(Clearwisdom.net) Culturally diverse audience members from San José and the greater Bay Area who attended the Sunday afternoon performance of the Shen Yun Performing Arts Spring Tour 2009 were thoroughly captivated by the show at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

Mr. Qayoumi, a university president from the Bay Area, said, "Thank you very much for having this. This was such a wonderful show. The show was fantastic. The choreography, the performances, the music--everything was absolutely first class. This was really fantastic."

Mr. Qayoumi, a university president from the Bay Area

"I think each and every one of the programs was unique in its own right. The one that impressed me most was 'Dance of the Snow-Capped Mountain.' That was unique. It was very wonderful and excellent."

Mr. Qayoumi appreciated the opportunity to glimpse China's classical civilization. He said "I really would like to thank NTDTV for bringing the show here. I look forward to seeing it again next year, because it's such a fantastic show. It really shows the refinement of Chinese culture in all forms of art. They were all unique, each one of them from a different part of China, sharing different stories.

"Art is one of the elements that unites all cultures, human beings, and people and creates a sense of harmony all throughout the world. So I think the message is [a] message of peace, harmony, and coexistence. It was also great to see the translation of the songs. That gave us a sense of what the songs were about, although the music by itself is beautiful, and their voices were absolutely gorgeous. The tenor's voice was especially beautiful. To see the meaning behind the voices makes it that much more enjoyable.

"I'd like to add that those individuals who didn't have a chance to see the show [should] look forward [to] when the show comes again, because I can assure that you will really enjoy it."

Mr. Qayoumi said that he learned many things about China's traditional culture from the performance. "I enjoyed the beauty of a culture that has enriched so many people and continues to do so. The refinement of it, the beauty of it, and the sense of harmony, the choreography, the sense of peace, the coexistence that the show was conveying--I think that's the beauty of it."

Matriarch Plans to Return with Her Entire Family: "There Are No Words to Describe What a Wonderful Show Rhis Is!"

Mrs. Waters, who has raised seven children and has 18 grandchildren, was also in the audience. She said she had never experienced anything like it. "There are no words to describe what a wonderful show this is. It is exhilarating--I have never experienced anything like it. The music penetrates your mind, body, and soul. There are no words! It was beautiful. The dancers are--it was just something that you can't describe.

"I feel exhilarated. Just from being here--it encompasses everything. It just penetrates your mind, your body, your soul--you just want to dance, you want to sing. You are enthralled, you are mesmerized. You can't take your eyes off the beauty.

"I cannot foresee ever letting you pass me by again without being here. Next time, my whole family is coming, so you will have to get the tickets printed and get them ready, because there are a lot of us," Mrs. Waters joked.

She noted especially, "My hand has been lifeless, flaccid. Then, I can dance. ... I can move it. I was going with those drums, and [they] filled my body and filled myself ... Thank you!"

She said that, in her mind she could move it, but she couldn't get it to her hand. She added, "I've been blessed beyond words, and I can move, I can dance. I can get up there right along with those people. ... It's just exhilarating. You've brought beauty into my life beyond words."

Mrs. Waters was touched by the dance "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution," saying that it was extremely moving. "That was very emotional. It was beautifully done, beautifully. And the child!"

She felt empowered, saying, "It just fuels your soul. It just fills you ... You can do anything. It just moves you to tears. I'd heard that it was so emotional. The stories are just very, very touching and very, very heartwarming."

She said that if she were given the opportunity to speak to the performers she would say, "You have brought beauty beyond words, you have brought peace, you are so good. Kudos to you because you are just amazing. ... Each one of you should be so proud that you can do that for another person. There is no greater gift than giving to others.

"You have given me one of the most exhilarating gifts that I have ever had in my life. Just the art of your dance and your music. You have given me a gift that I can never repay."

Publisher: "I Love It!"

Ms. Truonggia, a newspaper publisher, was very glad that she had bought a ticket to the show. "It is the first time that I have seen the show, and I love it." She "loved all the show. I loved all [the scenes in] the show. The performers are very, very talented and I loved it."

Ms. Truonggia, a newspaper publisher

She added that the show was "perfect! I love it. I tell you the truth--I love it."

Ms. Truonggia sent her "congratulations and my best wishes" to all the performers. "They did a good job." She said that, through her newspaper, she will report on the virtues of Shen Yun, in particular, the courageous effort by Shen Yun artists to "tell the truth."

Ms. Truonggia hopes that when the show returns to her area next year, more performances will be presented.

A Nation's Traditional Culture Told Through Dance and Music

A group of four friends and work colleagues were delighted to be in the audience at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

Supawan, a restaurant owner, liked the performance "about the sculptor ... the one with the lady standing on top of a lotus flower. That was beautiful."

Otis said, "I liked it all."

Matt, a chef at Supawan's restaurant, was also impressed. "It was a great variety of different things. There was everything from opera to classical [Chinese dance]. It was good," he said.

Chris greatly enjoyed the show saying, "I thought the way the stories were represented through dances and through the movements of the dances was unique ... without any need to speak at all."

He added, "You can tell the stories of a nation through its dance and music, without the need to use any words at all. Music is very universal, and everyone can understand it."

Source: http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/16929/
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