Shen Yun Performing Arts visited Norfolk, Virginia, from Jan. 13 to 14. Audience members at Chrysler Hall said they were very impressed by the choreography.
Rhett Weiss, Esq., the chairman and CEO of DealTek, said, “it was wonderful. It was captivating from the very first moment all the way through to the end.”
“It was totally amazing. I just loved the way it was presented. The choreography and the stories behind it,” said Mary Anne Brynildsen, the vice president of the Filipino American Association. “I even got teary eyed on one aspect of the story. It was so touching. It was beautiful. I think everybody should watch it. It was a beautiful experience.”
Marvin Gabriel, a filmmaker and the owner of Others Focused Media said, “the show is fantastic. It’s amazing. And the choreography is mind-blowing.”
“It could not have been more impressive as far as the skill and the beauty, but the fact that they tell the truth,” said Karen Greenhalgh, a former Virginia State Delegate. “I was very impressed with the story that came through.”
George Roberts, a program manager for SACT, NATO, said, “Each individual dancer was perfect, and the design set, the design, and costume are so colorful. The music was flawless. Together, it was magic. I loved it.”
Shen Yun’s mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture, which has a history dating back over 5,000 years. Those traditions were almost lost after the communists took power in China. Shen Yun artists depict on stage both scenes from the ancient past, as well as current events, such as the Chinese regime’s persecution of faith, that millions of Chinese are subjected to.
Travis Hall is the executive director of Faith Recovery and a pastor, he said, “I knew some things about what goes on in communist China, but just seeing that one particular scene really got my heart with the persecution and things that people are going through now.”
Mrs. Greenhalgh added, “I already knew about [the persecution], but the fact that so many people in our country don’t know about it, and they have this beautiful way to get people to come and raise awareness about what’s going on, and we need to make sure that it stops.”
“It’s both joyous and sad,” said Mr. Weiss. “It’s joyous to see this wonderful, talented group trying to keep this alive, but it’s also sad that communist China is trying to repress it and kill it.”
Mr. Roberts said that if the regime in China is trying to destroy traditional Chinese culture, then it’s wonderful that Shen Yun is “working so hard to preserve it.”
Despite the grim situation in modern-day China, audience members noted there is still hope.
“When we think China, we think dark and we think violence. And it shouldn’t be that way,” said Mrs. Greenhalgh. “We need to get China back to where it was, this sort of beauty and wholesomeness.”
“I totally believe that good is going to overcome evil. And that is something that every person, every being, should be working on,” said Mrs. Brynildsen. “The whole presentation is very entertaining. So we’re going to tell all our friends that they have to go watch it. Because it’s very, very good. It’s excellent. It’s a wonderful experience.”
Mr. Weiss said that the performance “was a wonderful blend of history, arts, culture, music, dance, all put together.”
Mr. Gabriel said, “I would describe this show as an art that you cannot miss out on.”
Shen Yun returns to Virginia on Jan. 20 for three more performances in Fairfax.
NTD News, Norfolk, Virginia.
