COSTA MESA, Calif.—Orange County’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomed crowds of theatergoers to see Shen Yun Performing Arts. Southern California’s cultural seekers waited patiently in line as the doors opened for the New York-based company’s performance of classical Chinese dance and music on Thursday evening Jan. 12.
Roger Fletcher, a general manager of the local Rolls Royce dealership attended with his wife. Being their first time seeing Shen Yun, Mr. Fletcher said: “It’s different and it’s something we don’t see in our daily lives, and to see something like this is very special for us. It’s an honor to have come tonight.”
Shen Yun’s mission is to revive China’s 5,000-years of traditional culture through dance, song and music, emphasizing virtues such as truth, honor and wisdom.
“I’ve always been fascinated by Chinese culture. I sense from tonight’s show that this is something we wouldn’t be able to see in China itself, and I don’t think a lot of people in this country are aware … there’s obviously some repression that’s going on.”
Included in the program is a dance that depicts the communist regime’s persecution of Falun Gong, a traditional spiritual practice.
“Maybe shows like this will bring people to realize, through dance and entertainment, that we can get a message to people about what’s going on over there,” he added.
Having realized the magnitude of ancient China’s culture, Mr. Fletcher said, “I find it fascinating that we have a culture that goes back 5,000 years … amazing!”
Myths and legends of an ancient civilization told through dance and music are at the heart of Shen Yun’s production. Traditional dance and Chinese instruments dating back 4,000 years like the erhu (2-stringed violin) and dizi (bamboo flute) brings life back into an ancient art.
“There is such great depth to the culture that the Western world doesn’t understand, because we don’t have that.” Mr. Fletcher said.
Reporting by NTD Television, Andrew Chan and Maria Banks
Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company will have three performances at The Music Center in Los Angeles through to Jan. 14.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
