"A Feast for the Soul!" - Washington DC's Arts Community Resonates with the Beauty of Shen Yun (Photo)

(Clearwisdom.net) The Shen Yun Performing Arts evening show on Saturday August 29, 2009 at the Kennedy Center Opera House was well attended by a highly appreciative audience.

Curtain call after another successful performance

"Bring Shen Yun back again!" exclaimed Mr. Monsul, a TV Producer at a Virginia television station, after he and his wife saw Shen Yun for the first time. "I think the show itself is beautiful." They were among the full house that honored Shen Yun's artists with curtain calls, repeated rounds of applause and a standing ovation.

"Tonight's production was absolutely magnificent. My wife and I agreed--it was probably the most beautiful show we ever saw in our entire lives. And we've been to a lot of shows and a lot of theaters around the country and around the world, but this show at the Kennedy Center tonight, this program was magnificent. The costumes were beautiful, the music was fantastic, the hosts were fantastic [and] the dancers were beautiful. And it was just so magnificent that we have to come back again.

"The costumes, the dancing and the way that those people were coordinating. They must have put months of practice and rehearsal into getting it [right] ... You know, they were so well organized and so well prepared and rehearsed. I'll tell all my friends about it."

He is so highly impressed with the show that Mr. Monsul plans to tell his viewers about Shen Yun when it returns in January. "And when [Shen Yun] comes back in January 2010, you will see this show with a new show with new costumes, new music, wonderful new production, and my wife and I will be back again to see this program. We can't wait for January! So let's see, this is August, September, October, November ... we have to wait four more months. We wish it were tomorrow!

"Unbelievable! The costumes, I didn't understand a word of Chinese except one, 'Ni Hao,' I learned how to say 'hello.' It's a wonderful experience. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the show, we had a fantastic time."

Mr. Monsul felt that seeing Shen Yun helped deepen his understanding in a number of areas. "Integrity, truthfulness, honesty, compassion, love, and all of the wonderful characteristics that you people talk about and promote as your central theme. This program has wonderful things that people around the world should know about and can benefit from. Compassion, integrity and concern for your fellow human being.

"And just love your fellow neighbor and just making a better life for everybody. ... You know, the ancient Chinese culture that goes back 5,000 years brings forth all these wonderful traits, all these wonderful characteristics to today, in 2009. And they are still viable and they are still worthwhile, they are still useful 5,000 years later.

"Bring Shen Yun back again! My wife thought it was terrific, and she thanked me so much for buying an extra ticket to bring her here, too. ... And she said she'll tell all of her friends about how wonderful this show was."

Television Producer and Assistant: "A Feast For the Soul! Spiritually Enlightening"

Another television producer from Hip Hop Dot TV, joined in, praising Shen Yun Performing Arts. "Outstanding! It's very spiritually enlightening. The costumes, the dancing, the messages, all the songs, all the instruments working collectively together, it's just outstanding. I highly recommend anyone to come and see this, anyone! I'm in TV production, producing original programming, our company is called Hip Hop Dot TV. So I'm really happy to be here!"

Her administrative assistant, Coletta, was equally impressed, and highly recommended Shen Yun to others. "Anyone should come see this show. The colors were delicious, it's a feast for the eyes and the soul. The messages were profound. Spiritual, enlightening, educational. Very exciting! I've enjoyed it. I had a strong feeling and passion throughout the whole show. And I just want to tell all my friends to come down. Because it's just that good, and this is something you'll never experience again, probably. So you gotta take advantage of it now while it's hot, it's on target, and everyone can relate to it. So it's very, very good."

"The dance, and how you convey the message through song and through the instruments collectively working together. I mean, it's just outstanding. Just awesome. And like I said, it expresses such a message of spirituality that can resonate with anyone. Resonate, you know, no matter what language you speak, what part of the world you come from. This show is going to resonate with you!"

She continued, "Outstanding, like I said, how you basically just transcend into the sky, the spirits, everything, it's just outstanding. It conveys a very, very powerful message through scenery, through imagery, you know. And that is something you know, being in TV production, I can definitely relate to."

Coletta said that she was deeply moved by her experience. "You can definitely feel the passion of the performers. They brought it across so clear and so profound. Everybody felt what they were feeling, when they were trying to send a message of spirituality, divineness, forgiveness and things that we should have as a part of this life. And they delivered it so well to us in the performance even down to the details, to the costumes, to the expressions, to the hairstyles. It was just so educational. I mean, in all aspects. I'm really, truly proud to be a part of that, to experience that. So definitely, I'm going to tell my friends about it."

Coletta said she could hardly wait to see Shen Yun. "I actually had another interview this week, and I was telling them, 'I'm gonna see this show at Kennedy Center, you guys should all come see it, because I think it's gonna be great for you guys.' The messages and the education - that comes across very well."

Coletta's mother Patricia Edwards, agreed, "I couldn't have said it better. My girls said it just as it is--beautiful, beautiful. I recommend it to anyone."

Carl Houston, a computer analyst added, "I thought it was very colorful, an excellent presentation of the spirituality and culture of 5,000 years of Chinese culture. I thought it was really expressive, I really enjoyed it. Very, very, very excellent presentation of all the culture and spirituality."

Coletta said, "I appreciate the performers for putting all the energy, so much effort and time and love and compassion into the performance to allow us to experience it all. So thank you to the performers and everyone involved in it. Just come see it. You'll see a whole other side of a different culture and learn about these things."

Summing it up, the producer said, "Very vibrant, and the message of compassion and tolerance was overwhelming, and it's something that can resonate with everyone, no matter what culture you are from, your background, economic level you are at, you know, compassion and tolerance, that's what it's about. This is spirituality, and that is the foundation of all human existence. I really appreciate it."

Professional Dancer and Teacher: "Absolutely Beautiful!"

Ms. Payne, a professional dancer and teacher, who for many years has toured the world and performed in many dance companies, said she thoroughly appreciated Shen Yun Performing Arts. "I thought it was absolutely beautiful," Ms. Payne said after the show at the Kennedy Center Opera House on Saturday night. "I thought the dancers were just beautiful, very well trained."

"I have a great appreciation [for their technique]," she said. "The leg extensions were beautiful. And I love the design, the costumes, the way it flowed with the movement."

"I like the spirit of the program," Ms. Payne said. "I like the message of the program and the choreography. It's just lovely."

Of the individual performances she said, "I think they are all beautiful with their own unique style, and I certainly enjoyed the Chinese style very much. I thought everything was just gorgeous. I think I just love them all."

Ms. Payne said Shen Yun gave her a deeper understanding of traditional Chinese culture. "It just gave me a richer understanding. I liked the words of the songs that were written on the backdrop. I enjoyed it all. I truly did."