SAN FRANCISCO—The Bay Area is home to 7.15 million people, many of whom enjoy attending the performing arts. Not all of them have seen Shen Yun Performing Arts yet, but those who have are full of praise.
Local manager Ed Chen and his friend Mei Lin, a program leader for the Federal Government, were among the lucky ones catching the show on Friday, Jan. 6, at the War Memorial Opera House.
Shen Yun is internationally recognized for its powerful presentation of China’s 5,000-year-old culture, depicting “ancient myths, bygone heroes, or celestial paradises,” through traditional dance and classically inspired song and music, according to the Shen Yun website.
Mr. Chen was effusive in his praise, describing the performance as “very, very exciting,” then “very interesting,” and finally “very invigorating.”
“I love the energy in it, and I think it is a good variety … the different parts of China, different ethnicities of China, the ethnic groups,” said Mr. Chen. “It showed the variety of the Chinese people.”
Ms. Lin appreciated the dancing, singing, and particularly the Shen Yun costumes, which are handmade and garner praise from fashion designers around the world, according to the Shen Yun website.
“I loved the costumes, so pretty, very colorful,” Ms. Lin said. Mr. Chen agreed, adding, “Very nice, nicely done.”
The story of the Monkey King is one of the best-known and best-loved stories in traditional Chinese culture, and Mr. Chen is very familiar with it. He found Shen Yun’s performance How the Monkey King Came to Be particularly intriguing, with its unique combination of state-of-the-art digital backdrops that bring the ancient myth to life.
“To be able to merge the technology with the dancing … like the monkey coming down and coming out from the stage later … that was very good,” he said.
Ms. Lin noted the dance Lotus Leaves, with its delicate lotus maidens depicting the idea that, according to the Shen Yun program, “behind the leaf of every lily pad lies a blossom waiting to bloom.”
The dance was so different, Ms. Lin said. “The movement and the way the dancers bring out expression.”
Ms. Lin said she enjoyed so many things about Shen Yun. “The dancers, the story-telling, telling us what is coming, the movement, and the music, of course,” she said.
Reporting by Gary Johnson and Laurie Gorham.
Shen Yun’s New York Company will be in San Francisco until Jan. 8, and then continue on to L.A. Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
