SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Is ‘A Lifetime Experience, Dream Come True,’ Says University Professor

May 01, 2024
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Shen Yun Is ‘A Lifetime Experience, Dream Come True,’ Says University Professor
Salma Begum Rekha and Alamgir Hossain enjoy Shen Yun's evening show at the Thalia Mara Hall, in Jackson, on April 30, 2024. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)

JACKSON, Fla.—Jackson State University professor Alamgir Hossain and his wife Salma Begum Rekha, a scientist at the University of Mississippi, were delighted to attend Shen Yun’s evening performance at the Thalia Mara Hall on April 30.

The couple had purchased tickets over a month ago and were very excited about seeing Shen Yun. It was “a dream come true,” Mr. Hossain said during intermission.

“I’ve spent an hour [here], and I cannot believe how I’ve spent it. It’s actually a lifetime experience. I’m really enjoying it with my wife. We are really very happy, and very excited, and very delighted that we’re able to be here. We’re very fortunate to enjoy the show.”

Shen Yun is the world’s leading classical Chinese dance and music company. It was founded in 2006 by an elite group of Chinese artists who had fled the persecution perpetuated by the communist regime.

Following the 1949 communist takeover, traditional Chinese culture went through a period of mass destruction. Since Shen Yun’s establishment, the New York-based artists have made it their mission to revive China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.

Mr. Hossain agreed that the show is a soul-awakening experience and “very heartfelt.”

“I feel like they’ve captured the true story. This is not just [about] the dance; it feels like every performance, every program had a story and had some background information,” he said.

“I think there’s a spiritual message, some true stories, and some history. I’m really enjoying it. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. Absolutely, yes.”
(L to R) Angela and Jeff McRae, with Linda and Scott Watson, attended Shen Yun's evening show at the Thalia Mara Hall on April 30, 2024. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)
(L to R) Angela and Jeff McRae, with Linda and Scott Watson, attended Shen Yun's evening show at the Thalia Mara Hall on April 30, 2024. (Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times)

Also in the audience were graphic designer Angela McRae and Linda Watson, an accountant.

Mrs. Watson, too, thought the performance was delightful and very colorful.

“It was beautiful. I loved the music, the colorful costumes, [the dancers] were so precise in all of their movements. They’re very good at what they do. You can tell they’ve prepared a lot,” she stated.
Shen Yun artists are highly trained in classical Chinese dance. Dating back thousands of years, it is one of the most athletic and expressive art forms in the world.

Mrs. McRae, on the other hand, was most impressed by the traditional values expressed throughout the performance.

“I feel good, I feel great. I love that [Shen Yun] teaches values. It teaches about love, acceptance, honesty, and education; I love all that.”

Met with acclaim and praise since its inception, Shen Yun’s eight-equally sized companies are slated to perform in over 200 cities worldwide in 2024. Every year, the artists can be expected to present a brand-new set of programs, so each season is a surprise.

Reporting by Sherry Dong and Jennifer Tseng.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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