Shen Yun, a Chinese cultural show filled with classical Chinese dance and music, impressed its audience on Jan. 12 at the Sacramento Community Center Theater.

This performance was a two- hour show consisting of 16 dances, two soprano singers and two instrumental performances. The 16 dances were equipped with dancers that were trained perfectly for this show especially with their facial expressions clearly showing feelings of sorrow, happiness and anger whenever it was necessary. The dancers are trained in the art of Chinese dancing in New York at the Fei Tian Academy of the Arts and Fei Tian College.

Each dance was beautifully choreographed and told a different story of China’s history. My favorite was Fairies of the Sea, where a group of women wore light blue skirts and held long silk fans that gave it the illusion that they were in the water. Through their complicated and intricate dances, the dancers captivated me from start to finish.

In addition to dancing, the program included two Chinese soprano singers. The women’s voices were equally strong in pitch and had the audience on the edge of their seats to see if the singers voice would continue perfectly throughout the song. Both of the singers sang songs about Chinese heritage such as “A Choice Once More” that told of the cruel control China is facing today. The women sang so clearly and high pitched that the audience could feel the vibration from her voice. Her voice literally would have caused a wine glass to break if it were next to her on the stage.

Furthermore, the two instrumental performances were on piano and a Chinese cultural instrument the Erhu. Although the two instruments sounded beautiful, the dances seemed to outdo them and I was constantly waiting for it to end for the dances to come back on.

Although this show was filled with many unique aspects, it is a year long show which means one show differs from another. If I could have the opportunity to watch this show again I would definitely take it if it means seeing more dances that differ from the first time that I watched it.

One thing that was surprising was the pricing for the show. The tickets were based on seating in the theater the highest being $150 located in the very front behind the orchestra. I paid $100 for my tickets to be in the first floor of the theater and can honestly say that it was worth it. Even if I had gone to the seats that were cheaper that would be in the second floor I think I would have still had a great experience during the show.

Shen Yun was my first show that I’ve ever gone to that happened live on stage and it left a good impression on me to watch other shows performed in theaters. Although I didn’t think I’d like it beforehand I was proven wrong and encourage others of any age to watch it.

Sadly, there are no upcoming performances for Shen Yun in Sacramento but there are many shows happening in California such as Bakersfield or Los Angeles in upcoming months.

by MISSIE CARACUT