(Minghui.org) The world-renowned Shen Yun Performing Arts staged eleven shows at The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York on April 20-28, 2013.
Four full-house Shen Yun performances at The David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on April 20-21, 2013. The photo taken on the afternoon of April 21.
Bank of America Exec Finds a “Gentle, Kind Warmth” in Shen Yun
Assistant vice president at Bank of America, Betty Haines and her mother
Assistant vice president at Bank of America, Betty Haines, said she was moved by the Shen Yun artists' “gentle, kind warmth and spirituality.”
“I found that they tell the story in their movements. Truly you can see the classical elements in all of the movements,” said Ms. Haynes.
Shen Yun's spirituality, she noted, is born of China's ancient culture and therefore the performance is something everyone can connect with. “Everything goes to a higher level,” she said. “We all call it something different, but the belief is there.”
Ms. Haynes said that although people associate China “with the stamp on the bottom of a tea cup,” she doesn't see it that way at all, adding, “The culture is so rich and beautiful.”
Model Finds Hope and Love in Shen Yun
Model and actress Belinda Johnson
Belinda Johnson, a model and actress, was enchanted by Shen Yun, saying, “I feel like a little kid all over again. It brought life into me. I just felt so good inside.”
Ms. Johnson was not only touched by Shen Yun's “bright, bold, beautiful colors,” she also enjoyed how the digital backdrops “would come alive” as though they were “almost magical.”
“I absolutely loved it. We all need a couple of hours of our lives to just sit down and just be free and know that there’s hope and there’s love,” said Ms. Johnson. “It was really special.”
She recommended that everyone see the show and said that she will come back next year. “I’d like to bring my children, too,” she said. “I think they would definitely enjoy it.”
Orchestra Conductor Calls Shen Yun a “Show of Beauty”
East Texas Symphony Orchestra conductor, Per Brevig
Per Brevig, the conductor of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and former Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trombone player, described Shen Yun as a “Wonderful delightful show,” adding, “Beautiful colors, beautiful costumes. Great dancers—they are not only dancers, they are also acrobats!”
Mr. Brevig thoroughly enjoyed the orchestra and music, which accompany the dance pieces. “The Chinese instruments blended so very well with the Western instruments, so compliments to the composers that they are able to integrate the two kinds of instruments—delightful.”
He said that he had heard of the Chinese two-stringed erhu, but had never seen such an accomplished player. “The person on stage who played, that’s a real virtuoso that’s very, very difficult—delightful.”
The conductor said that Shen Yun's form of artistic expression should be allowed in China and that Chinese people should be proud of the show.
“It is a show of beauty. Chinese artists express themselves so wonderfully and I am just sorry that Chinese people [in Mainland China] are not able to see this show. So I hope that Chinese people can also see the show and they should be extremely proud of it and they should also have the opportunity to enjoy how I and the audience enjoy it. That’s my wish.”
Former Orchestra Director Praises Shen Yun
Former orchestra director Diane Flagello (right)
Also in the audience was Diane Flagello, who directed the pre-college division at the Manhattan School of Music for 25 years. “I absolutely loved it,” said Ms. Flagello, who also directs children’s orchestras.
“I see that one of the musicians [in Shen Yun] was a winner of our competition at the Manhattan School of Music,” she noted. That musician was violinist Yo-yo Fan, who won the school’s Preparatory Division Concerto Competition. Many dancers and musicians that are part of New York-based Shen Yun are winners of multiple competitions.
Ms. Flagello herself had an illustrious career. The Manhattan School of Music, which serves students from 44 states and 47 countries, created a scholarship in honor of her that is awarded annually.
She especially enjoyed the music in the performance. “What I enjoyed about the music was how the composers were able to put together Western music and Chinese cultural music—how they were able to blend the music together was quite extraordinary and the composers are to be congratulated,” she said.
Ms. Flagello described Xiaochun Qi's erhu solo titled, “Sacred Destiny,” as “So beautiful. I felt it in my heart. I felt so warm. I felt so elated.”
Veteran Dancer Sees Joy in Shen Yun Dancers’ Movements
Also taking in the show was dance expert, Edward Henkel, who said that the Shen Yun dancers' movements were filled with joy. It was “a joy of freedom, joy of the control of the body,” he said. “And the expression through movement is very freeing.”
Mr. Henkel was a dancer for 35 years, performing with companies including the New York Theatre Ballet, where he was the resident choreographer. He now administers programs at the 92Y’s Harkness Dance Center on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
He enjoyed the refined, expressive movements of the dancers, including their arm gestures and the way the dancers turn their heads. “I loved the show. I thought it was beautiful,” said Mr. Henkel.
“I liked the [dancers'] sense of yearning to express Chinese culture to the rest of the world—and that means a lot to me.”
Shen Yun Gets 20 out of 10 Rating by Media Executive
Chief operating officer at Parikh Worldwide Media, Shomik Chaudhuri
Chief operating officer at Parikh Worldwide Media, Shomik Chaudhuri, gave Shen Yun an off-the-charts rating. “If I were to grade it 1–10, 10 being excellent, I’ll give it a 20,” Mr. Shomik said after the performance.
Parikh Worldwide Media is the largest Indian-American newspaper in the United States, according to its website.
Mr. Chaudhuri described Shen Yun as “unbelievable,” “fantastic,” “surreal,” and “unbelievable.” He said, “It was poetry in motion—everything was so perfect—so beautiful it is unbelievable. I am very glad that I was part of this today.”
The executive said that the dance set, “Divine Mercy,” epitomizes the spiritual elements in Shen Yun.
“It shows that even today by spiritual force, by spiritual energy, we can overturn the negative forces that have been engulfing the entire world,” he said. The dance piece “was a very, very touching moment” and showed him “there is still hope for the world.”
Mr. Chaudhuri was grateful that Shen Yun performed at Lincoln Center and regrets that it is not able to perform in China. “This is a perfect place for people to see and realize how beautiful culture exists in the world,” he concluded.
Sources: the EpochTimes.com NDTV.org
