Renowned Actress: Shen Yun Plainly Shows China Needs to Change (Photo)

(Clearwisdom.net) SEATTLE--Renowned actress Karolyn Grimes was drawn to the Shen Yun Performing Arts showcase of Chinese traditional culture to see if the program had changed from the year before.

The New York-based Shen Yun presentation held at the regal Paramount Theatre, March 23, lived up to her expectations.

Ms. Grimes, 70, was pleasantly surprised; she said, "I wanted to see how much they could change it really, because it had a message before but now it's even more in-depth and I was really surprised."

She said the message was clear, particularly in two dances, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path and Astounding Conviction.

"It's not so much the message that you see, it's the fact that you see the oppression, they make it very clear."

From the opening curtain, the stage lit up by dazzling costumed dancers that move seamlessly between each scene "gracefully, with the flowing sleeves and movements, and the beautiful classical Chinese dancing which I love," the actress said, commenting on a change of pace.

"Then they get to the meat of the matter, which is the oppression that they are suffering in China ... They cannot spiritually practice what they believe. Anything that is spiritual is taboo, and I think that is what they are really portraying in the show, which they might not have come on so strong before."

Renowned actress Karolyn Grimes was drawn back to Shen Yun to see if the program had changed from the year before.

In her day, since the tender age of 4, Ms. Grimes worked with film legends John Wayne, Cary Grant, Bing Crosby, Loretta Young, Fred MacMurray, Betty Grable, and Danny Kaye, but made an indelible mark on the American consciousness for her part as Zuzu, played alongside Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life.

She enjoyed the Shen Yun performance once again recapping the Falun Dafa scenes that bespeak of the ancient Chinese adage that good is rewarded and evil punished, even if not in this lifetime.

"I really enjoyed the fact that the life that we live now goes on and there is a future. There is a presence, that we will go somewhere else. We will definitely have a spiritual home. And it's beautiful the way it's portrayed, especially in the scene where the mother is killed because of her spiritual practice. I thought it was a lovely scene, actually, because it's reality."

"That's what the Chinese people at this point in time are facing. And they're repressed, they're not able to really enjoy their religious beliefs or even a legend or tradition or culture. And this show makes it very, very plain that they are in need of change."

Teacher of Gymnastics and Ballet: "That's what I want to say from my soul"

Ukraine-born Tiama Grow, a teacher of gymnastics and ballet, was "very, very excited" by the Shen Yun show. Ms. Grow had seen Chinese folk performances a long time ago, but nothing like this. She was particularly excited and impressed by the exposure of the persecuted Falun Dafa spiritual practice depicted in two sketches, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path and Astounding Conviction.

"It's so wonderful, I heard a lot about Falun Dafa. I was so excited, beautiful costumes, beautiful movements, beautiful girls. It's amazing, it's amazing.

"I'm so excited. I was very, very happy to see that and I want to say the [dancers] have done a great job, wonderful."

While back in Ukraine, she had heard of Falun Dafa. "I heard a lot, and I read the book about Falun Dafa, I read lots of material," she said, adding that because of the current oppression "there is sadness. I don't know how I can help with this, but I want to say ... we need to do something."

Ms. Grow believes the Shen Yun performance has the ability to change the world, through messages that have at heart China's divinely-inspired traditions, interwoven through the entire program.

"I believe they have to change the world. This is our future. Look at this, it's a beautiful planet and we must change that planet," admiring the beauty and purity imbued in, and exuding from, each performer.

"I don't have words, I have only emotions. It's beautiful, it's strong, it's clean inside. It's wonderful. Perfect costumes! It's amazing and I'm very appreciative ... ."

She recommended that all people come to see Shen Yun. "That's what I want to say from my soul."

Ballet Theater Director Moved by Shen Yun

Lilia Yerosheva, originally from Russia and now a director of a Ballet Theatre in Washington, was there to experience Shen Yun's performance.

Ms. Yerosheva was moved by the experience. "It's an extraordinary combination of beauty and technique, so much drama and so many things that are so alive," she said.

One of the scenes depicts a Falun Dafa family being persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party, a scene that in reality, is playing out daily in China today. She said, "I cried in the middle of the show when the family was persecuted."

This was the first time Ms. Yerosheva had seen Shen Yun. She said, "it's a very good show and I would recommend it to everyone."

Sources:

http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/32078/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/32077/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/32112/