Rhode Islanders Find Chicago Shen Yun ‘Soothing’

Mrs. Pam Marchetti found the performance motivating. “I find it motivational primarily because I think the dancers are inspiring. It’s not something you see every day.”
Rhode Islanders Find Chicago Shen Yun ‘Soothing’
5/12/2013
Updated:
8/14/2015

CHICAGO—“It’s a very peaceful show! It’s culturally rich, it’s soothing, it’s relaxing, as well as very entertaining,” said Jonathan Marchetti, about the performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts that he, his wife, and sister-in-law had just seen.

Mr. Marchetti and his wife, Pam, had traveled from Rhode Island for Pam’s sister’s graduation.
“I graduated from UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) yesterday, from a graduate program,” said Hewes, a nurse in Rhode Island. She just completed her Masters in Science in Patient Safety Leadership, and plans to be a senior risk management coordinator for a hospital organization.

All three saw Shen Yun at the Cadillac Palace Theater on May 11.

Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company, based in New York, brings traditional music and dance to the world with three companies that tour simultaneously. It aims to restore 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.

“It’s a culture that’s over 5,000 years old, so they are very at peace—one with the land, one with nature. I could feel that, I could sense that,” said Mr. Marchetti, who works for Fidelity Investments.

“I think there is a lot of lessons and stories to be told,” Hewes said. “It is very interesting and the music is very peaceful.”

Shen Yun tours with a full orchestra, which combines both Western and Chinese instruments.

“I know we’ve used the word soothing quite a bit here, but, it feels nice to just sit here and learn a little something about the culture but at the same time watch the talent displayed up there. It’s amazing,” Mrs. Marcetti said.

Mrs. Marchetti is also a nurse, and she owns a consulting company, Triad Health Care, for nursing homes in Rhode Island.

At the heart of the performance is classical Chinese dance, a uniquely expressive dance form, which allows for mini-dramas of China’s culture through myths, legends and actual history.

“We were both acrobats when we were young, so this has just been really fascinating. Yes, we like it a lot,” said Hewe, alluding to the difficult leaps and tumbling methods in classical Chinese dance from which acrobatics and gymnastics were born.

“We have the show in Rhode Island, but we didn’t get a chance to see it,” Mrs. Marchetti explained. “So, we thought it would be a good opportunity to see it here in Chicago. I love it. It’s very elegant. It’s very inspiring—motivational. It tells a nice story. Yeah, it’s beautiful,” she said.

The sisters both commented on the beauty and modesty of the costumes. “Things are very formal,” said Hewe, in reference to the costumes. “They are not exposing themselves. The costumes are beautiful.”

Echoing that statement, Mrs. Marchetti elaborated: “They don’t show a lot of skin,” she said laughing. “And I think it’s nice. The costumes are beautiful. .. it just makes you feel that you can come here and just be at peace watching something beautiful. Yeah, it’s very nice.”

Mrs. Marchetti found the performance motivating. “I find it motivational primarily because I think the dancers are inspiring. It’s not something you see every day.”

Reporting by Valerie Avore and on Sharon Kilarski

Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.