LITTLE ROCK FAMILY: 'Shen Yun Performing Arts Promises to Dazzle, Educate'

New York-based traveling dance troupe Shen Yun Performing Arts will dazzle for the third year in a row at Robinson Center Music Hall, Markham and Broadway, Little Rock Feb. 27-28.

Every year, Shen Yun debuts a brand-new production that highlights different aspects of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through visually stunning storytelling, original compositions, choreography and handmade costumes. It makes its annual stop in Little Rock thanks to the dedicated efforts of a group of local Chinese-American families who want to share the history and culture of their native land with their new neighbors in central Arkansas.

Powerful Storytelling

During the impressive two-hour production, highly trained dancers move fluidly in sequences choreographed to depict dynasties, deities such as Buddha or Dhao, and ancient legends and folk stories. Others scenes honor unique minority cultures in the region, such as the Tibetan people, nestled in a freezing plateau near the Himalayas, or the Hmong (also known as Miao) culture in central and Southwest China.  Some give a history lesson on various dynasties and notable figures, such as General Han Xin who helped usher in the 400-year-reign of the Han Dynasty. More recent history—the oppression of religious and other freedoms in the nation—is often tackled as well.

During these scenes, large-scale digital backgrounds evoke magical or ancient locales. A team of artists create the vivid animations—from serene gardens to monumental temples—adding effects that almost appear 3-D, as they engulf the stage and immerse the audience.

Dancers leap and whiz through these digital dreamlands, outfitted in eye-popping costumes that only heighten the experience. For scenes about the Qing Dynasty, for instance, Manchurian women wear elaborate head dresses, high-collared Mandarin gowns, and platform or “Flower Pot” shoes. Not only is the dress a symbol of palace nobility, it also makes for perfect theatrical garb. The platform footwear even enhances the performance as dancers mimic the small steps and delicate gait required of the women who wore shoes.

Other costumes and props are integral to classical Chinese dance, which is similar to ballet in its technicality and postures, but also incorporates tumbling, acrobatics and movements from folk dances. One popular prop is the versatile Chinese fan, sometimes used to represent pink blooming cherry blossoms, or the menacing Dao saber, which immediately brings to mind ancient battlefields.

Captivating Music

 Then, there’s the music: Traditional Chinese instruments lead the melody, while a conventional Western orchestra fills out the sound. Discerning children will hear the unique sounds produced by the four-stringed pipa, the resounding gong and the expressive erhu (often called the “Chinese violin”). Vocalists sing in the operatic bel canto style, while maintaining proper use of the Chinese language. They help to tell stories or reflect on culture and philosophy, but non-Chinese speakers shouldn’t worry—lyrics are projected onto the screen for easy understanding.

Both parents and children will walk away amazed. More importantly, they’ll leave enriched and a little more knowledgeable about a fascinating and beautiful culture that may feel a million miles away, but actually has a few new roots right here in central Arkansas.

Original article: https://www.littlerockfamily.com/post/29083/shen-yun-performing-arts-promises-to-dazzle-educate