PHILADELPHIA—Shen Yun Performing Arts ended its four-show run at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 8, to five curtain calls, a standing ovation, and an encore for its last vocalist.
“It’s just so inspirational and so culturally diverse,” said James Milnik, the Brand Coordinator (Marketing Director) for Beneficial Bank. “It’s an amazing show.”
New York-based Shen Yun was established six years ago, says its website, and has three equally large performance companies and orchestras simultaneously criss-crossing the globe with one mission: reviving 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture after more than six decades of Communist rule in China nearly destroyed it.
Mr. Milnik found “the way they combine the visual and the audio … fantastic.”
Shen Yun has an unique orchestra: one that melds a Western philharmonic base with Chinese instruments like the 4,000-year-old erhu – or two-stringed Chinese violin – which in turn is harmonized with a digital backdrop, says Shen Yun’s website. These enhance the “heart” of Shen Yun performances: the ancient art form of classical Chinese dance, considered one of the most comprehensive and hard-to-master dance forms.
“The combination of the music: the Western and the Eastern, it was really amazing,” said Mr. Milnik, who was accompanied by a friend, Mark Rufinsk, who works in the architecture field.
“The costumes were very brilliant,” said Mr. Rufinsk. “The colors were very interesting.”
“Every costume in a Shen Yun performance is presented with brilliant colors, displaying a splendid spectacle,” explains Shen Yun’s website, “from the Tang Dynasty’s “Raiment of Rainbows and Feathers” to imperial dragon robes, phoenix coronets, and cloud capes, from the civil official’s headdress and robes to the warrior’s helmet and armor, and from the traditional rightward cross-collared Han clothing to the ethnic attire of the Manchurian, Tibetan, Dai, Mongol, and Uyghur ethnic groups.”
Apart from classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun presents ethnic and folk dance; this year’s performance features—among others—an ethnic Taiwanese dance and an ethnic Manchurian dance, and folk dances (referring to the popular dance styles passed down among the majority Han ethnicity), including a handkerchief dance.
It was Mr. Milnik’s first encounter with Chinese culture, and he thoroughly enjoyed it.
“I would say it’s an auditory, visual and cultural delight,” he said. “They’re just so fluid and amazing.”
Reporting by Pamela Tsa and Zack Stieber
New York-based Shen Yun has three companies touring the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will next perform at New York’s Lincoln Center from Jan. 11 to 15.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
