(Clearwisdom.net) The premiere of Shen Yun Performing Arts in Seattle at The Paramount Theatre on Tuesday, March 23, left a lasting impression on Susan Rhodes, a psychologist and a writer who attended with her friends.

She described Shen Yun as "very beautiful." "I appreciate the spiritual focus. I appreciate the many different kinds of dance, and I particularly liked the Tibetan dance [Tibetan Dance of Praise] at the end. It was very exciting--the music, the movement, the energy of it.

"It was very moving to me because of the Tibetan presence in the performance. Because Tibet has been assimilated by China, I was very pleased to see that they brought in the spiritual values of the Tibetan peoples, as well as the Chinese culture."

Ms. Rhodes was moved by the beauty "and the value of that beauty too, that it really matters and makes a difference in modern life." "We rush around so much these days that it's easy to lose touch with eternal values," she added.

Ms. Susan Rhodes

She said she was touched by the New York-based company's presentation of classical Chinese dance. "It's very beautiful. The thing I noticed right away is the smoothness of the movements, how the dancers seem to glide as though they were floating across the stage instead of walking. And I was impressed with the unity of the dancers, how they coordinated their movements, and the joy with which they danced.

"I think what stands out to me most is the message behind the dance, that it's a very spiritual performance and very moving...it really affected me emotionally," she said.

Ms. Rhodes talked about the variety in the performances: "The influence was different for every one of the programs. I loved the joyful dances. The piece about the persecution [of Falun Gong practitioners] was very difficult to watch, but I was very glad it was included."

Speaking of Wu Song Battles the Tiger, a scene from one of China's beloved novels, she said, "It's very hard to do comedy in any sort of dance, especially musically, and the man who did that program was very effective, and it was very entertaining. I am very glad I had the opportunity watch. It's a beautiful show!"

Ms. Rhodes commented on the piece that tells a story of the current persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The story told through dance bespeaks of the old Chinese proverb that evil will be punished and good rewarded, even if not in this lifetime.

"It moves me to see this group letting that message be shown to the world and showing the beauty of this message--this idea of the eternal values and spiritual values as being the most important thing in life, and showing it in such a beautiful, artistic way," she said.

Ms. Rhodes felt it was important for people to take the opportunity to see Shen Yun.

Attorney Highly Recommends Shen Yun to Others

William Boe, an attorney who has owned his own practice, expressed his delight with the show.

"I think it was a marvelous show, I really do," he said. "The pageantry was great, the colors were spectacular, the music was wonderful, but the dancing just blew me away-- just terrific, really terrific!" He said he was "very impressed."

Mr. Boe felt he was a good judge of the quality of a production, explaining, "I love the theater. ... I think I have a sense of what a good production looks like, and this was a terrific production!"

He said he was impressed with each performance: ethnic dances, music, songs, and legendary stories as well as contemporary tales of courage told through classical Chinese dance.

"I think from start to finish they were very, very strong. I can't think of one in particular that impressed me more than others. They were just terrific and every one unique. But the background and the movement ... and just the whole sense of it is just marvelous to watch. And we had good seats. We were at the very top, and we could see everything going on."

Mr. Boe said he appreciated seeing the spiritual aspect that was always part of classical Chinese culture.

"I'm very interested in ... the idea of predestination and the idea that we originate in heaven, and we end up in heaven, and the body of light is what's important." He added that the depictions of the persecution of Falun Gong were very important and that he was very impressed.

"I would highly recommend this, I really would," he said.

Professional Singer Touched by Shen Yun

Ms. Pamela Silimperi sings a capella, early music, and Renaissance music with choral ensembles and symphonies. She was having a remarkable evening attending Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Paramount Theatre.

"There's a lot of joy in the air and it feels really exuberant," she said. Ms. Silimperi has come to see Shen Yun three times and she was sure to bring friends along to the show, tonight, March 23, as she did in the past.

As a professional classical singer, Ms. Silimperi has a deep appreciation for the music of Shen Yun. "They are wonderful singers, and I'm always impressed with the great power they have, and control, as well."

Reflecting on how she was moved by the erhu, she said "the music was so emotional, which is always very impressive with that instrument."

From personal experience, she observed something very moving about Shen Yun performances, "There's a great power . . . the spiritual aspect of it, you know, you can feel it. You just kind of let it sweep over you. And it's-there's this beauty of color as well as movement, and music."

Ms. Pamela Silimperi greatly enjoyed seeing Shen Yun for the third time.

She said her friends accompanying her to the show were enjoying the show very much. "Especially, we love the backdrop with the movement on the screen." she said, referring to the unique backdrops.

When asked if she would see the show yet again, Ms. Silimperi said that the special appeal of Shen Yun that keeps her coming back, is why she continues to introduce the show to her friends.

"I've brought different people each time because I wanted them to see what it was like," she said. "It's very unique for Americans...and everyone has enjoyed it, very much."

Source:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/31994/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/31992/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/31988/

Category: Shen Yun Performing Arts