PHILADELPHIA—Shen Yun Performing Arts ended Saturday night at The Merriam Theater with a standing ovation, three curtain calls, and an encore by the last vocalist, Haolan Geng.
“I love China, I love Chinese culture, I love the Chinese dance—It’s beautiful,” Martine Bloquiaux, chairperson and co-founder of non-profit People 4 Earth, proclaimed after the performance. “I loved it very much.”
New York-based Shen Yun presents 5,000 years of Chinese culture, with principles such as kindness, wisdom, divine retribution, through “sophisticated dance techniques, an orchestra joining instruments East and West, beautiful costumes, and a stunning back drop,” says its website.
More than 60 years of Communist rule in China nearly destroyed this culture. Shen Yun, formed in 2006, has three companies traveling the world simultaneously with one mission: reviving Chinese culture.
“I was quite surprised about the Tiananmen Square little interlude,” said Ms. Bloquiaux, referring to the dance, The Choice.
Shen Yun’s program book describes the piece as echoing a recurring theme in Chinese civilization, “that good is rewarded and wrongdoing is punished.” In it, Falun Dafa meditators withstand abuse by police, and the divine intervenes on their behalf.
“That was quite audacious,” said Ms. Bloquiaux. “Very nice.”
“I like the monkey, I like the lotus—I thought that was very nicely done,” Ms. Bloquiaux continued, describing different dance pieces. “I like the sleeves, I also like the white scarves going up to heaven.”
Ms. Bloquiaux’s friend Liza Fuchs also enthused in the show. “It’s amazing! It’s very good! I love it,” she said. “Very talented.”
“It’s very, very well done, it’s wonderful,” concluded Ms. Bloquiaux. “Congratulations!”
Reporting by Qingqing Qiu and Zack Stieber.
Shen Yun has three companies touring the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will be at The Merriam Theater, in Philadelphia for one more performance, then next in New York through Jan, 15.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
