SEARCH
COSTA MESA, Calif—Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company’s revival of ancient China’s true culture drew a full house to the Segerstrom Centre for the Arts, on May 7.
Renowned lecturer and Ph.D student at UC Irvine Merage School of Business and author, Greg Autry who was amidst the audience, was enjoying the classical Chinese dance and music extravaganza with Denise Messenger, also an author.
"Oh, I really liked the show, it’s beautiful,” Mr. Autry said. “I'm no art critic, but I had a good time. It was very accessible to Western audiences, I think. The combination of the Western instrumentation with the traditional Chinese music made it a little different."
Among many features unique to the New York-based company is the Shen Yun Orchestra’s masterful fusion of Eastern and Western instruments, in all-original composition.
Exquisitely adorned dancers portray a collection of China’s legends, folktales, ethnic traditions and modern day stories used to help restore mankind’s true cultural heritage thought to be divinely bestowed 5,000 years ago in China.
"I had a great time and I was impressed by the quality of the dancers, singers and the commitment they expressed. You could tell that this was a show that they had a personal stake in that they were trying to send us a message of hope and inspiration through their art."
A couple of stories depicted in dance expose how these same values have deteriorated in China today with the continuous persecution against practitioners of Falun Dafa, also called Falun Gong.
One in particular, Our Story, tells of a teacher who is killed in front of her students for teaching them to value ‘truthfulness, compassion and forbearance,’ cornerstones of the ancient Falun Dafa practice.
Mr. Autry, who co-authored the book, Death by China, challenges the Chinese Communist Party in today’s developing world.
In his words: "We need to restore the traditional ethical values of the Chinese people and we need to understand what those are,” he said. “And through art we can help convey the messages of good—and that value cannot be repressed by evil [communist regime] in the long run…"
Mr. Autry was also impressed by the stories conveyed throughout the entire performance emphasizing values, such as “standing up for what's right and for what you believe in.”
He recognized that the principles illustrated by Shen Yun, ‘truthfulness, compassion and forbearance’ were universal; “I don't think they are just Chinese” he said.
But not being an expert on the plight of Falun Dafa or its teachings, Mr. Autry said his assumptions were only an interpretation of his Shen Yun experience.
“[Shen Yun] is a message that there will be a change in the future and a change in a positive way, that those sacrificing now for what is right will be rewarded in heaven, and heaven will reward those on earth who do the right thing. I hope I interpreted that correctly,” he added.
“I just think it's a good show and it's a good message, and that we're all taking the opportunity to support both Chinese traditional and an ethical system that is better than the one that is there now.”
Ms. Messenger joked when she tripped over her words.
“You see, I’m tongue-tied by the show,” she said laughing. “The costumes are amazing, the dancers are extremely talented. I'm enjoying the story that [Shen Yun’s] telling, taking us from the very beginning of time, literally … up to the present.”
She was surprised by the addition of the current repression in China, which made the show “even more dramatic for us—an excellent show,” she concluded.
Reporting by NTD Television, Cheryl Casati and Raiatea Tahana-Reese.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
