(Clearwisdom.net) Once again enchanting audience members during the second performance of its Spring Tour 2009 in San Diego, Shen Yun Performing Arts received high praise from an enthusiastic audience at the California Center for the Arts on Wednesday, May 27.

Ms. Wagner, a Chinese classical dancer, was quite impressed by Shen Yun. "Oh, it's wonderful. This is beautiful," she exclaimed.

Last year Ms. Wagner won second runner up for Ms. Senior California. She used Chinese classical dance and Chinese ribbon in her performance. Because of her knowledge of this ancient art form, she fully appreciates the discipline and dedication of Shen Yun's performers. "They make it look so easy. Actually, it is not. It takes a long time to train to be a dancer. I love their movements, they're beautiful. The choreographer is wonderful," she said.

Dr. Jordan, professor of Chinese anthropology and religion, was also highly impressed by Shen Yun, "The dances are very good, very nice indeed. I'm enjoying it a great deal. What I've been enjoying particularly are the spectacular costumes. The level of rehearsal is excellent--everything is beautifully rehearsed, that's very nicely done," he said.

Dr. Jordan, professor of Chinese anthropology and religion

"In the Yi [dance], I was very struck by the costumes, which are a whole rainbow of colors," Dr. Jordan said.

Dr. Jordan was also amazed by the unique backgrounds which are an integral part of each performance, creating a setting from the snow-capped mountains of Tibet to a Tang Dynasty era palace.

Jordan said, "The music is interesting--the music is very Chinese, but not entirely Chinese, in fact. I haven't looked in the orchestra pit to see the variety of instruments, but I think there's quite a variety of instruments."

Dr. Jordan enjoyed the Mongolian and Yi ethnic dances, "Both of them were very beautifully executed, both very nicely done."

James, a deputy district attorney, described Shen Yun as "magnificent!" and left him "speechless!" After taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he said, "It's beautiful, amazing. Never seen anything like it!"

Included in the show were traditional stories like "The Monkey King Triumphs," "The Loyalty of Yue Fei," and modern stories like a Falun Gong practitioner standing up for his belief under persecution of the Chinese Communist Party in the dance "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution."

"It's really great that they're keeping alive cultural traditions that obviously the Cultural Revolution would have squelched 35 years ago," James said. "It's just wonderful to see it kept alive. Amazing stuff. Because of the recent history of communism, people have lost contact with the older philosophical and spiritual elements of China, and it's so important to keep that alive. It was moving, beautiful, it's magnificent. I've got to say I'm blown away by the costumes ..." James said.

Before the intermission, a group of male dancers filled the hall with the resounding sound of waist drums. "The drums are of course a thrill, too. I loved the drums," James said.

But James particularly loved the Chinese two-stringed instrument - erhu performance by Mei Xuan. "She was my favorite moment in the whole thing, and I was moved to tears. All I can say is she's a virtuoso. Obviously I'm much more familiar with Western music and violins and violas, but that was one of the most moving string pieces I've ever heard, played by a real virtuoso," he said.

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/17410/
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