Throughout the ages, one constant and enduring theme is that human beings have had to remain vigilant in fighting to preserve their freedom. Cultural richness has always been a threat to totalitarian regimes, and many a culture has lost its bearings due to harsh government overreach and oppression.
This is definitely the case for modern-day China, which continues to suffer under the yoke of freedom-crushing communism. But it wasn’t always this way — China boasts more than 5,000 years of rich and beautiful civilization, much of which has been lost as a result of the heavy boot of tyranny.
But Shen Yun Performing Arts has revived much of China’s alluring history through amazing song and dance, with an impressive stage show that travels the globe in preservation of Chinese history. This spring, the Shen Yun 2015 World Tour will kick off, hitting more than 130 locations throughout North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
Classical Chinese dance is about full emotional expression
Based on a tradition that dates back thousands of years, classical Chinese dance is at the forefront of what Shen Yun Performing Arts is all about. The movements are circular, graceful and filled with emotion. In fact, this unique dance form can only exist when one’s inner feelings are expressed as body motion.
“The movements of classical Chinese dance are rich in their ability to express a variety of feelings, be it happiness, sorrow, joy, anger, grief, delight, the emotions that come with parting and reuniting, insanity, infatuation, sickness, tipsiness, solemnity, ignobility, and majesty, as well as civil, military, and other personalities and stories,” reads a description of what the movements are meant to evoke written by Li Hongzhi.
This short video explains more about the history of classical Chinese dance:
ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Beautiful music, dance and storytelling recapture nearly lost Chinese history
The beauty of Shen Yun Performing Arts is that it combines the elegance and charm of classical Chinese dance with music to tell the many stories of ancient Chinese civilization, stories to which people living in China today no longer have access.
The Shen Yun Orchestra is a key component of this storytelling process, combining the distinctiveness and beauty of classical Chinese music with the rigor and strength of a Western symphony orchestra. The sounds, sights and spiritual elements in this beautiful work of art continue to lift the hearts of audiences all around the world, reminding them of the importance of a culture built on freedom.
“Over its past 60 years of rule, the communist regime has treated traditional Chinese values–centered on the idea of harmony between heaven and earth–as a threat to its existence,” explains Shen Yun. “And in its systematic campaigns like the Cultural Revolution, it has uprooted traditional beliefs and destroyed ancient treasures–bringing traditional 5,000 years of civilization to the brink of extinction.”
Shen Yun Performing Arts coming to a city near you
Thankfully, what remains of religious and cultural freedom of expression here in the U.S. has allowed Shen Yun to flourish, keeping alive the endangered cultural wealth of ancient China. And you and your family can partake of this rich history in all of its glory by supporting the effort at a performing arts center near you.
Tickets and a full listing of all the locations where Shen Yun will perform in 2015 are available here:
ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
“Principles such as benevolence and justice, propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution, all come to life, washing over the audience,” reads a concise summary of what Shen Yun entails.
To learn more, visit:
ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org
http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org
http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org
