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Pasadena, California, First Lady of Motown: "It's one of those rare, rare things that you just have to see" (Photo)

May 11, 2009 |   Compiled by Clearwisdom staff

(Clearwisdom.net) With its unique portrayal of Chinese traditional culture, Shen Yun Performing Arts Spring Tour 2009 wowed an appreciative audience at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, May 9.

Claudette Rogers Robinson attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts and highly praised the show, saying, "It's one of those rare, rare things that you just have to see."


Ms. Robinson, First Lady of Motown

An original member of The Miracles, an American rhythm and blues band from Detroit, famous for their hit single "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) and "Ooo Baby Baby" (all Top 20-1965), she was the only female member of the band and was an active member for over 15 years. Barry Gordy, chief of Motown Records, gave Ms. Robinson the title "First Lady of Motown," as she was the first female ever signed to the Motown-affiliated record label Tamla. Most recently, on March 20, 2009, Ms. Robinson and the other Miracles were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

She said about the show, "I so enjoyed this show today. It was absolutely phenomenal. The voices were amazing, so much so that it was very difficult to know how they could have all that volume in such small bodies. The show itself was outstanding. Anyone who hasn't seen it should make it their business to get out here and see this show. It's one of those rare, rare things that you just have to see to really know how very ingenious it is. I'm so happy to have been here today and been a part of it, to just enjoy it."

Ms. Robinson was also amazed by the erhu, a special Chinese instrument, and other parts of the show. She said, "Everything was absolutely fantastic ... the dancing, the singing, the musicians. And that instrument with the two strings [the erhu.] Oh, my goodness, it was just incredible. It was like, how could that much sound come out of an instrument with just two strings? And the young lady that was playing it was fantastic and amazing. I can't say enough about it. You know, for a musician, because I love music, it was just incredible. And the singers were phenomenal. The show itself, the dancing, the fans, and the sleeves, everything that went on were all just ... Oh gosh, I was too excited, I wanted to get up and start jumping up and down because I enjoyed it so much."

Ms. Robinson noticed a special aspect of the show, saying, "I didn't realize that it was based on a spiritual side. It gave me such a unique feeling and connection that it was coming from God, through them, to you and me, and the rest of the people there. I was surprised that it had any kind of spiritual overtones or connotations, and I was happy to see that. Very happy.

"Whoever has not seen the show, try and do your best to get a ticket and see it wherever it may be. I'm gonna say it: This is really something you should not miss. Not only the spiritual feeling, the music and the dancing and all ... it's a phenomenal show. And don't see it just once! I hope to see it again as well."

Fashion Designer: "It was a really fabulous show"

Ms. Bryant, a fashion designer, found Shen Yun Performing Arts an eye-opener to Chinese culture. "I loved the show. It was amazing, really amazing."

She mentioned that she came to the show not really expecting anything. She just wanted to have an open mind, and the show exceeded all her expectations. "I thought the show was fantastic. Anything that has drums in it, it really gets me going. The Mongolian scene with the bright colors, the blue, the silks. I thought the costumes were just amazing. It was a really fabulous show.

"It's hard not to get emotional when you're seeing all these visually stimulating things. And orchestra was really amazing. It was definitely an emotional thing. ... it evokes emotion. Certainly. It definitely was an eye-opener and a very good experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it," Ms. Bryant concluded.

Musician: "The performance was outstanding"

Musician Steven Cohen was one of those who was impressed by the performance at the packed theater. "The performance was outstanding," he said. Mr. Cohen is in music entertainment and has been in the music business for 35 years. He plays multiple instruments-drums, guitar--and now does studio sessions.

"The show was just wonderful. Vibrant colors and costumes. It's a glimpse into a very wonderful culture that is 5,000 years old. And it was moving and touching." As a musician, he particularly liked the full range of music from the live orchestra that combines traditional Western and classical Chinese instruments.

"Oh, yes. The music was wonderful, colorful, and bright. It showed tremendous emotion and all ranges. The singers and everyone involved in the production did such a wonderful job. You walk out with a good feeling and hope for everyone, everywhere," he said. "The instrumentation, the sounds, the dancers, the costumes, everything was just very bright and brought a lot of joy to my heart, and I just wish it back on the people. Each story was enjoyable, and I could follow along and I understood what they were displaying. It was just extremely well done."

When reflecting on what he got from the show, he said, "A message of peace and love and tranquility, spirituality, and basically an overall overwhelming love for everyone. This is my first time, and it won't be my last. I would highly recommend it to all my friends. I came with my wife and other friends. It was a wonderful experience, and I enjoyed it immensely."

Source:

http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/16571/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/16568/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/16566/