PureInsight | March 17, 2016
[PureInsight.org] On Sunday, January 10, 2016, Shen Yun Performing Arts completed the last of its ten full-house performances at the AT&T Performing Arts Center—Winspear Opera House in Dallas, Texas. All three weekend shows were sold out—breaking the record for Shen Yun's weekend performances in Dallas—and extra seats in the grand tier were made available to meet demand.
It was a special visual feast for the residents of Dallas—a Southern U.S. city that is the center of finance, insurance, telecommunications, electronics, and energy industries.
Some audience members expressed their amazement at the show; some were stunned by the depth of the traditional Chinese culture; and others felt that they had revisited the purpose and meaning of life. Some also admired the steadfastness of spiritual practitioners in China, who were adhering to the principles of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance"—as portrayed in the show; and still others expressed their admiration and appreciation towards Shen Yun's artistic director. Many were brought to tears by the performance.
Company President: People Should Return to the Heavens
Bob Wellington is the president of a financial investment company. His wife Donna is a retired lawyer. Mr. Wellington said that the show was very nice and was so touching that it had exceeded their expectations. He said that everyone should come see it and that he would be recommending it to everyone he knows.
Mrs. Wellington said that they had been wanting to see the show for a long time and had finally gotten the chance this year. She thought that the entire show had been great—the synchronization of the dancers, the digital backdrop, the music... Everything was beyond her imagination. She also learned a lot about the philosophies of Chinese culture, such as good being rewarded with good and bad facing retribution.
Bob Wellington agreed, saying that both his wife and himself had been brought to tears by the piece portraying Falun Dafa practitioners being persecuted in China.
He was also amazed by the singing of Shen Yun's vocal soloists. He was inspired by the lyrics in the songs, which were about humankind coming to the mortal world and returning to the heavens.
“Making a Lot of Headway”
Jim Buchanan, CEO and founder of the IT firm, Buchanan Technologies saw Shen Yun’s performance on January 10, at the Winspear Opera House.
Buchanan Technologies is an award-winning IT services and consulting firm that Buchanan founded in 1988, according to the company’s website.
Mr. Buchanan reflected on the themes of spirituality and faith depicted in Shen Yun’s dances. He was especially moved by the dances that portrayed how people are arrested, tortured, persecuted—sometimes to death—for their spiritual beliefs in today’s China.
“The struggles of the individuals as they give their lives for their religion…we [in the United States] have that religious freedom. We have the ability to practice whatever religion we choose to practice. So we don’t have the same struggles,” he said.
Mr. Buchanan felt encouraged that Shen Yun’s performances were reviving the connection to the divine that was once part of traditional Chinese culture.
“I think it’s very evident [Shen Yun is] making a lot of headway,” he said.
Retired Manager: Shen Yun Awakens the Spirit
Randy Kemp is a retired sales manager of Ocean Spray. He thought the show was both entertaining and educational. To him, it is very meaningful to learn about different cultures and traditions.
Mr. Kemp enjoyed various aspects of the show, such as its colors, costumes, choreography and the unity of the performance. He felt that the show had a calming and awakening effect.
He also felt that Shen Yun had presented important messages such as of hope, of spirituality, and of the heavens and the eternity of life. He felt that we had come from the heavens and that was where we should return to.
Ms. Margaret Dedash attended the performance with Mr. Kemp. She says the characters in the show were full of divinity, spirituality and elegance. She could feel the dignity of the performers and their respect and devotion to the divine.
Beauty and Magnificence of Heavens
Tiffany Nelson, who works in the computer technology field, was amazed by the beauty of the show. She thought it was very special.
Attending with Ms. Nelson was Michelle Fraser, the president of a company and the former cheer leader for the football team, Dallas Cowboys. She was stunned by the visual presentation of the show; especially its colors. She particularly liked the ladies’ sleeve and fan dances.
Ms. Fraser’s children are studying ballet and gymnastics. She said that through Shen Yun, they had learned that the techniques in gymnastics and acrobatics had all come from classical Chinese dance, with its thousands of years of history.
They were also touched by the spirituality of the show. Ms. Nelson mentioned that the performance included aspects of history, culture and spirituality. She said that although she didn’t know much about the beliefs of the Chinese people, she was delighted to see Buddhas and a depiction of the heavens through the show.
She was impressed to see that there was a lot in common among all cultures. As a Christian, she found many similarities to her beliefs in the show. She could relate to the depiction of the divinity and brightness of the heavens, and the understanding that a greater being was in control of this universe. She believed that good people could go to heaven.
Ms. Fraser added that they had been deeply inspired and encouraged by the culture and history which Shen Yun had shared with the audience.
Translated from: http://news.zhengjian.org/node/30279
