Amidst excitable theatre students rehearsing for their upcoming productions and numerous choirs flitting back and forth between performance rooms, ETSU’s Martin Center is preparing to harbor the first major touring production since its opening in 2019. “Shen Yun: China Before Communism” is a ballet that explores the world of ancient China through costuming, set design and a vast orchestra.
“Be prepared for a theatrical experience that will take your breath away,” said one message on the Martin Center website.
Shen-Yun, defined as “the beauty of heavenly beings dancing,” is a United States theatrical touring company that was founded in 2006 by adherents of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa), a spiritual Chinese practice based on the ideas of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. The group, which consists of seven performing arts groups and 480 performers in total, is based in New York but has traveled across countless cities in Europe, North America and Asia.
The company’s website explains that, due to the strict communist regime in China, Shen-Yun cannot be viewed anywhere else, not even where it was created. With its performances, Shen-Yun’s goal is to “bring a great civilization back from the brink of extinction.”
“The performance was enchanting, completely captivating on so many levels,” said Kayla Jacque, a pharmacist and audience member in a promotional video on the company’s website.
Another audience member added, “From the beginning to the end, just hypnotizing.”
Shen-Yun is set to be shown at the Martin Center in the Grand Hall on Feb. 1-2, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range in cost from $80-$150, with handicap accessible seating available. The production has a running time of around two hours, plus a fifteen-minute intermission. To learn more about the history of Shen-Yun, view promotional material or buy tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
