Audience in Louisville, Kentucky Experiences the Splendor of Shen Yun (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world-renowned classical Chinese dance and music company, returned to Louisville to grace the stage for two performances, Feb. 7 and 8, 2011 at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Audience members were thrilled to feel the energy and experience the splendor of the Shen Yun shows.

Shen Yun “Brought a lot of the history and tradition of Chinese culture,” said Company VP

J.D. Starman, VP of NeuroTech LLC, and his friend Peg Fields

The artistry and spirituality of Shen Yun were just two aspects of the show that impressed J.D. Starman, a vice president at NeuroTech LLC, and his friend Peg Fields, a massage therapist. “I really enjoyed the show! I enjoyed the sentiment, and I really thought that it brought a lot of the history and tradition of Chinese culture for people to see,” said Mr. Starman. He thought the backdrops were wonderful. “It was gorgeous, I really liked that effect,” he said. He went on to praise various elements of the show, “The colors were amazing ... the expressiveness of the dancers, and how amazing it was to see them be able to move like that!”

“Very inspirational—soothing to the soul,” said Ms. Fields. She continued, “I was just overwhelmed with all the beautiful colors, and the way the dancers moved, it was just heavenly!” Ms. Fields also thought the dancers were superb, saying, “The colors and the dancers and the way they moved, and the way they were in synchronicity with each other, was just beautiful. ... I don’t know who choreographed the show. It was wonderful. Everything just flowed so perfectly!”

She said she could feel the dancers' energy. “It was vibrant. I really felt it, what they were trying to get across, it was really wonderful,” she said. Ms. Fields added that she was pleased that Shen Yun was traveling the world presenting classical Chinese culture and she would absolutely recommend Shen Yun to her friends. “I was touched, I’m really touched.”

Both said that they were moved by the performances that touched upon events unfolding in China today. Mr. Starman said, “I’m glad they were able to present that. I really appreciated seeing it.” A particular performance, No Regrets, was deeply moving for Ms. Fields. In this piece, about a mother and her son who are persecuted for their beliefs, she stated, “Actually, I cried. What impressed me the most were the dancers and how they exhibited the meaning, you could just feel it. I cried. I could just feel it. It is horrific. It would be horrible to live like that. I’m so glad that we can show what other people are going through, and so that’s an inspiration to me, let the public see that.” She elaborated: “Just how much the true feelings, and the true things that are happening, and what we take for granted most of the time. Other people don’t have that freedom.”

Mr. Starman said various values the show presented would stay with him, “Make sure you act properly and stay grounded. It’s a good thing.” In conclusion, Ms. Fields said, “It was very angelic, just very heavenly. Very soothing to the soul, I really enjoyed it!”

Visual Artist Inspired by Shen Yun: “Beautiful! It clears all the clutter out of your mind!”

Joining the enthusiastic audience was Susan Clements, a professional visual artist, who highly praised the show calling the performances, “Beautiful, refreshing and inspiring.” Ms. Susan Clements is an established visual artist in Louisville. With her was Dr. Richard Dallum, retired professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Kentucky’s medical school.

As soon as she saw it advertised Ms. Clements said she was immediately drawn to Shen Yun’s presentation of classical Chinese dance and knew she had to come. “Beautiful! It clears all the clutter out of your mind. Helps you focus right on what life is about.” Ms. Clements also said she was inspired to look into China’s ancient history. “I think I’ll go back and look at some textbooks perhaps, or some of my art history books, and get a better idea.”

With her trained artist’s eye, Ms. Clements was excited by the performances. “I want a 360 degree view of the whole thing; I really would love to experience it from all different aspects. From different points of view; it happens so fast as it’s happening, I’d like to focus on each dancer, but I have to pick what I’m going to focus on at any given moment." She elaborated, “How coordinated their movements are! How beautiful that is!”

Dr. Dallum said he was moved by the performances, “It was a great piece of art!” He added that although he has always been interested in Asia, Shen Yun performances were completely new and refreshing. “I haven’t seen this type of artistic expression before. The choreography is wonderful.” Dr. Dallum summed up his experience, “It’s beautiful!”

Shen Yun 'Delightful!' Says Louisville Artist

The elegance and depth of Shen Yun Performing Arts’ presentation was quite inspiring to Catherine Bryant and her husband. “Everything is so colorful,” she said. Catherine Bryant has been a prominent Louisville artist for the past 20 years. Her work has been featured on the covers of Metropolitan Home Magazine, Classic American Home, Courier Journal and on television.

She admired the dances, saying, “I like the fluidity of the dance. The dance skills are very impressive!” She elaborated on the effect the show had on her. “I find it relaxing; there’s a lot of energy. Everything is so colorful. I found it soothing.”

Mr. Bryant was also greatly impressed by the performances and said, “Very exciting, the movement, the costumes, it’s really exciting! Everything is really perfect.” He said that he found the music to be very moving, and Ms. Bryant mentioned enjoying the soloists, “Very good, delightful! I’ve never heard a Chinese soprano or tenor, [they were] fabulous!”

As an artist, Ms. Bryant greatly appreciated how each costume enhanced the performance and the story, saying, “I especially like the costumes, they are very colorful, the way they flow and the bodies of the performers, very elegant, and very fluid.”

Shen Yun Spreads Warmth as It Opens in Louisville

Rita Easton (L) and Gayle Ott at the opening performance.

Rita Easton and Gayle Ott were also thrilled to have seen the Shen Yun performance. “I thought it was absolutely wonderful!” Ms. Easton said.“The costumes were gorgeous--and the story!” As a former teacher and dancer she was immediately drawn to the depth of Chinese classical culture presented through the performance. With her degree in dance, Ms. Easton noted that classical Chinese dance had influenced other regions of the world. “That was very interesting to see, that the dance, all of our dance comes from that. You know, that’s 5,000 years of dance—and we’re all taking from [this].” She was moved by the profound meaning she saw in the performance. “Good over evil. That was very interesting to see," she said.

No other performing arts company in the world can boast such a remarkable body of talent as Shen Yun. Among the company’s artists are winners of international competitions in music and singing. Ms. Easton was touched by the heartfelt performance "The Song in My Heart" by soprano Pi-Ju Huang and said, “I really enjoyed the singing, the tenors and the soprano, she was wonderful!” Her friend Ms. Ott, a health care provider, agreed, and said, “The tenors, the soprano sang beautifully. The words were so touching. They touch your heart!” She elaborated, saying, “The show was absolutely inspirational. Awesome! It really was. Everything about it. I loved the dancers, I thought the costumes were fantastic, the strength that they had was amazing. Everything about it, everything about the show was just beautiful.”

She was moved by the performance, The Opening of Heaven’s Gates. "The gateway to heaven. You know, it was beautiful. Evil—no, good—yes. To do the right thing always. It’s just, heartwarming." Ms. Ott was visibly moved by the performances and said, “The show was absolutely inspirational. I’d recommend it to anybody; it’s wonderful! Awesome! It really was. Everything about it. Wonderful!”

Ms. Easton agreed, adding, “I think [Shen Yun] was just marvelous. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope to come back next year.”

Dancer Impressed as Shen Yun Returns to Louisville

Lisa Royster.

Lisa Royster, former ballerina with the Santa Fe Ballet Company, was thoroughly impressed with Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company. She said that Shen Yun's presentation of classical Chinese culture touched her on a deeper level. “You know, I’ve learned probably the most this evening. There’s of course a lot of things I don’t know yet, and I’m dying to find out. I was really pleased that my husband brought me this evening.”

She was highly impressed with the various elements of the performance. About the dancers she said, “Oh, they were beautiful. And the fans, with the plum blossoms, gorgeous. The terra cotta warriors, loved it.” As a former dancer, Lisa provided a unique insight, observing that, “People overlook the men, the male dancers, because they have such power, and it’s so beautiful to see the leaps and that strength, and that’s wonderful. Of course, I like the girls, the pretty plum blossoms," she said, referring to the performance, Plum Blossom.

Ms. Royster was also impressed with the vocal solo performances. "The soprano had an absolutely fantastic voice,” she said.