Shen Yun Performing Arts at Buell Theatre

Since ancient times, people have transformed their own lives and stories through performances. Through dance, music, and object manipulation, people get to express themselves in the most creative ways. These performances have themes that encompass human conditions and varying human cultures. In a way, culture is best told through performances. This is especially true for cultures from the olden times —regardless of which part of the world they came from. We broadly grasp the richness of ancient cultures through this art form.

The Shen Yun Performing Arts is among the companies that push forward cultural performance to the modern consciousness. They represent and showcase the bountiful performing arts of the era of classical China. This is an era known for the emergence and exertion of philosophy, steadfast virtues, etiquette, and traditions. In turn, performances are influenced to exude elegance and striking movements embodying the valued behaviors in the culture. With modernity, Shen Yun Performing Arts noticed that the influence of the classical Chinese performing arts has diminished. To keep it alive, they must be performed, especially among young audiences. Shen Yun Performing Arts brought professional traditional performances to the US several years ago. Their performances have been seen in theatres around the nation. This year, their performance will be experienced at the Buell Theatre. If you are looking for a spectacular and show-stopping production that will blow your mind, you should witness the sets of performances Shen Yun perfected over the years.

Shen Yun Performing Arts Tickets:

“An explosion of color and sound … Chinese culture in its fullest flower.” – CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

“Beautiful… A nimble mastery of traditional talents.” – CHICAGO TRIBUNE

“A tantalizing and fascinating evening that made me want to stay and see more.” – OPERA ONLINE

The Shen Yun Performing Arts was formed in 2006. Followers of the Falun Gong who migrated to the US started the dance company. They are located at the Falun Gong headquarters in Deerpark, New York. Their primary purpose is to bring back the classical Chinese traditions to popularity. Since there is richness when it comes to classical Chinese dance, they decided to focus on it. With the help of multiple professional classical Chinese dancers who expatriated to the US, they began to train dancers for a year. At the same time, they founded the Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Fei Tian College, where young people are trained in perfecting traditional Chinese dances. Starting to establish themselves, they began to tour a year after they were conceived.

During the first tour, they aimed to go big. The production consisted of 90 performers, including dancers, instrument players, soloists, and production staff. Still finding their footing, they experimented on their shows. They called their productions “Chinese Spectacular,” “Holliday Wonders,” “Chinese New Year Splendor,” and “Divine Performing Arts.” In the years to come, they decided to settle on calling all shows “Shen Yun.” The name implies the “beauty of divine beings dancing.” During the next few years, they continued to expand. Two years after their first tour, they formed three companies. All of these have their complete touring orchestra. These companies also reached international venues. At the beginning of the 2010s, they performed to more than a million audience.

As the years went by, the dance company became larger than ever. In 2012, their symphonic orchestra debuted at the Carnegie Hall in New York. Their innovative mixture of Western and classical Chinese compositions stood out. The next year, they went back to the prestigious theatre and were also able to perform at the Kennedy Center.

With progressive showcases at the forefront of their performances, Shen Yun produces new shows every year. These shows have exquisitely tailored dances, music, staging, and costumes.

Dance is the leading entertainment of every Shen Yun show. About 80 performers consist of their touring companies. All of these dancers are trained in classical Chinese dances. Their repertoire includes acrobatics, tumblings, and movements with heavy techniques. The dances showcase historical and legendary stories from China. Included in this is their rendition of the popular story of Mulan and Journey to the West. They also perform shows about “the story of Falun Gong today.” Apart from traditional Chinese dances, they also incorporate other East Asian movements, like the Mongolian dance.

The dancers embody three elements. These are the bearing, form, and technical skill. Bearing indicates the emotions and cultural touches to the performance. Form means graceful forms and expressive movements. Lastly, the technical skill is those acrobatic movements, such as jumping, tumbling, and leaping.

Moreover, the music makes total use of specific Chinese instruments. Commonly played instruments on their shows are the pipa, suona, dizi, guzheng, and Chinese percussion instruments. The pipa is a stringed instrument plucked to form melodies. The suona is a wind instrument, particularly distinct, being double-reeded. The dizi is a staple Chinese flute during showcases. The guzheng is a stringed instrument (specifically categorized as a zethir) that is exceptionally resonant when plucked.

As for the staging and costumes, the dance company makes use of traditional Chinese garments and high-technology backdrops. The dancers wear accurate and detailed costumes, usually combined with props. These garments showcase a variety of ethnicities. Commonly, their props are fans, scarves, and drums. Meanwhile, their staging primarily relies on a huge backdrop, projecting realistic sceneries found in China and Mongolia. In 2016, they adopted a patented backdrop, which makes the scenery look more like realistic scenery and gives an illusion of expansion. These eye-candy visuals immerse viewers and perfect the dances performed on the stage.

Currently, the Shen Yun Performing Arts multiple dance companies tour more than a hundred cities in the world. Included on their list are Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, and London. Apart from the popular cities, they have performed in prestigious theatres, such as the Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theatre, the London Coliseum, Teatro di San Carlos, the Kennedy Center Opera House, and many more. Because they push forward ideologies contradicting Chinese communism, they are unable to perform in their homeland. But this did not dampen their passion to showcase their traditional dances. Instead, they use this as a motivation to tell their stories.

The elegance of Shen Yun Performing Arts performances will be experienced at the Buell Theatre from March 29 to April 3, 2024. Witness the show and be mesmerized!