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Wednesday night happened to be Chinese New Year’s Eve. If there were any evil spirits lurking in the vicinity, the lively drumming and dancing, the sounds of the Shen Yun orchestra, and the spirit of the entire performance surely drove them out. During Chinese New Year, it is the custom to light lanterns and set off firecrackers to drive away the bad spirits.
“It was absolutely spectacular. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and what better way to celebrate the Chinese New Year than to enjoy a performance such as this,” Mr. Rice said.
Mrs. Rice said she was going to use the same word to describe the show—spectacular.
“It was a wonderful experience, and we truly enjoyed the music, the orchestra, the dancing, the choreography,” she said. “We could tell that a lot of effort went into it, yet the dancers made it look very effortless. Some of the movements were definitely very difficult. And they were all synchronized, all in sync.
“The stories were really interesting, and it also shares a part of Chinese culture that we don’t get to hear much about,” she said, speaking particularly of the spiritual aspect. Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism have had a strong influence on traditional Chinese culture, especially in the realm of artistic expression.
Mrs. Rice said she wasn’t aware of the story of Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) in China, and particular dances made her more interested in knowing China’s history and what is happening in China today. Falun Gong is a spiritual meditation practice based on truth, compassion, and forbearance, principles that are embedded in China’s ancient culture.
Three of the story-based dances depict the struggle between good and evil in China today with the communist regime subjecting Falun Gong practitioners to violent suppression. Audience members often single out these pieces for praise, as they tell a moving story of courage and resilience in the face of adversity in a way that uplifts the spirit.
Mr. Rice said the dances were “a very creative way of sharing the story.” “I was aware but not to the extent to which it was displayed. … I thought it was quite dynamic how they were able to do it.”
Mrs. Rice loved the costumes: “The ladies were so gorgeous. They looked wonderful and very colorful.” She said it was a treat for the eyes for herself and her daughter. “I thought it was really creative.”
“We will certainly see it again next year, without question, and we’ll bring … ” Mr. Rice began.
His wife finished the sentence: “Our other daughter because she loves learning about Asian culture. I’m sure we’re going to tell her about this, and she’s going to … [say], ‘Oh, I wish I could have been there.’”
“And we’ll be able to hopefully bring more students next year as well,” Mr. Rice added.
Shen Yun New York Company’s three-show run will conclude at the Broward Center on Friday, Feb. 4, followed by performances in Hartford, Conn., and Worcester and Boston, Mass. At the same time, Shen Yun’s two other touring companies will perform abroad, with upcoming shows in Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney, Australia; and Frankfurt, Germany.
With reporting by Jada Yeung and Louise Rothman.
For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
