United States: Portland Audiences Experience the Depth of Shen Yun

Audience members were moved by Shen Yun performances from January 7th to 9th, 2011 in Portland, Oregon. The highly acclaimed Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company based in New York performed at the Keller Auditorium and impressed audience members.

State Representative Uplifted by Shen Yun

State Representative Brian Clem attended the show and said that he finally had reprieve from the terror that erupted on the political scene over the weekend with the shootings in Arizona. After seeing Shen Yun, he noted that “the music and the dancing, just incredible artistry helped me - at least forget for a little while - that not everything’s perfect ... on this earth.”

Rep. Clem was reminded that humankind still has a lot of work to do to make the world a better and safer place. He recalled and shared some specific aspects that he enjoyed about the show. Referring to the lyrics of one of the songs in the programme, “There was one particular line on the screen about all the things that you think matter on earth that you cannot take to heaven with you - fame, fortune, love, hate,” he said.

“The events of the day aren’t in the end what really matters, and I think that was probably the most touching,” noted Rep. Clem.

Rep. Clem said he was excited about bringing his wife and daughter to the following day's matinee performance because he was sure they would be in awe watching Shen Yun’s state-of-the-art animated backdrops come to life during the performances.

Television Producer Impressed with the Insightful and Amazing Performance

The amount of time and effort that went into the production was not missed by any, especially Dennis Gleason. He is a seasoned television producer, who has produced and directed over 300 television shows. He said he was very impressed with the performance, and called it insightful and amazing. The scale and complexity of Shen Yun's production impressed Mr. Gleason. “How many people it takes to put something like this together ... it's just amazing, I was very impressed,” he said.

Mr. Gleason has worked in the entertainment industry for many years and attended many professional performing arts events, and he ranked Shen Yun not only on par with the best, but in a category unto itself. “[Shen Yun] is almost one of these things where you almost have to tell people to go and watch it ... go and see it yourselves, enjoy it yourself ... go and drink it in and you really experience it.”

He also appreciated the elaborate costumes, which he speculated must be very expensive. He said he enjoyed the moving backdrop.

“It was obviously very fun and interesting having [the backdrop] moving constantly, the people coming down and going up, I think that was really cute and works well.”

'Shen Yun makes me appreciate life a little bit more' Says Pastor

Another attendee who said the show had deep personal meaning for him in a life-changing way was Robin Wisner, a community pastor who saw Shen Yun for the first time. "It was awesome," said Mr. Weisner, "more than what I expected." "I loved it," he added, noting that he would also recommend it to others, and that he would like to bring his son and members of his church.

He said that after seeing Shen Yun he realised where he can grow personally. "Worry and concern only grow with attachment. There are so many things that you're concerned about. There are so many things that are happening in life with everyone right now individually," he said."But, being able to realise that there is more, and holding on and doing the right things [is important]."

Mr. Weisner added that Shen Yun impacted him on a personal level. "It is very spiritual," he said. "It has a lot of meaning for me personally. Its new for me. I've never experienced it before. Listening to the show and watching the performance and then looking at the artists when they were performing let me know that there was such a depth inside of me that really gives me an acknowledgment of why I'm really here today and makes me appreciate life a little bit more."

He added that he feels Shen Yun brings "kindness and love" to audiences.

Burmese Lawyer: Shen Yun 'Very uplifting and inspiring. It goes beyond words'

Jennie Yee, a retired lawyer from Burma, was greatly moved by the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance.

Jennie Yee said,“Even before the dances began, all the scenery, music, went so deep into my heart, and when the performance started, it went directly inside of me,” she said. Ms. Yee was touched with “so much meaning and understanding. They [performers] bring awareness about human life from the beginning to the end. I feel like crying … It gave me so much knowledge about people’s spirituality, about the cleanliness of the human heart.”

She described what she saw in the performance, “People who are good get help from Heaven, spiritual beings, from Divine. I want my grandchildren to know the truth as it was presented in this show.”

Ms. Tim was also impressed with the show. “The performance was stunning, beautiful,” she said. “The singing was absolutely gorgeous.”

Ms. Tim said that she saw universal teachings conveyed in the performance, ones that were conveyed “by the love that went through [the] performers’ faces, [and by] powerful gestures and movements that were so beautiful.”

“The main thing is the universality of the message, I think it applies to everyone,” Ms. Tim said. “It is very uplifting and inspiring. It goes beyond words.”

‘[Shen Yun is] Wonderful! Great to have you,’ Says Mayor

Mayor Craig Dirksen of Tigard and Mrs. Jackie Dirksen immersed in traditional Chinese culture through watching the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Keller Auditorium on Saturday, Jan. 8th.

“Oh, I'm enjoying it very much. I have a great appreciation for Chinese culture,” commented Mayor Dirksen. Mr. and Mrs. Dirksen lived in Singapore for a couple of years and really enjoyed the experiencing a different culture at that time.

“Listening to the stories tonight, and all of the concepts that come out of that - truth, and beauty and love, and things, even though it comes from a completely different culture, people come back to those same basic beliefs, the same basic truths. I appreciate that,” Mayor Dirksen said.

Mayor Dirksen said, “I'm so impressed with the quality of the talent, and the skill that they show. The secret, the thing that's truly amazing is how easy they make it look,”

Being the mayor of the nearby city of Tigard, named after Wilson M. Tigard who founded the city in 1852, he was grateful to have Shen Yun perform close by. "Wonderful! Great to have you,” he said of Shen Yun.

Arts Commissioner Calls Shen Yun ‘Impeccable’ and ‘Flawless’

Royal Mebekbr, is one of nine Arts Commissioners of Oregon appointed by the Governor. He was grateful for the cultural diversity and enrichment that the highly acclaimed Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York-based company, brought to the Keller Auditorium on Saturday evening, Jan. 8th.

“Well, I would like to say that it is a very wonderful program to have to come to Portland again, and as you, I am sure, know, the organising commission is appointed by the state governor and one of the efforts we are possibly promoting is to have cultural diversity in the state and this performance certainly brings that to our state, and it is wonderful.

"Other things that are in line with our goals are this great beauty presented here tonight without subordination to truth.

"The third thing I'd really like to make known that I perceived was this impeccable quality tonight in this performance. So we as the Arts Commission, speaking for the Arts Commission, I want to thank all of those involved in this performance because it really enriched our culture here in Oregon,” Commissioner Mebekbr said.

Commissioner Mebekbr explained his perceptions more closely: “One of the really enjoyable things was to see the diversity, how it differs from American and Western dance, and the term I would use is 'expansive.' The beauty was expansive, the movement was expansive, a very lateral broad kind of presentation,” Commissioner Mebekbr said.

Shen Yun often features 20 to 30 dancers on stage during many of the dances. This expansiveness made an impression on Commissioner Mebekbr because Western dance often focuses on a soloist.

“I enjoy ... that in American ballet someone is front stage center and distinguished. In this performance everyone was right into the light and every one performed not subordinately, but independently together,” the Commissioner said.

Commissioner Mebekbr was also impressed with the, “impeccable coordination of the dancers.”