(Minghui.org) During the last week of February 2023, the touring companies of the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts continued to bring the beauty and wisdom of “China before communism” to cities in the United States, France, Germany, and Poland. Sold-out performances, packed houses, and added seats were common.
Shen Yun New York Company at the Grand Theatre de Provence in Aix-En-Provence, France, on February 26. The company presented eight performances in Aix-En-Provence February 24–March 1, all to full houses. Tickets were sold out in mid-December of last year and some seats with obstructed view had to be opened up to meet the demand. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun Global Company at the sold-out performance at the Forum am Schlosspark in Ludwigsburg, Germany, on February 25. During the curtain call, the audience members gave the performers a standing ovation. The company presented six performances in Ludwigsburg February 21–25, all to full houses. Tickets for the originally scheduled performances were sold out well in advance. After Christmas, the local presenter added one more performance, which also quickly sold-out. The local presenter then made some seats with obstructed view available for sale to meet the demand. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun International Company at the AT&T Performing Arts Center–Winspear Opera House in Dallas, Texas, on the evening of February 25. The company presented five performances in Dallas February 24–26, after having performed seven performances back in January. The February 26 evening performance was added three weeks in advance to meet demand. All performances in Dallas were presented to either sold-out or packed houses. (NTD Television)
Shen Yun Touring Company at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on February 26. The company presented four performances in Minneapolis February 24–26, all to packed houses. (NTD Television)
Shen Yun North America Company at the packed house at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah, on the evening of February 25. The company presented six performances in Salt Lake City February 21–25. (The Epoch Times)
Shen Yun New Era Company at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the evening of February 25. The company presented four performances in Las Vegas February 24–26, all to full houses. Because the performances were sold out in advance, some blocked seats were opened up to meet the demand. (NTD Television)
Shen Yun New World Company at the packed house at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine, on February 26. Audience members stood up to applaud during the curtain call and the performers took two bows. The company presented two performances in Portland February 25–26. (The Epoch Times)
“I Was in a Celestial World”
Laurence Huon de Kermadec, former dancer and a member of the Huon de Kermadec noble family, at the Shen Yun performance in Aix-en-Provence on February 26 (NTD Television)
Laurence Huon de Kermadec, former dancer and a member of the Huon de Kermadec noble family, saw Shen Yun in Aix-en-Provence on February 26.
Ms. Huon de Kermadec said she was “extremely touched by the beauty, by the harmony, by the spiritual message that was in this show. It was absolutely amazing! I was really very moved!
“Impressive... It was incredibly beautiful, I felt like I was in a celestial world,” she said.
“Magnificent, Just Absolutely Beautiful”
Louie Gohmert, attorney and former U.S. Representative, at the Shen Yun performance in Dallas, Texas, on February 26 (The Epoch Times)
Louie Gohmert, attorney and the former U.S. Representative from the state of Texas, saw Shen Yun with his wife and daughter in Dallas, Texas, on February 26.
“It was magnificent, just absolutely beautiful... The beauty, the training they demonstrated—magnificence is the best word I’ve got. It’s just stunning,” said Mr. Gohmert.
He said he was impressed by “not only the manner and training that’s demonstrated, but we were seeing fables play out that had moral messages, and that’s something that we are not getting enough in the United States these days.”
Mr. Gohmert commended the high moral standard of Shen Yun and added that “it’s done with such beauty and a light-hearted flair.
“This is human form when it’s allowed to be free and celebrate, and it’s really a joy to behold,” he added.
“It’s quite old culture, but so many lessons that are true across humanity... It’s wonderful we have a chance to see what people saw 5,000 years ago... And the colors and the beauty of movement is really just a celebration of the human form itself.
“A cultural journey for 5,000 years, and to have it right here in Texas!... Oh, it’s such a beautiful culture... It had the moral messages, good and evil, and that is with us and will always be with us, and it’s important to recognize, there is still good, and there still is evil, and if you don’t recognize that, you could get sucked in to being part of the evil,” Mr. Gohmert said.
He encouraged others to see Shen Yun. “I think the more they see it the more inspired they will be and we won’t lose that thousands of years of tradition and culture,” he remarked.
“Come see it. It is a thing of beauty to behold, and you’ll go away mesmerized by the beauty, and hopefully you’ll go home taking a message that oppression anywhere is oppression everywhere, and we all need to encourage the lack of oppression—freedom,” Mr. Gohmert said.
“A Feast for the Eyes and Goes Straight to the Heart”
(Left to right): Philip Kesmarki, Carina Hammerschmidt, and Christine and Zoltan Kesmarki at the Shen Yun performance in Ludwigsburg, Germany, on February 23. (The Epoch Times)
Christine Kesmarki, the owner of a ballroom dance school, her husband Zoltan Kesmarki, a professional dancer, their son Philip, a violinist, and Philip’s girlfriend, Carina, saw Shen Yun together in Ludwigsburg, Germany, on February 23.
“It’s beautiful! We learned a lot tonight. This is the origin of ballet, of dancing. It’s graceful and just perfect,” Christine said.
“I have the highest respect for these artists on stage who had trained their bodies for thousands of hours and still stand there with a smile. It’s a feast for the eyes and goes straight to the heart. Divine, divine!” she said.
Philip, who saw Shen Yun for the second time, couldn’t agree more with his mother.
“I would like to come much more often. I’m always enchanted by the culture, the costumes, and the [different] types of dancing,” Philip said.
“The traditional instruments mixed with our European orchestra—it enchants me again and again. I could watch it for hours!” he said.
As a fellow dancer, Zoltan felt very inspired. “China’s 5,000 years are like a fairy tale. It’s just beautiful. I can’t describe it any other way. I would love to get on the stage and dance along... That would be the most beautiful thing,” Zoltan said.
The spiritual aspect of Shen Yun also brought Zoltan a deeper connection with Chinese people. “There are certainly stories in every culture about how life starts and how it continues after death, and about the gods. It’s very nice to see and experience that,” he said.
“Back to the old traditions—everybody should write that on their foreheads to remind them every day that’s how life should be. Life is moving fast, and everything is crazy, we should return to the old values. That was the most beautiful message for me,” Zoltan said.
Philip chimed in that the loyalty displayed in Shen Yun’s story-based dances, which he felt was very touching, can’t be found in modern society anymore.
He said people need to bring such values back because “it will one day be important again when [we discover that] nothing in the world holds together anymore. We need to first have loyalty to have unity.”
Christine was most impressed by Shen Yun’s courage in speaking up against the Chinese communist regime’s persecution. In fact, the whole family had tears in their eyes during that dance sequence.
“It was very interesting, very exciting, and very daring too. I find it quite great to take a behind-the-scenes look at [modern-day] China—the violence, the restriction of freedom, and the oppression of the people... [Shen Yun’s portrayal] touched you very much and makes you think a lot,” she said.
“Shen Yun opened our hearts. It went right to our hearts like an express train. It is just inspiring. We can only be glad and happy that we live in this free world. It makes us appreciate and respect it even more. Shen Yun showed us that,” Christine said.
“Really Well Crafted” and “Very Pleasurable”
Composer Gary Thomas, his wife Kirsten, and their daughter Hope at the Shen Yun performance in Salt Lake City, Utah, on February 23 (The Epoch Times)
Gary Thomas, a musician and composer, his wife Kirsten, and their daughter Hope saw Shen Yun in Salt Lake City, Utah, on February 23. This was the family’s third time seeing Shen Yun.
“I really like the textures. The orchestration is wonderful, and I think there’s a lot of virtuosic playing throughout the entire orchestra, and the conductor’s really got it going. It’s really, really tight,” said Mr. Thomas.
Regarding Shen Yun’s orchestra that is comprised of classical Western orchestra with traditional Chinese instruments as the icing on the cake, he said, “I love it. It’s really well crafted, and it’s beautifully played.”
“Beautiful compositions. We actually saw it many years ago, and it’s really interesting seeing how it’s evolved. It’s definitely creative, it’s definitely improved,” said Mr. Thomas.
Speaking of the musicians of Shen Yun’s orchestra, he said, “They’re amazing. Excellent. I know playing trumpet and being in a pit orchestra, every night when you’re doing it, it’s hard work. It’s hard work to keep your head in the game. And they’re doing a beautiful job I think. Yes. It’s very, very bang on. It’s very pleasurable.
Mrs. Thomas also shared, “I always love how they synchronize the music with the dancing, along with the history. Because since my family and my mom’s side of the family was from China before communists and had to leave, this is what I know from my family’s stories. So it makes me feel connected.”
“I think it’s extremely important. And I think it’s very courageous and I think it’s very gutsy. Because it’s really given a voice to all of these atrocities that happened that lots of people don’t know about. And so I think it’s amazing,” commented Mr. Thomas.
“I think it focuses on all of the positive parts of human nature, whereas I think it’s gotten lost with how the political situation is now. It kind of crushed that. So [this] reminds us of what it was all about before. That’s wonderful,” said Mrs. Thomas.
“If You Haven’t Seen It, Come See It”
Retired Brigadier General Garry Bahling at the Shen Yun performance in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 22 (The Epoch Times)
Garry Bahling, retired Brigadier General, saw Shen Yun in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 22.
“If you haven’t seen it, come see it. It’s a wonderful production,” said Mr. Bahling.
“[I] absolutely love it. It’s an incredible experience. I think the advertisements do it justice. If you come see it, you’ll want to come see it again. Guaranteed!
“The music, the instrumentations [are] different than anything I’ve ever seen or heard. All of it comes together to make it a truly unique experience,” he said.
Commenting on the virtuoso vocalists who sing Chinese lyrics using the bel canto style, Mr. Bahling said the baritone was incredible. “His expressions, his voice – magnificent!” he said.
Mr. Bahling said he truly resonated with Shen Yun’s message of good triumphing over evil.
“It resonated with me, that there is good [and] there’s evil—I like that the evil is atheism—and if you stick to tradition... to do what’s right... good things will happen for you,” he said.
Mr. Bahling felt that Shen Yun’s mission to revive tradition was “very relevant” to modern society.
“Look what’s happening in this world... what’s happening to the cities... how we get away from tradition... [and] from family values,” he said.
Mr. Bahling commented that the Shen Yun performers should be proud of their talent and their mission: “You make a lot of people happy. Keep doing it!”
Utah, Nevada, Maine, and Minnesota Officials Welcome Shen Yun
Prior to Shen Yun’s performances in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 21–25, the performing arts company received welcome remarks from: (left to right) Kay Christofferson, Utah State Representative; Quinn Kotter, State Representative; and Monica Zoltanski, Sandy City Mayor. (The Epoch Times)
Utah State Representative Quinn Kotter presented the official welcome letter in person and saw the performance on the evening of February 25. (The Epoch Times)
“The dancers’ portrayal is so genuine and deeply inspiring to me... The flexibility, the strength, the athleticism, the beauty, the costumes—it’s wonderful. That must have taken hours of practice,” Rep. Kotter said after seeing the performance.
Utah State Representative Kay Christofferson and his wife Suzanne presented Shen Yun with a letter of appreciation and saw the performance on the evening of February 25. (The Epoch Times)
“I’ve never been before, and I’ve always wanted to come. It was amazing,” said Rep. Christofferson after seeing the performance. He saw “culture and values, and family and other things that we all resonate with, things that bind us as civilization and things that are divine as well.
“[In] our world today, we’re looking at distractions and things that take us away from those things that are most important, and that’s why it is here, in Utah as well as other parts of the world... We’ve got to pay attention to what things are most important. And realize that we can’t just think about ourselves and involve ourselves in things that don’t matter. We need to look outside of ourselves. Look at compassion, and kindness, and charity, and realize that we have an obligation to those around us as well,” he said.
Prior to Shen Yun’s performances in Portland, Maine, February 25–26, the Governor of Maine, Janet Mills, honored Shen Yun with an official letter of welcome. (The Epoch Times)
Governor Mills wrote in her letter, “As Governor, I am grateful to the staff and artists who devote themselves to ensuring that this rich history is not forgotten. I am delighted that this remarkable performance has once again come to the great State of Maine.”
Jacob Frey, Mayor of Minneapolis, issued a proclamation proclaiming February 24, 2023, the first day of Shen Yun’s performances in Minneapolis in 2023, as “Shen Yun Day in the City of Minneapolis”
Prior to Shen Yun’s performances in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 24–26, the company received welcome remarks from: (left to right, top to bottom) Joe Lombardo, Governor of Nevada; Stavros Anthony, Lieutenant Governor of Nevada; Catherine Cortez Masto, United States Senator; and Carolyn G. Goodman, Mayor of Las Vegas. (The Epoch Times)
Governor Lombardo wrote in his letter, “As Governor of the Great State of Nevada, I truly appreciate the opportunity to join you in celebrating this incredible event. I extend my best wishes for an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.”
U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto wrote in her letter, “It is with great pleasure to welcome you to the world-renowned Shen Yun Performing Arts World Tour at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts here in Las Vegas.”
Upcoming Performances
Shen Yun continues its 2023 tour with upcoming performances in Bakersfield, California, March 7–8; St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida, March 7–April 2; Denver, Colorado, March 8–12; Calgary, Canada, March 10–12; Aarhus, Denmark, March 6–7; Sevilla, Spain, March 7–9; and Tainan, Taiwan, March 9–11.
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