Texas State Representative Urges Texans to See Shen Yun (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) Amidst thunderous applause and standing ovations, Shen Yun Performing Arts completed its two-show run at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin, Texas, on August 7, 2010.

Curtain call at Michael and Susan Dell Hall, in Austin.

"The Show Is Absolutely Beautiful"

Among the many distinguished guests attending the show was Texas State Representative Elliott Naishtat.

"The show is absolutely beautiful, interesting and provocative and I'm enjoying every second of it," Mr. Naishtat said.

"I think the audience here tonight has also enjoyed every second," he continued.

"I think it's important that as many people as possible in Austin, in Dallas−in the whole state−see this performance. I think it's very important and beautiful.

"The backdrops, the scenery, they're beautiful and they're integrated so well with the dancers, performers, and even the singers. So it's just a beautiful approach to dance, singing, and the stories. The messages are very powerful and enlightening, and I'm appreciating all of it," exclaimed Mr. Naishtat.

Regarding the story-based dance depicting the continuing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, Mr. Naishtat said it was "enlightening and challenging" for the audience.

"I always think that that's very important and it's done very subtly and very beautifully by the Shen Yun performers," he explained.

Recapping his overall impression of the show, the Texan politician said: "Beautiful. There were times when I thought I was wearing three-dimensional glasses.

"The artists who put together all the backdrops, all the scenery--brilliant. And the way it mixes with all the performers, is absolutely stunning," Mr. Naishtat enthused.

Governmental Affairs Representative Resonates With Shen Yun Messages

Also in the audience was Governmental Affairs Representative, Melissa Villasenor, who said that she was totally immersed in the Shen Yun show.

Governmental Affairs Representative, Melissa Villasenor

"It was fantastic! It was beautiful to see the culture, to see the dancing, and the different regions of China, how they expressed themselves with their hands. It was beautiful, it's a beautiful art form," she said with excitement.

Ms. Villaseñor touched upon the two dance sets that portrayed the Chinese regime's deplorable human rights violations against Falun Gong.

"Also, the expressing of the freedom and the persecution endured, and just the freedom of speech, and the spirit that lies within them--it's amazing.

"Extremely artistic, beautiful in their dance and the way they expressed themselves. They are true artists--they are disciplined in their art form. It was beautiful," she explained.

Ms. Villaseñor spoke of how Shen Yun was able to perfectly fuse together the costumes, dancers movements, choreography, digital backdrop scenes, and a live orchestra.

"Excellent, excellent. The music was beautiful. Bringing in all the traditional instruments with Western music, together, and the transitions between each, with the different pieces, as well as with the dancing, was very complementary to the tone," she said.

"That was interesting. After you start to immerse yourself in the music, the art and the dance, it all becomes one, and you feel it."

She especially liked the two performances, "Fairies in the Clouds" and "Flowing Silk," saying that they were exceptional.

"That dance, with the maidens simulating the clouds with their fans, and then with the silk--it was beautiful. They're very disciplined ... their movement, the synchronicity. I couldn't get over the hands--every movement had a specific meaning, if you really watch," she recalled, mimicking some of the female hand movements.

Ms. Villaseñor concluded by saying that the show had several messages: "to believe in your own divine hope, the equanimity and tranquility ... the equanimity and freedom of speech, and believing in your own divine and higher power."

"This Is Awesome! This Is Awesome!"

After finding a brochure at a buffet, Sean Dale Jackson, a helicopter mechanic, decided to see Shen Yun.

"This is awesome! This is awesome!" he exclaimed after seeing the show.

"[The dancers] are so, so elegant," he said. "They move with such precision, and when I see them perform, I see dedication. Because you can't just wake up one day and be able to do that.

"I saw passion. I thought it was great. It was a lot of fun--a lot of fun," he added.

Mr. Jackson was completely awestruck. "First I'm hit with the colors. They're vibrant, they're crisp and they're great. Then you see the dancers, you see how well they move and how elegant they are, how athletic they are."

Sean also appreciated the dancers' skill and bearing, saying, "They made you feel the emotion; they exude what they were feeling on stage through their dance, and it was great. It was amazing."

He thoroughly appreciated the dance set, "Astounding Conviction," which portrays a practitioner of Falun Gong being severely persecuted by the Chinese regime for holding up a banner in Tiananmen Square.

"He had to capture the audience, because he had no one on stage but him. So he had to draw the audience in to what he was feeling, in spite of adversity, pain, suffering, and discrimination--these were all the things that I got from that piece. I thought it was very good."

Source:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/40615/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/40575/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/40622/