(Minghui.org) Shen Yun Performing Arts presented four sold-out shows at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, Texas on August 6–8, 2021.
The Shen Yun World Company presented four sold-out shows at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on August 6–8 in San Antonio. (Photo source: https://www.tobincenter.org/)
“A Real Celebration of Joy and Humanity”
Tim Hedgepeth, theater director, professor, and consultant, attended the Shen Yun performance in San Antonio on August 6.
Tim Hedgepeth, a San Antonio-based theater director, professor, and consultant, saw Shen Yun at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio on August 6, 2021.
He said, “I was overwhelmed. It was really beautiful. It was very moving... Very professionally done, but also surprisingly spiritual... A real celebration of joy and humanity that we don't see a lot. So I was very, very moved.
“It was nice to see it performed live, with such beautiful music and amazing, amazing dancers. And the costumes were just out of this world. It was a treat for the eye, but it was also I think a treat for the heart and soul as well.
“There was something very lovely about the show. It asked us to look in our hearts and consider greater themes than just being entertained,” Mr. Hedgepeth added.
He also spoke of the bel canto performance. “The understanding [of the lyrics of the songs] I think is that we are part of a much larger universe and that the universe is here based on goodness and joy and kindness to one another. And the opportunity of an eternal life of joy and happiness is not only the responsibility of a higher power but also with us, as human beings and how we treat one another and how we respect the earth and the sky and nature.
“I am very, very interested these days in how traditional theater meets with technical theater. And the brilliance of this production in how it matched with the projections and the lighting... especially the 3D effect—blending with older traditions of dance and storytelling was really, really nice. So I can't wait to share some of the things I saw tonight with the people that I do theater with. I've got a whole bunch of ideas that I'm gonna run home and write down.
“The precision, and I think the love of what they're doing, really, really comes across. It was a shot of energy from the very beginning until the curtain call. And that's exciting to get that from performers... The time just flew by. I can't believe it was time to go. Again, I'm very glad we were able to see it. And I look forward to seeing it again,” Mr. Hedgepeth said.
Beautiful and Meaningful
Leon Steward, a composer and music teacher, and his wife Elizabeth, a nurse practitioner, saw Shen Yun at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio on August 7.
Leon Steward, a composer and music teacher, saw Shen Yun with his wife Elizabeth, a nurse practitioner, in San Antonio on August 7, 2021.
“The orchestra was amazing... You can tell they play a lot together—it’s very tight. That made it for me. That was just amazing—the sound,” Mr. Steward said.
“I like that they kept it in a style of Eastern music—they kept with that theme throughout. They did not try to Westernize it too much. That was very cool, and it fits with everything they’re doing,” he added.
Elizabeth said she was touched by the messages presented throughout the program.
“I love that they said something that was meaningful,” she said. “I like that [they] not only made something beautiful but gave us a message. I really appreciate it.
“We had to wait for a long time, but we got here... I appreciated it, and I’ll be praying for the show to gain strength and be strong and to keep going,” she said.
“Spectacular” and “Valuable”
Captain Gabriel Ventura and Hope Goddard attended a Shen Yun performance in San Antonio on August 7.
Air Force Captain Gabriel Ventura and Hope Goddard saw Shen Yun in San Antonio on August 7.
“The performance was fantastic, the dancing was incredible,” Mr. Ventura said.
Ms. Goddard agreed, “Yes, we loved it. I thought everything was great. The music, the dancing, everything was incredible.”
“The athleticism throughout. I think the twirls, the jumps—all of that requires so much of the performers. And the fact that they can do that time and time again as the curtains go up and down was just shocking to me and incredible... It was really, honestly spectacular,” she said.
They also spoke about the fact that Shen Yun performances cannot be seen in China due to the communist regime’s effort to uproot traditional culture.
“I think it’s very tragic,” Mr. Ventura said. “I think that happens, broadly, too much in too many different cultures and societies. And I think that it’s very precious that [Shen Yun has] been able to rescue some of that and then actually share that with everybody else.”
Ms. Goddard said, “[Shen Yun was] able to share stories that we wouldn’t normally hear... I thought it was really, really valuable.”
“A Lot of Exceptional Talent”
Graphic designer Robert Miller attended a Shen Yun performance in San Antonio on August 7.
Robert Miller, a graphic artist and communication designer, saw Shen Yun in San Antonio on August 7, 2021.
“Brilliant. It really was. It’s very artistic. I thought it was very well done. Very colorful, very vivid... Elegant,” he said.
“It resonated very well... I thought it was exceptional, truly. There was a lot that I learned, on several different dimensions.
“You have a very brilliant cast. A lot of exceptional talent there.
“I appreciate the topics and the themes... How universal the adoration of God is, the importance of belief and faith, and the freedom to believe and have faith in what you care to have faith in,” Mr. Miller said.
Faith and Hope
When CPAs Carol and Gary Gill bought their tickets, they assumed that a Chinese cultural performance would be from China, so they were surprised to learn that Shen Yun is based in the United States. They spoke about Shen Yun’s portrayal of the Chinese communist regime’s ongoing persecution of the spiritual practice Falun Dafa.
“As an American, I’m all for what they’re saying, so it’s great. The show itself is beautiful,” Mr. Gill said.
As Catholics, the Gills appreciate Shen Yun’s message of faith and hope.
“I just love the religious aspect of it,” Mrs. Gill said. “You know, in this country, we don’t proclaim our religion very publicly and it was so nice to see it there on the stage.”
Mr. Gill noted that in addition to persecuting practitioners of Falun Dafa, “communists destroyed the Catholic faith. They’re still doing it in China.”
Upcoming Performances
Shen Yun continues its 2021-2022 tour with upcoming performances in Richardson, Texas, September 4–5; Houston, Texas, September 18–26; Orlando, Florida, September 22–26; and Seattle, Washington, September 29–October 3.
For more information on tickets and dates, please visit http://shenyun.com.
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