Shen Yun

[Birdsall]

Has anyone seen the Shen Yun company? It is billed as Classical Chinese Dance and from pictures and short clips it looks quite interesting, but was wondering if ballet lovers would enjoy it. I might go to the Tampa performance, but I wanted to know if anyone on these boards have seen this company and what they think about it before I buy a ticket.

[lmspear]

I saw Shen Yun last Nov. There were about 10 short selections for each of two acts that were too repetitive for my taste. There was also a pair of MCs who introduced each piece with corny patter. There were some lovely moments. I'm glad I saw it, but I didn't have to buy my ticket, and I have no desire to see it again.

The company is related to the Falun Gong movement.

[Birdsall]

Imspear, thanks for the info.

[YouOverThere]

Curiosity has motivated me to resurrect this topic. Shen Yun seems to have become something of a phenomenon in the DC area. Three of their 8 performances at the Kennedy Center in mid-April have already sold out, at prices ranging from $85 to $250 and the other 5 performances are more than 80 percent sold. Their 5 performances this week at George Mason University are also largely sold, at prices ranging from $80 to $120 (and the students are on Spring break).

I've seen them, and I agree with lmspear's take: somewhat entertaining but not a major artistic triumph, and definitely not the best Chinese dance performance that I've seen (I thought the performance by the Cloud Gate Dance Theater of Taiwan that I saw last week was far superior - and with no cheesy MCs). I was wondering if anyone else has seen this group since this thread was created.

Edited March 12, 2018 by YouOverThere

[sandik]

They have become an annual event in Seattle -- I have yet to see them, but they promote themselves widely and seem to sell well. 

They're scheduled here March 28-April 3.  And Cloud Gate is here the previous weekend...

[Dreamer]

When the company comes to town, it always advertises heavily, sets up a ticket booth inside shopping malls and its volunteers pass out fliers at other art venues and on public transit.  Either the company has unlimited budget for promotion or their volunteers is a group of extremely dedicated people. 

[lmspear]

Recent news stories from the New York Times:

Behind the Pageantry of Shen Yun, Untreated Injuries and Emotional Abuse

5 Takeaways From The Times’s Investigation Into Shen Yun

How a Persecuted Religious Group Grew Into a Global Movement

The Dark Side of Shen Yun

Lifting the Curtain of Shen Yun to Reveal a Dark Side

Shen Yun’s Longstanding Labor Practices Attract Regulators’ Scrutiny

Edited November 20, 2024 by lmspear

[abatt]

I wonder if all of these issues will cause the Koch Theater to stop presenting Shen Yun.  The Koch went so far as to ban Kimin Kim, a South Korean national who dances with the Mariinsky,  from appearing at the YAGP gala a year ago because of the war in Ukraine.  The allegations against Shen Yun are serious enough that there is a rational basis to prohibit any further appearances at the  Koch.  In fact, while Kimin Kim had no direct responsibility for the war in Ukraine, the management of Shen Yun is directly responsible for the alleged improper conduct towards its own company members.  

[pasdecheval]

When we attended a Paul Taylor performance at the Kennedy Center earlier this month, we were shocked to encounter chillingly stringent security measures: many armed officers, at least one dog, four magnetometers, and I'm not sure how many stations where patrons were wanded and their belongings checked.  

Like others it turns out, we wondered if this could be related to the new Kennedy Center leadership, but no. We were told it had been requested by the Shen Yun company, which was performing in the Opera House. A number of people were apparently bused in. Seemingly unfamiliar with the venue, they were told how to reach the theater by an usher who repeated the directions again and again as we sat on a couch opposite the Level A gift shop waiting for our performance a half-hour later.

Thank goodness, it was business as usual at the Eisenhower Theater where the Taylor company performed. Well, almost. Scattered throughout the audience were some people wearing neon vests with the words "Hands Off Our Arts!" on the front and back. When attendees gradually became aware of them at the first intermission, applause erupted and a theater-wide standing ovation unfolded. It was a goosebumps moment. Wonderful performance, too.

[California]

30 minutes ago, pasdecheval said:

When we attended a Paul Taylor performance at the Kennedy Center earlier this month, we were shocked to encounter chillingly stringent security measures: many armed officers, at least one dog, four magnetometers, and I'm not sure how many stations where patrons were wanded and their belongings checked.  

Like others it turns out, we wondered if this could be related to the new Kennedy Center leadership, but no. We were told it had been requested by the Shen Yun company, which was performing in the Opera House. A number of people were apparently bused in. Seemingly unfamiliar with the venue, they were told how to reach the theater by an usher who repeated the directions again and again as we sat on a couch opposite the Level A gift shop waiting for our performance a half-hour later.

Thank goodness, it was business as usual at the Eisenhower Theater where the Taylor company performed. Well, almost. Scattered throughout the audience were some people wearing neon vests with the words "Hands Off Our Arts!" on the front and back. When attendees gradually became aware of them at the first intermission, applause erupted and a theater-wide standing ovation unfolded. It was a goosebumps moment. Wonderful performance, too.

I've always been surprised at the apparent lack of security at the Kennedy Center, although I sometimes notice a uniformed policeman at the entrance and assume there might be plain clothes security in the lobby crowds. I was also surprised in San Francisco recently at the absence of any apparent security -- no bag checks, magnetometers, wanding. Nothing. I'm used to extremely stringent security at the Denver Performing Arts Center -- mags, wanding, bag checks. Of course, we are the home of the Aurora Theater massacre and we do have crazies from the rural areas. But DPAC is not the sort of high-profile venue that the Kennedy Center is. 

[Drew]

5 hours ago, pasdecheval said:

Thank goodness, it was business as usual at the Eisenhower Theater where the Taylor company performed. Well, almost. Scattered throughout the audience were some people wearing neon vests with the words "Hands Off Our Arts!" on the front and back. When attendees gradually became aware of them at the first intermission, applause erupted and a theater-wide standing ovation unfolded. It was a goosebumps moment. Wonderful performance, too.

What a great story. 

(The situation may change, but at the present time I think the vests are a better example of how to protest the situation at the Kennedy Center than a boycott which could do a lot of collateral damage to the performing arts and the people who love them. And I write as someone who just recently participated in a Tesla Take Down event.)

Edited March 15 by Drew