Shen Yun, which can be translated to “the beauty of divine beings dancing,” has returned to grace the stages of New York’s Lincoln Center this March 26 – April 12.
Audiences were met with unfolding scenes from 5,000 years of traditional Chinese history depicted through classical Chinese dance and a live orchestra masterfully blending eastern and western tonality. To the delight of thousands, this year’s show in New York City is capturing that signature Shen Yun magic, which is different every year, but which still resounds from a special artistic sphere.
As described on Shen Yun’s website: “The gong resounds, the curtain opens, and fairies emerge from a sea of billowing clouds. Mongolians ride on horseback across grasslands as vast as the sky. Dynasties rise and fall—as ancient legends of love, loss, humor and valor unfold before your eyes.”
RELATED: ‘It felt divine’: Shen Yun Draws Glowing Praise From Theatergoers at Lincoln Center
‘Talent extraordinaire’
Vision Times spoke with a few families and professionals taking a moment from the ever-busy “New York minute” to see this grand display.
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Musician and luxury salesman Michael Harrison shared his appreciation of the “whole package of the program”. “Absolutely amazing: talent extraordinaire,” said Harrison.
“The story lines, the storytelling—The emcees were excellent. The dancing, the choreography was on point — nobody missed a step. It’s just — it was a really good, elevating feeling. The show left you feeling very kind of ecstatic, if you will — a feeling of real joy from having seen it. Also, you get an idea of the story of the Chinese people, which is also good.”
Speaking to the skill of the orchestra, he said that the musicians were so perfect that he might have thought it was not live if he had not been sitting so close, but that he could also tell that the musicians were “experiencing” the show as they carried it forward with the rest of the cast, which added another level. Harrison spoke of the Shen Yun orchestra’s “professionalism and the quality of their art and the skill that they’re playing with: Wonderful, wonderful, for sure.”
He felt that the message carried in some of the deep themes of Shen Yun was “done tastefully,” saying “thankfully, the world can be exposed to this so that we get the true side of the story, versus the narrative that’s put out there sometimes by the media. So, even though this is an artistic presentation, it also allows you to reflect a bit….”
His companion Melanie Holder, an educator, agreed, expressing concern that Shen Yun could not perform in China due to the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and censorship there. She said that seeing Shen Yun brought her “nostalgia” from good memories of her time spent in China, and she felt that Shen Yun not being able to perform there was “a problem”.
Ms. Holder said that the wonderful ambiance of the Lincoln Center was an ideal venue for the world class Shen Yun orchestra and that, “For me, it’s just a recollection, because I did go to China..and it was just taking me back…making that reconnection. The music — it was this calming effect: It puts me into that mood — relaxing! The orchestra was wonderful. Didn’t miss a beat. The grace with which those dancers told the story!”
Mr. Harrison agreed with Ms. Holder, explaining that the feeling that seeing Shen Yun leaves you actually a better person is “what Melanie was saying. It gives you a very elevated feeling, very calming, very positive. It leaves you on a high.”
‘Takes you to another world’
While Mr. Harrison and Ms. Holder were reminded of their musical endeavors and far-off days in other lands, shop manager Ana Cardenas had actually never seen anything like Shen Yun. “Everything is different for me!” she said.
“It’s really amazing, the way they show the culture, the dancing.” She enjoyed it a lot and she said that for her, Shen Yun was “completely new” and “different from the other shows.” Ms. Cardenas found the music to be “amazing…really touching. It’s really soft, it’s like flying.” She said, “the music is like — it completely takes you to another world.”
Shen Yun will perform at Lincoln Center through April 12. For more information, including tickets, seating, and availability, please visit the official website here.
With reporting by Ryan Wu.
