(Clearwisdom.net) As Shen Yun Performing Arts debuted to an appreciative audience at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, March 18, notable members of Tulsa's arts community responded enthusiastically to this highly anticipated and acclaimed show, welcoming it to Tulsa. As the audience burst into cheers, they resoundingly gave their approval with long, standing ovations.

Ms. Nancy Hermann, Marketing Director for the Tulsa Performing Arts Center and Editor of Intermission magazine, resisted pressure from the Chinese communist regime and promoted the performance that she had not yet even seen.

Ms. Nancy Hermann, Marketing Director for the Tulsa Performing Arts Center and Editor of Intermission magazine

Ms. Hermann said she helped to promote Shen Yun because she, "believed in this project. ... It's easy to help people who are passionate about something, because you know it means a lot to them, and if you can see it means a lot to them, then it means a lot to you."

She said, "I'm the editor of the magazine, so I put the picture on the cover of our magazine, Intermission, and I got the picture on the cover of Preview Magazine, which is another magazine, and then we ran a full page ad in Tulsa People. I called the Tulsa World and told them that I really wanted them to support this, because I believe in it. So we did a lot of marketing, and we just helped. I helped [another marketer], because she was setting up TV, so I helped set up print, and she helped set up TV and got on lots of TV shows. You know, all that we could do."

Ms. Hermann said that a Chinese person had called her and told her to stop supporting Shen Yun. She refused to do so, saying, "This is America and people can express a viewpoint. That's what we're about here. So, we're not going to tell someone they can't express a viewpoint. People can come or not come - if they like or not like it. So, I was not very sympathetic, and the person on the phone kind of backed down." Ms. Hermann laughed.

Before Ms. Hermann was told to stop supporting Shen Yun, she knew very little about Falun Dafa. In order to find out more, she checked out many websites. She looked at Divine Performing Arts.org and "I read a lot about it, and then I read about what people are saying across the country about the show. I also read a report about what the Chinese government was saying about the show. I just read a whole lot."

Ms. Hermann is "very sensitive to persecution." She felt it was important to not bow down to any threats. She said, "I did mention to people in our office that we did have someone call about this, so just in case someone calls you, I want to give you the background."

The executive learned about this serious issue taking place in contemporary China before she saw the performance. Upon finally seeing the performance after all her hard work, she responded with pleasure and joy, "It was very beautiful. I loved learning about the culture, and I think it really helped to have the announcers come out and explain what we are going to see and then see it. It made it come to life, knowing the stories behind it beforehand was extra special. I loved the music."

"I was very impressed with the athleticism of the dancers. They were really strikingly talented dancers." She most loved "Dance of the Yi," "Visually, it was very stunning. The one where they had the striped dresses and so when they were swirling around it was beautiful."

"The show was fabulous!" exclaimed Mr. Busby, Executive Director of the Arts and Humanities Council in Tulsa. His group is one of the 50 largest arts organizations in the United States.

"It's wonderful! I'm so glad we got to be a part of it, so glad we got to see it. I'm so glad that we could help bring it to Tulsa."

As someone well-versed in the arts, Mr. Busby responded on many levels to the show. "It was wonderful to hear the traditional instruments mixed with the more contemporary ones that we're used to in normal symphonic music."

Reflecting on the performances, Mr. Busby said, "Boy! I liked it all, because I liked the variety."

Mr. Busby said, "I love the message about 'with understanding comes hope'." He was referring to the dance, "Knowing the True Picture Offers Ultimate Hope."

He shared, "I think that's the most important thing I love about this show: we get representations of all the different traditions within the Chinese culture, and they are actually preserving those, and then bringing them to the rest of the world, and certainly throughout America, where we have, I would say, a somewhat limited and more focused knowledge in this country, and this enables us to appreciate this much broader culture."

Mr. Busby added, "There absolutely is hope, and I think this really sends that message in difficult economic times like we find ourselves in right now. It's like we have to remember the traditions and the culture and the things that we have are what give us hope and promise for tomorrow. Absolutely!"

"I think for a lot of people watching this, whether it's from their tradition or not, [they are] inspired by the joy that the performers have, the power in their message, and the desire they have to share their culture with others. I think that makes us proud of our own culture too, and the fact that we are all on one big planet, working together. We need to help each other through difficult times. If we work together, anything is possible!" concluded Mr. Busby.

Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/13952/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/13951/