United States:Audience Delighted as Shen Yun Performing Arts Brings Traditional Chinese Culture to Tulsa, Oklahoma

Shen Yun Performing Arts' 2009 World Tour debuted in Tulsa on Wednesday, March 18th at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. In their performances, Shen Yun revives and celebrates traditional Chinese culture that is thousands of years old. Various aspects of the show express this rich culture: classical dance, music, story telling, and expression of various dynasties and themes, such as beauty, compassion, and unity. Audience members were delighted with the performance.

Judge: Show Expresses the Depth and Richness of the Chinese Culture

Mr. Goodman is a judge on the Oklahoma Court of Appeals. Judge Goodman said, "I've enjoyed this show immensely. It's a wonderful show! I used to travel in China quite a bit, and I've attended the Peking Opera quite a few times, and this is well beyond that! This a wonderful show. I'm enjoying it a great deal!"

Judge Goodman continued, "How rich the Chinese culture is! I think we in the West forget what a deep, rich culture the Chinese [have], how long it goes back in history, and the wonderful traditions [presented here], many of which reflect the values that we in the West hold dearly, too."

He said about the dance "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution," "I really enjoyed the [dance] involving the family and the persecution of the father of that family, and the ascendancy of the father into the heavens - to a better 'beyond.' I enjoyed that very much."

Business President: This Show Is a Good Portrait of Chinese Culture

Mr. Pfifer, from Oklahoma City, is the president of a manufacturing facility. He said he was impressed with Shen Yun. "This show comes from New York, but portrays the Chinese culture very well. I find the show very entertaining. The dancers are very precise. The music's great, the colour is excellent!"

Mr. Pfifer said that he had some knowledge of China. "I have had the pleasure of travelling to China at one time or another. I think this shows what the culture of China can be... All-and-all, it's been a great experience. I think it's great that it's here, and I hope they have a lot of success with it."

Attorney and Counselor: This Inspires People to Keep Searching for Truth, Faith, Hope

Also joining in the applause, was Mr. Shacklett, an attorney. His response after seeing the show was, "Oh, it was wonderful!"

He said that he and his wife, a marriage counselor, shared their impression about the show, "We were especially intrigued. We were very enthusiastic to see the show being brought here. We like international students and international people. My wife is from Canada, so we've had a lot of students in our home from Tulsa University that are Chinese, Asian, or [of] other ethnic groups. We like to be around international people, international cultures."

Mrs. Shacklett agreed, adding, "China has such a rich heritage and history, and I see China as the backdrop for a lot of the big themes in life: life and death, hope and love, and peace." She said that she was moved by many of the deeper meanings she saw in the performances. "We all are seeking truth, and I was glad that this production brought to the forefront the issues of life that we are all searching for: Why are we here? What is our purpose? Many of us are finding our purpose in life, and I think this production is stimulating and inspiring us to seek for a truth."

Mrs. Shacklett said about the dance "Dignity and Compassion," "I was impressed with the woman who was in chains for being a follower of [Falun Dafa], and she was chained up. To live by freedom of conscience, and one's own belief, was a great theme."

She added, "There was the thought that they [the performers] expressed, where heaven came down to bring the word of life in the written word. I liked that theme. So there were many great themes like that," she said referring to the opening performance, "The Five Millennia Begin."

Mrs. Shacklett said that her profession as a marriage counselor, "We do a lot of things with couples, and people in general with personal problems and needs, helping them find life, and life with purpose and hope."

She concluded, "I think that one of the messages that people can learn from this is not to stop their constant need to be searching. To strive for excellence, for truth, for faith, for hope. Sometimes, as the song said, we are in this daily grind, but we need to rise above that, and see that our life has purpose, and not be just enslaved with the dailiness and routine of life - to rise above it, and to see that we have a reason to be here."

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/13953/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/13986/