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Shen Yun Performing Arts, formerly known as Divine Performing Arts, is a performing arts and entertainment company based in New York City.[1] It performs classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance,[2] and story-based dance.[3]
Founded in 2006, the Shen Yun troupe is often associated with the Falun Gong spiritual practice,[4][5] and performances around the world are hosted by local Falun Dafa Associations. Kelly Wen, Master of Ceremonies for Shen Yun, stated that the underlying ideas of the performance is to "revive the essence of 5000 years of Chinese culture", which Wen described as a lost art destroyed by the Chinese communist government.[6]
Among others, the show has been praised by Broadway critic Richard Connema, who gave it five stars[7], while other reviews, such as The Guardian, criticised the show for promoting Falun Gong without saying so explicitly enough.[8][9][10]
According to a press release in The New York Times, Shen Yun has more than 200 members and perform seven months a year. The show's acts and production staff are trained at Shen Yun’s headquarters in Cuddebackville, in Orange County, New York.[11]Contents [hide] 1 Content 2 Reviving Traditional Chinese Culture 3 Interference to the shows by the Chinese Authorities 4 Show names 5 International touring 6 Reception 7 See also 8 References 9 External links
[edit] Content
Shen Yun shows feature traditional Chinese dance and song. A January 2010 seven-show run of Shen Yun at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, DC, consisted of twenty-two vignettes with colorful costumes, dancing, and "thrilling operatic singing.".[12] The 2008 shows in Denver were composed of sixty dancers, singers and musicians,[5] though the size of each company varies. The 2007 shows in San Francisco contained sixteen[13] different acts, consisting of traditional dancing and martial arts displays.[4] The acts are presented in both Chinese and the local language.[13] Each act is accompanied by a wide, projected backdrop that provides animation of "mountain scenes with snow, village scenes with rising smoke, countryside landscapes, and palaces."[13]In addition to the live orchestra accompanying each performance, there are several acts depicting live traditional Chinese instruments, like pipa and erhu. According to the information presented on the Shen Yun website:"The name “pipa” actually contains two Chinese characters, "pí" (琵) and "pá" (琶). The two are ancient Chinese strumming techniques—"pi" is the term for the right hand playing the strings forward, and "pa" is plucking backwards. And so the term "pipa" is often used in Chinese to describe various string playing techniques.
A single pipa positioned in the center of the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra is like an axle, connecting the celestial worlds and traditional dances on stage with “heaven, earth, and man.”
And,
"Music in China, as old as the 5,000-year-old civilization itself, was intended not so much for entertainment, but to purify one’s thoughts. Traditional belief held that sound can influence and harmonize the universe.
Into this culture came the two-stringed erhu, which has a history of some 4,000 years. The erhu has now become one of the most popular and recognizable Chinese instruments."
Shen Yun enacts three distinct forms of Chinese dance in its performances: classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance (for instance, dances of China's Dai and Mongolian ethnic minorities[2]), and story-based dance, presenting classic Chinese stories such as the legend of Mulan.[3]
Aside from the dance pieces, there is also a live orchestra of Chinese and Western instruments.[3] The songs are in Chinese, but the lyrics, both in Chinese and the local language where the performance is being held, are projected onto a backdrop revealing the performances' themes, "dealing often with historical movements and their devoted disciples."[2][13] [edit] Reviving Traditional Chinese Culture
Although much of China’s traditional dance heritage was lost during the Cultural Revolution, a resurgence is taking place.[14]
In 2006, a group of Chinese artists living in New York set out to revive the lost dance traditions. They formed Shen Yun Performing Arts and brought together some of the leading talents in Chinese dance, music, and choreography.
The non-profit organization has established itself as the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, and has since grown to three full ensembles each with its own orchestra.
According to the company’s website:
“At a time when the influence of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism was strong in the Middle Kingdom (a name for China), art was a means of connecting with the higher universe. Artists cultivated virtue and engaged in study and meditation, because they believed that to create true art worthy of the heavens, there must first be inner beauty and purity. Today, Shen Yun’s artists follow in this noble tradition.” [edit] Interference to the shows by the Chinese Authorities
Shen Yun has performed in some of the top theaters around the world, yet is banned from China, due to the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese regime regularly attempts to stop shows, but has rarely succeeded.[15][16]
The dance company had seven sold out performances at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts’ Lyric Theater in January, yet the shows had to be canceled after Hong Kong authorities denied entry visas to several key staff members at the last minute.[17]
Hong Kong audiences were disappointed. “We regret that the Hong Kong people are denied their right to see Shen Yun Performing Arts and understand that this incident constitutes a violation of Hong Kong people’s freedom,” states a Shen Yun press release issued after the cancellation.
A similar incident happened in Moldova, where theater managers, after receiving pressure from the local Chinese consulate, refused to let the production crew inside to set up for the shows. Chinese consulates have been known to send threatening letters to theaters that have signed on to host the show.[18][19]
“The Chinese communist regime has been seeking to interfere with our performances for years by trying to pressure officials and theaters to cancel our shows,” states a press release from Shen Yun Performing Arts.[20]
The Chinese regime has attempted to interfere with Shen Yun in various ways, including spreading propaganda through its overseas agents; intimidating overseas Chinese in order to prevent them from attending; harassing and threatening theaters; and most recently, harassing and threatening the mainland Chinese family members of Shen Yun artists.[21]
Family members of Shen Yun artists Wang Li, Chen Li, and Xu Lian (pseudonyms) have also been harassed by the Chinese authorities.
It was reported that on February 18, 2010, The husband of Shen Yun Performing Arts’ erhu virtuoso Mei Xuan, named Jiang Feng was kidnapped by the Shanghai 610 Office authorities in a continued effort by the Chinese regime to interfere with Shen Yun’s successful world tour. The 610 Office, like the Gestapo, is a Chinese extra-constitutional body with unquestioned power, which was created for the sole purpose of identifying, isolating, illegally detaining, and torturing practitioners of Falun Gong. [22][23]
Prominent Shanghai rights attorney Zheng Enchong said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s practice of harassing and kidnapping family members of Shen Yun artists indicates that the regime fears the power of Shen Yun.
Zheng, who has seen Shen Yun’s performance on DVD, said that the show’s influence is great and far-reaching. “It is not only a revival of Chinese traditional culture on the world stage, but it also elevates people spiritually. It is an awakening of one’s conscience and true nature.” [edit] Show names
Initially the shows were titled "Chinese Spectacular",[4] [5] "Holiday Wonders",[24] and "Divine Performing Arts", but now the company mostly performs under its own name "Shen Yun". [edit] International touring
The group is composed of three performing arts companies: The New York Company, The Touring Company, and the International Company, which typically tour different parts of the world consecutively. Each year the Shen Yun Performing Arts show tours several countries, performing across Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia. Shen Yun's shows have been staged in several leading stages, including New York’s Radio City Music Hall, London’s Royal Festival Hall, Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, and Paris’ Le Palais de Congrès[5] [25] The Chinese embassy in the United States accused NTDTV and Shen Yun Performing Arts of being used to "spread anti-China propaganda" and "distorting Chinese culture".[26]
In late January 2010, the government of Hong Kong refused entry visas for members of the production crew for the troupe's performances scheduled between 27 and 31 January, saying that "work visas were considered case by case", and said the applicant generally had to offer expertise not easily found locally; the troupe cancelled the performances which it claimed to have been sold out. Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho said the denial of the visas was a worrying new erosion of Hong Kong's freedoms, and damaged the reputation of Hong Kong as a liberal and open society.[27] [edit] Reception
Shen Yun Performing arts offers a video section on it's website which includes an introductory video to Shen Yun Performing Arts with short clips from the performances themselves, as well as audience reviews and short biographical documentaries of dancers - members of the company. More articles about viewers' reviews and audiences commentaries after seeing the shows can be found here.[28]
The San Francisco Chronicle, Denver Post and San Francisco Bay Times billed the show positively, the Chronicle exploring scenes in the performance depicting Falun Gong.[4][13] Richard Connema, San Francisco critic for Talkin' Broadway, was interviewed by the Falun Gong-affiliated NTDTV and described the Shen Yun performance as "absolutely fantastic," and gave it five stars.[7] Opera Online described one performance as "simply astounding to watch and a pleasure to the ear."[29]
Other reviewers have said that past Shen Yun shows were not advertised explicitly enough as being inspired by Falun Gong philosophy, yet contained scenes depicting the persecution of its practitioners in China: a heavily critical piece in The New York Times in 2008 raised these objections about allegedly misleading promotion;[30] while similar opinions were put forward by the Daily Telegraph, the Toronto Star, and The Guardian. The Telegraph's reviewer described the "politically motivated" content as "propaganda as entertainment,"[9] while the others echoed those sentiments.[8][10] A reviewer of the Buffalo News argued that while the show is laudable in bringing public attention to the human rights abuse by the Chinese government, it misrepresented itself in its promotion efforts, making little mention of its Falun Gong connections.[31] A local dance expert responded to the negative review, arguing that he had "missed the entire point and theme of the performance," and asserting that "it is the job of an artist to communicate thoughts and ideas."[32]
Among the attendees of the Shen Yun Performing Arts shows over the years, many of the top representatives of every field in society praised the show and among them were: ministers, government officials and diplomats, artists, top managers, scientists, doctors, fashion designers, singers, lawyers and others. [33] [34] Former New York City Ballet Company Manager, who attended Shen Yun show in 2010 was ‘Astonished’ by Shen Yun.[35] [36]
Despite the pressure from the Chinese authorities, Shen Yun Performing Arts was warmly welcomed by many of the government's and parliaments in Europe, America, North America, Australia and other countries around the globe. [37]
References ^ "Mission". Retrieved 15 November 2009. The Mission statement of Shen Yun Performing Arts ^ a b c Wesnousky, Jennifer (16 February 2007). "NTDTV's Chinese New Year Spectacular". Explore Dance. Retrieved 5 September 2009. ^ a b c "International Incident". The Pacific Northwest Inlander. Retrieved 15 November 2009. ^ a b c d Hunt, Mary Ellen (4 January 2009). "Chinese New Year Spectacular in S.F., Cupertino". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 4 September 2009. ^ a b c d Wenzel, John (1 October 2007). "Chinese New Year embracing tradition". The Denver Post. Retrieved 5 September 2009. ^ CNN VIDEO on Shen Yun: Chinese Culture Alive in U.S. August 28, 2010 ^ a b "Theater Critic Calls DPA 'Mind-Blowing'". The Epoch Times. 10 January 2009.[unreliable source?] ^ a b Mackrell, Judith (25 February 2008). "Dance review: Shen Yun Royal Festival Hall, London". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2009. ^ a b Crompton, Sue (25 February 2008). "Shen Yun: Propaganda as entertainment". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 April 2009. ^ a b Susan Walker (Falun) Gong New Year event mere propaganda, The Toronto Star, 20 January 2008 ^ The New York Times: 5,000 Years of Chinese Music and Dance, in One Night. August 13, 2010. ^ Sparacino, Micaele (19 January 2010). "Deities, Dragons, Dancers, and Divas". Concertonet.com. Retrieved 29 January 2010. ^ a b c d e Goodwyn, Albert (11 January 2007). "Chinese New Year Spectacular". San Francisco Bay Times. Retrieved 5 September 2009. ^ Epoch Times Article, Joshua Philipp, Jan 14, 2011, "The Chinese Regime's War on Dance" ^ Epoch Times Article, Hans Bengtsson, Mar 28, 2009, "Empty Threats From The Chinese Embassy Backfire" ^ Epoch Times Article, Joshua Philipp, Jun 4, 2010, "Despite Chinese Regime Pressure, The Show Goes On" ^ Epoch Times article, Wu Xue'er, Jan 22, 2010 "Six Shen Yun Production Staff Denied Visas to Hong Kong" ^ Epoch Times Article, Leeshai Lemish, May 30, 2010,"Shen Yun Locked Out in Moldova, a First-Person Account" ^ Epoch Times Article, Epoch Times Staff, May 25, 2010, "Chinese Regime Pressures Moldovan Theater to Close Doors to Shen Yun" ^ Epoch Times Article, Wen Yuqian, Jul 14, 2010,"Chinese Consulate Tries to Block Houston Shen Yun Show" ^ Epoch Times Article, Wei Yong, Jun 16, 2010, "New Wave of Harassment Targets Shen Yun" ^ Epoch Times Article, Feb 22, 2010, "Shen Yun Artist’s Husband Abducted in Shanghai" ^ Epoch Times Article, Zhang Ronger & Rona Rui , Feb 27, 2010 "Disappearance of Shen Yun Artist’s Husband Condemned", http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/30518/ ^ Higgins, Beau (15 November 2007). "'Holiday Wonders' Chinese Meets West Extravaganza". Broadway World. Retrieved 5 September 2009. ^ "Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World tour special coverage". Epoch Times. Retrieved 5 September 2009. ^ "Enjoy the Holidays and Stay away from the so-called "Chinese New Year Gala" of the New Tang Dynasty Television". Chinese Embassy in the United States of America. 7 January 2008. ^ Falungong decries HK as democracy row deepens, SinChew.com 27 January 2010 (AFP) ^ Epoch Times Newspaper, reviews from the Shen Yun performances http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/features/shen-yun/ ^ "Boston welcomes Year of the Dog with Gala multi-cultural celebration at Cutler Majestic". Opera Online. Retrieved 15 November 2009. ^ Konigsberg, Eric (6 February 2008). "A Glimpse of Chinese Culture That Some Find Hard to Watch". The New York Times. ^ Dabkowski, Colin (30 May 2010). "Song & dance spectacular not exactly what it seems". Buffalo News. Retrieved 21 June 2010. ^ Skora, Cathy (28 May 2010). "Shen Yun a Universal Theme (a reader responds)". Buffalo News. Retrieved 25 June 2010. ^ Genevieve Long, Feb 13, 2010, "UN Diplomat Calls Shen Yun Dance Ethereal" ^ Epoch Times Article, Epoch Times Staff, Dec 24, 2010 "Former Diplomat: ‘This one’s a true spectacle’" ^ Epoch Times Newspaper, Joshua Philipp, Jan 12, 2011, "Former New York City Ballet Company Manager ‘Astonished’ by Shen Yun" ^ Epoch Times Article, Axel Borgia, Aug 30, 2009,"Member of Parliament: Shen Yun 'moved me, transmitted tranquility'" ^ Epoch Times Article, Leigh Smith, Mar 5, 2010, "Shen Yun Welcomed at European Parliament"