Shen Yun | no neutrality

Last night I dragged a beloved long time friend to the Shen Yun performance at Lincoln Center in NYC. Even if it was one of the coldest and blustery nights this winter we were determined to have a blast. Which we did - contrary to how the evening unfolded.

Shen Yun theatrical poster

I was fueled by memories of the Chinese acrobatic circus performances that would come to our little backwater island town. Regaling us with fireworks, Shaolin martial arts, agile performers, and exotic dancers garbed in diaphanous silk ensembles.

We would sit for a few hours mesmerized by escalating feats of balance.

Real porcelain plates twirling above and in all directions suspended over pliant skinny sticks ten feet long. acrobats stacked on stacking chairs that disappeared into the far flung rafters above us. The whole troupe of over two dozen performers loading themselves one by one on a puny single unicycle. Flung out and suspended in the air as they zigged and zagged around the stage.

Lincoln Center, New York City

Unbelievable glee-filled entertainment. Fabulous feats of fantasy.

That is what we thought we would be in for last night. Sadly the show did not live up to any of our fond wishful thinking. Too bad really.

Instead what we got was an obvious political agenda masquerading as art. We have nothing against folks speaking out against a communist bully nation.

Inside the David H. Koch Theater

Other much loved Broadway hits like Hamilton are famous precisely for their political critique of warring nations. Lin Manuel Miranda masters applying a dramatically deft touch and light yet complex fancy footwork - balancing serious issues with believable compassion and humanity.

Photo on Yelp

Shen Yun is blatantly Kuomintang and proletariat in their heavy handed literal performance and slapstick dramatizations. The show has some superb highlights of its own. Both opening numbers - at the beginning and after intermission transported us literally with heavenly clouds billowing off the stage.

The sleeves, fans and undulating diaphanous skirts and panels were thrilling. As were the gymnastic perfection of each colorfully costumed dancer. The show did better recreating traditional Chinese folklore even if their beautiful precision grew cloying and tedious after a bit.

Sleeve Dance Art

Their contemporary pieces depicting the religious repression and deified beliefs of Falun Gong (or Falun Dafa) were such failed clunkers. So heavily and unimaginatively executed.

The erhu solo was touching and poignant. So well played by an accomplished virtuoso and accompanied beautifully on piano. Unfortunately neither female performers were given credit on either published programs of both the Shen Yun and Playbill companies. We wondered why.

What is Falun Gong or Falun Dafa?

The tenor and soprano sang such blatantly cheesy political songs that we were glad we did not understand the words and could just listen to their vocalizing with eyes closed to blot out the glaringly large English translations on screen.

Of all the available songs throughout all the dynasties and empires of China they had to pick these unbearable ones. The orchestra was delightful - mixing traditional ethnic instruments with classic wind and strings.

Shen Yun dancers depicted as communist thugs

On either side of us we had uninformed white Americans OH-ing and AH-ing in happy amazement. So impressed by the performance. We were agape not daring to look at each other for fear we'd burst out in hysterics. Ignorance truly is bliss.

It really is too bad the organizers did not simply offer its audience art for art's sake.