SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—Andrew Wilkie came to see Shen Yun Performing Arts with his wife on April 30. Although they’ve known of Shen Yun for many years, they were pleased to see the performance in their hometown this season.
“We’ve been hearing about it for a couple of years, and so it’s very nice to be able to see it here in our hometown,” said Mr. Wilkie, Superintendent and project manager at Schaefer Custom Homes.
Shen Yun is based in New York, and its mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.
“The 5000 years plus is very impressive and has a really rich culture. And so it’s nice to see. I was just telling my wife earlier, if it’s so much of the dance and the beauty, and such a rich history, it’s kind of sad that they [the Chinese Communist Party] deny it [and] suppress it.”
Shen Yun’s use of its digital backdrop is patented. The versatility of technology allows the set to change scenes in the blink of an eye, giving the stage endless possibilities.
“The special effects were very surprising and very good. … When things took off on the screen, it was beautiful. … The first time it happened, I was kind of amazed, ” Mr. Wilkie said.
Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.
“I think is very impressive. Really appreciate them putting in the time and effort and devoting their life to that. It’s not easy to dance like that,” Mr. Wilkie said.
Shen Yun’s resident choreographers and composers work closely before the start of each season to ensure that every beat and every movement work together in harmony.
“I think the choreography goes very well with the music, and the music is beautiful to sit and listen to. It’s nice to hear that combination of Eastern music with Western music, and it’s nice to have live music,” Mr. Wilkie said.
Shen Yun is spreading the beauty of Chinese culture to the world, but it is unable to perform in China. Although Mr. Wilkie isn’t Chinese, his family has also experienced the tyranny of the CCP.
“That’s sad. There’s so much beauty in it and so much rich culture. I have to say, my grandparents were in China, actually, and then they had to leave when the Communist Party took over. … During the revolution. And they ended up in India,” he shared.
Reporting by NTD and Maria Han.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
