Shen Yun Wows the State Theatre Audience

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.—Shen Yun Performing Arts received a standing ovation through two curtain calls from a full house at New Jersey’s State Theatre in New Brunswick on Oct. 28.

“Nobody can tell you how great it is. You have to see it for yourself, and you’re going to enjoy everything about it,” said Nathaniel Shell, who works for The New York Times, after the show.

The performance of classical Chinese dance and orchestral music brought together some of the world’s top Chinese performers and took the audience on a journey through a vast and colorful culture that dates back more than 5,000 years.

“It’s just beautiful—all its costumes, everybody is in sync—but words can’t describe this show,” said Mr. Shell.

“I just had a great time,” he said.

The performers in Shen Yun are trained in classical Chinese dance, as well as in ethnic and folk Chinese dance. The art forms include a broad array of movements, ranging from subtle hand gestures to soaring flips and spins. At the heart of the traditional dance forms is a belief that art is a reflection of a person’s nature, and that to create true art, an artist must first have inner beauty and purity.

The New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has set out to rekindle the traditional dance culture of China, and each performance is a step in this direction.

Carol Bender, a public school teacher of psychology, said she attends many dance performances, as her husband works for the Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts, but something in the Friday night’s performance stood out for her.

“This is just magnificent,” Mrs. Bender said. “They are so perfect, they don’t miss a beat. The costumes are beautiful. The costumes are elegant.”

“It’s just amazing,” she added, repeating again, “An amazing show!”

Her sentiment was shared by Mike Stevens, who works in ad sales. “I think it’s wonderful,” he said. “The artistry was beautiful. The backdrops and just the sheer dance prowess of individual dancers is wonderful.”

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org