Denver Music Director: Shen Yun a "Feast for the Senses" (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts staged its first of three shows at the Buell Theater in the Denver Performing Arts Complex on April 17, 2010.

Stacy Towar, music director and DJ for one of NRC Broadcasting's radio stations in the Colorado Rockies.

Stacy Towar traveled two hours to see the Shen Yun show.

"It really is a feast for the senses, in terms of the auditory and visual elements. It's the whole package!" she said, adding, "This is the third time I've seen it and every year it's different, but equally amazing. It is beautiful; I mean, it really is!" she said.

She commented on the vocalists' artistry, saying, "If I look at just the solo vocalists, the depth in their performances, and just the emotion--for them to relate such emotion just through their voices is just amazing!"

Ms. Towar explained that the music in the show accentuates the visuals, and "having the Western and Chinese instruments together, especially for a western ear, really excites, and makes it interesting.

"The music with the live orchestra adds this amazing element to it. It's so outstanding that it's hard to top."

However, the music wasn't the only aspect of the show that impressed her.

"Even though I am a music person, I think that the costuming and dance really stands out the most to me."

Ms. Towar then talked about how the state-of-the-art digital backdrops added another dimension to the show, greatly enhancing it.

"The visuals are so amazing, it's hard to top them," she said. "All the backgrounds--they added an extra element to the story itself; so it really would draw you in, because you had that broader background."

She appreciated the richness of China's culture, saying, "There were so many different parts of the culture displayed, just through the different dances."

Ms. Towar then talked about one of these dances: the folk dance of the Miao people--one of China's oldest ethnic groups--saying that she found it interesting how they danced with their ornate silver jewelry.

"I know they talked about the use of silver [jewelry] being a part of the culture, and they utilized that as an, almost like a rhythmic instrument, because as they danced you could hear the silver moving, and I thought that it added a unique element to it," she said.

Ms. Towar couldn't help but notice the beauty and subtlety of the dance movements, saying that the performers "give off such emotion, even though it's somewhat subdued, because that's behind the culture.

"For the dancers to make it look so easy; that in itself is an art, and the 'lightness' in all those techniques; and yet, when you listen, it's so quiet, and the way they land is so awesome."

A deeper meaning

Ms. Towar was drawn to the subtle details of each dance set, sensing a deeper meaning behind the dancers' movements.

"There is so much behind every motion. Especially with the women, it's as simple as walking across the stage. And the footwork, and the hands; there's so much expression, just in the hand motions," she said.

The piece Nothing Can Block the Divine Path, which depicts the Chinese communist regime's persecution of Falun Gong, a spiritual meditation practice, moved Ms. Towar to tears for the second time this year.

She said it was the most "impactful" piece for her because the dance set covered such themes as redemption, inner strength and courage, and "sticking to your beliefs," adding that there is an "element of redemption and joyousness" in the performance.

She concluded by saying, "You know, for someone who talks for a living, it's hard to find the exact words to describe the unique feeling of experiencing Shen Yun."

University professor: "The human spirit perseveres and triumphs"

Professor Scott Douglass with his adopted Chinese daughters.

Professor Scott Douglass of the Engineering Honors program at the University of Colorado, and his wife, attended the show with their four adopted Chinese children, hoping to instill a sense of Chinese culture in them.

"I liked it very, very much," said Mr. Douglass of the show. "I especially liked the Miao dance (In a Miao Village) very much. Our daughter, they think is Miao. Our daughters are learning to speak Chinese and are also part of a Chinese dance studio."

Mr. Douglass said that he enjoyed "the historical aspect," of the show as well as the "modern commentaries of things that are going on in contemporary China."

In commenting on the dance piece, Splitting the Mountain, he said, "I liked that one very much," adding, "I thought there were a number of things that ended very much on a positive moment of triumph and celebration."

When asked if he sensed a universal message behind the show, Mr. Douglass replied, "Part of what I think I saw, over and over again, especially in the lyrics of the songs, was this moment of hardship. Life is difficult, but there's a reason to persevere and somehow the human spirit perseveres and triumphs."

Source:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/33616/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/33610/