Shen Yun - Have You Heard of It? - Great Entertainment

I have just been made aware of Shen Yun since the show is planning to come to my hometown later this month.

Shen Yun Performing Arts came into being in 2006 in order to revive a Chinese artistic tradition. It was first known as Divine Performing Arts. It consists of three dance companies which travel the world, performing on tour across Europe, North and South America, and Asia. There are also three orchestras for accompaniment and several choreographers, composers, costume designers, artists and staff.

The response to the revival has been phenomenal. Standing ovations, laughter and tears are common reactions. In its first season in 2007, the company performed for over 200,000 people. The following year, the audience grew to over 500,000, and in 2009 an audience of 800,000 people witnessed this extravaganza. The world's greatest stages have been home to the dance company - Radio City Music Hall in New York City, London's Royal Festival Hall, Washington DC's Kennedy Center and the Palais des Congres in Paris.

Shen Yun Performing Arts is based in New York City. It is a nonprofit organization that is independent of China's communist regime. It seeks to revive the 5000-year-old artistic tradition that thrived prior to its suppression by the Chinese Communist party.

The dancers must complete a rigorous training and follow a strict regimen for perfecting bearing and form, and develop skill sets for jumps, turns and flips, as well as learning aerial techniques. The audience witnesses high-flying dives, skillful leaps and diverse spins.

The 40-plus member orchestra brings together two classical music traditions, Chinese and Western, in a masterful blend. There is an energy and joyful exuberance present unlike anything you have ever experienced. A solo musician plays the two-stringed Chinese erhu that stirs the soul as few instrumentalists can do. Critics are calling the sounds flawless, fantastic and absolutely perfect.

Each costume is designed and tailored with meticulous care. Tang dynasty gowns and Manchu styled shoes lend an authenticity to the program. Routine searches are conducted for silk, linen, ramie and cotton materials across several countries and continents to render a richness to the production.

Digital backdrops enhance the movement of the dancers. Majestic palaces, sprawling greenery, falling flower petals and cloud formations give each scene added depth and grandeur. The Shen Yun artists take to heart an ancient Chinese belief - to create true art, there must first be inner beauty. They are masters at conveying this truth to their enthralled audiences.

Sources:

http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org

https://divineperformingarts.org