Epoch Times Staff

ESCONDIDO, Calif,—Mr. Wilson, producer and show host of a television network and his wife, who works for a health care organization, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts on Thursday.  The final show at the California Center for the Performing Arts, flagged as 'the cultural heart of San Diego north' was held on the evening of May 28.

Mr. Wilson said, “I love the intricacies of Chinese dancing and the history, but I’m more impressed with the discipline that it takes to perform. For example, the way they held their poses for up to nine seconds was pretty amazing.  That’s impressive.”

He couldn't understand why the New York-based company wasn't able to perform the show in their beloved mother country. During the Cultural Revolution, China's ancient divine traditions were all but decimated under Chinese communist rule.

“It sounds like they [Shen Yun artists] are ostracized for doing this in their homeland, China...they couldn’t do this inside China, so this is kind of an important venue for them,” he said.

The arts company is based in New York. Most of the members are ethnic Chinese but many of them were born outside of mainland China, and all of them live in New York.

Mr. Wilson said he may be going to China in October to shoot a series of travel shows, but he said his friend will be producing a kickboxing, Muay Thai event that will be broadcast live from the Shaolin Temple on the internet, first time ever.  

He has been brought up around the Asian culture from doing martial arts since he was young, unlike his wife who had only a little knowledge. Despite having less familiarity with the cultures than her husband, she enjoyed the show.  

“I just loved it. I loved the music, the dancing. I have always been fascinated by the costumes, everything. It’s fascinating. It makes me understand the culture a little bit more. Watching this, I think there’s so much that us as Americans do not know about the Chinese culture, and this has been really wonderful tonight," said Mrs. Wilson.

Her husband offered another perspective from a his experience as a producer.

“It’s a little different presentation, from a production value. It’s different pacing than what most Americans are used to," he said of the projected backdrop that changed with each dance. The rhythms of the show vary. Some dances are very slow and gentle, others are vigorously physical.  Many tell stories, with surprises and shifts of mood.

Both enjoyed Shen Yun so much, that they were eager to tell their Chinese friend, who is very involved with the arts in her city.

“She’s in Milwaukee and I’d like to tell her that I saw this show and found it fascinating,” Mrs. Wilson said.

'It's amazing. It's incredible'

Also in the audience was Ms. Luck who works for a television station as the director of human resources. 

“I looove it. The costumes are amazing. The performances are exquisite. And it’s just been a great evening so far. I love the dance, I grew up dancing so I love all the moves,” she said. 

Ms. Luck couldn't pick a favorite “because they’re all so talented. 

“But I will say you guys are amazing. The art that you bring here this evening is incredible and keep up the great work, you’re doing a great job. Anybody who does not come and see this, they’re crazy. It’s amazing. It’s worth every cent. “ 

She loved  the digital backdrops: “The coming in and coming out of the performances pop, it’s amazing! It’s incredible.” 

She was speaking about divine beings flying down from the heavens and off the screen to appear on stage as people. 

Other scenes, pastoral landscapes, mountains and rivers, majestic palaces and temples, remained static yet were still integrated with the performance. Trees blossom, fires break out and landscapes are restored, viewers and leave enter a microscopic world. The projections are essential to the narrative and non-narrative dances. 

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 Spring Tour. Please see ShenYunPerformingArts.org for more information

Original article: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/17482/