through Shen Yun Performing Arts.
“We’re learning so much. We’re really happy to be here,” said Mrs. Sarno, seeing the performance at Lincoln Center on April 12 with her husband Ronald, also a biology professor.
“The culture, rich culture that China has is pretty impressive,” Mr. Sarno said, “Very diverse. creative. It’s beautiful.”
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s leading classical Chinese dance company. Through music and dance, Shen Yun’s mission is to show audiences “China before communism.”
The Sarnos thought it a wonderful experience to be able to learn about the culture through art, and that Shen Yun had done it so creatively.
“It’s such a wonderful way to learn about it. I feel really badly, though, that these performers can’t even be back in their own country. You can’t. It just breaks my heart that any government would want to suppress. It’s just very, very sad because they’re so peaceful. They’re so peaceful,” Mrs. Sarno said.
Like many in the audience, the Sarnos learned that although Shen Yun is reviving the authentic Chinese culture, it cannot be seen in China today, where it is banned by the Chinese communist regime. They, like many other theatergoers, expressed support for Shen Yun’s mission and gratitude that they could witness these performances despite continued oppression.
To the artists, Mrs. Sarno wanted to say, “You have God-given talent and athleticism, and thank you for sharing your beautiful thousand-thousand-year culture and all of its diversity. Thank you for being here with us. Thank you.”
Nate Harrison enjoyed Shen Yun at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on April 12, 2025. Sally Sun/The Epoch Times
Another educator in the audience Saturday afternoon was Nate Harrison, a university dean, who also felt Shen Yun a wonderful learning experience.
“I don’t think many people in the United States or maybe other parts have really seen something like this before. So I think it’s certainly something that we can learn from. Most of the stereotypes of Chinese culture is like Chinese communist culture. So it’s nice to see some things are not bad,” he said.
Prior to the communist regime seizing power in 1949, China had for thousands of years considered its culture a gift from the divine, and society was spiritual by nature.
Shen Yun is a “really great work of culture,” Mr. Harrison said.
Reporting by Yeawen Hung, Sally Sun, and Catherine Yang.
